Directed by Pascal Laugier
With Mylène Jampanoï, Morjana Alaoui and Catherine Bégin
French movie
Genre : Horror, Thriller, Drama
Length : 1h39.
Production year : 2008
Synopsis
Fifteen years after a horrifying experience of abduction and prolonged torture, Lucie embarks on a bloody quest for revenge against her oppressors. Along with her childhood friend, Anna, who also suffered abuse, she quickly descends, without hope, into madness and her own delusions.
My review
Finally, a deep-rooted French production! We have few genre movies in France because production companies don't want to invest in them. However, Pascal Laugier struggled to make this movie and to release it in theatres.
He didn't have to use censorship or demagogy; he made the movie he wanted to make. The movie first was adult rated. As a consequence the movie could have been released in theatres, but after many negotiations it was finally R-rated. I had waited for this movie for a longtime and it met my expectations. After watching it, I was completely crushed and traumatized! From the first minute I felt trapped in the movie by its atmosphere, and it gets greater and greater until the last 20 minutes. Those are the most unbearable and depressing scenes I have ever seen, so if you're very sensitive to psychological and physical violence, I suggest you do not watch this film. I understand this movie is controversial and that a lot of people didn't like it; the violence is very realistic and some people might see it as gratuitous and senseless. However, Martyrs talks about violence in a very profound way which always contributes to the screenplay and make it consistent. Pascal Laugier pushes his characters to their limits and shows the darkest and the most horrible part of human nature. I read some people even fainted during screenings in different places around the world. I still don't know if Martyrs is a masterpiece, only time will tell, but I'm sure it will shack-up the French movie industry.
