When people think of France, they think pretty scenery, cigarettes, romance, and cheese. But, when horror fans think of France, we think gore, suspense, torture, plot twists, and MORE GORE. That's right, from the early 2000s to today, French horror has gone totally haywire, bringing us some of the most insane and original horror flicks ever made. They aren't afraid to go places that American horror movies wouldn't dare touch, and are rightfully praised for doing so. There have been a slew of horror movies to slither out of France, but people tend to talk about four in particular; Martyrs, High Tension, Inside, and Frontier(s). These are the most extreme and memorable French horror movies to come out of the last decade, and they have undoubtedly breathed new life (or death) onto our beloved genre. I will review each of these flicks in all their blood soaked glory. Major spoilers follow, but if you haven't seen these flicks, stop what you're doing and go watch them immediately!
Martyrs (2008):
Watching this movie is a truly moving experience. The first time I viewed it, my jaw was on the floor in disbelief. I couldn't even comprehend what I had just witnessed. While decidedly the least gory of the bunch, it is the most disturbing and it leaves the greatest impact. The film follows Lucie who, as a child, escaped a sick child abuse chamber. She grew up in a foster home with Anna, a girl who acted as a mother figure for her. Lucie is disturbed, and haunted by a "monster" as a result from her horrible ordeal. 15 years after she escaped Lucie hunts down the family responsible in an attempt to rid herself of her past, and start her life over again, dragging a reluctant Anna along with her. What begins as a simple tale of revenge spirals into a dark descent of terror that the two girls were not prepared for. The plot twist in this movie is haunting and very well executed. I wasn't expecting at all what unfolded before me as I was watching, curious to see where it would end up. This is a beautiful movie, with great acting, and amazing atmosphere. It takes turns and twists that you would never expect, and reading anything more about it would ruin the whole experience. The setup is great, the payoff is outstanding, and the message really stays with you long after the credits are done rolling.
High Tension (2003):
This movie blew my mind. As part of the unofficial "Splat Pack," Alexandre Aja burst into the horror scene with his brutal, mind bending slasher debut. For a first film, Aja already showed some serious talent for directing suspense and action. The film centers around Marie and Alex, two college friends, who go to Alex's parent's farmhouse for some peace and quiet, and also to catch up on some studying. Before long, in the middle of the night a nameless assailant comes knocking, setting a desperate struggle for survival into motion. This movie was so expertly crafted that I literally have nothing bad to say about it. It's scary, disturbing, suspenseful, and above all, gory as hell. While not as deep or meaningful as Martyrs, it's the perfect movie for any gore hound. Here we have axe murders, slashed throats, and one of the most unique decapitations I've ever seen. The film is also very dark and gritty, adding to the overall sense of dread. The acting is amazing, and it was just an added bonus to have the always great Phillippe Nahon (who I know from I Stand Alone) as the killer. The story is tight with only three big set pieces, which made everything that much more claustrophobic and intense. The direction is impeccable, the music is superb, and Aja even throws in a few nods to the 1980s slasher classic Maniac (the gas station bathroom, jumping on the hood of the car). I won't spoil it, but I did really enjoy the twist near the end. I thought it was well executed and gave the movie a tremendous edge over other recent horror movies. An exceptional first film from someone who would later direct other great genre flicks like The Hills Have Eyes and Piranha. It may not have you thinking about a message or theme, but it sure as hell will leave you with your fist held high, and your gore craving satisfied. It's a fantastic horror movie, and one of the first to kick off the new wave of gory fright flicks.
Inside (2007):
One of the main reasons I love French horror is because they take a horror sub genre, in this case home invasion, and they twist it into something totally different and refreshing. This movie revolves around Sarah, a recently widowed woman who is about to give birth to her first baby. The night before she's due to go into labor, an insane woman (credited simply as "The Woman") breaks into her house for one thing and one thing only; her unborn child. This movie is absolutely terrifying. Home invasion is the one sub genre that freaks me out, only because it could happen, and it happens in a place where you're supposed to feel the most safe. The scene when you see The Woman in the background while Sarah unknowingly sits on the couch, sends shivered down my spine every time I watch it. Plus, this movie is one of the goriest movies I have ever seen. Anyone who is unlucky enough to enter the doomed household is dispatched in increasingly gruesome ways. The special effects are astounding, making each death seem that much more real and brutal. The film is slow, yet creepy at first, but when the blood starts to flow, it never stops until the crimson river finale. The simple plot allows for minimal excess and little exposition, which is good, so we can focus on all of the carnage. Speaking of carnage, this movie is very ballsy in putting in the C-Section scene and I applaud the filmmakers for it. They opted out the "happy ending" and when it was over, it left me with a very uneasy feeling, as a true horror film should. A scary, suspenseful, blood drenched horror flick that demands a viewing from anyone with a taste for gore.
Frontier(s) (2007):
Another amazing, genre defining horror film from France. Director Xavier Gens chews up the "torture porn" genre and spits it right back at us. He has crafted a highly original, thrilling, and brutally violent film that you would never see released here in America. The story is about a group of thieves who escape Paris with $125,000 and head for the boarder. Along the way, they stop to stay at a hostel who's innkeepers are far more dangerous than the riot plagued city they came from. This film is very dark, and violent with no light or humorous moments. It's an in your face thriller that pulls no punches. The gore is fantastic, and includes one of the best axe murders I think I've ever seen. The story is great and takes enough plot twists to keep your interest and it never veers off into familiarity. The acting is stupendous, and the pacing is tight with not one dull moment. Gens uses a bit of a quick cut technique in the more chaotic scenes and it works to great effect. The characters are rich and both the antagonists and the protagonists are memorable in their own way. This film has it all; neo nazis, cannibalistic underground sub-humans, dysfunctional families, and loads of the good ol' red stuff. If you're a fan of Saw or Hostel and you want to see a movie go even further than those, seek this one out right away.
Those are the four biggest horror movies to come out of France in the 2000s and they are all modern masterpieces. They all have their own tone, messages, and style, but one thing bonds them all together; gore. These are all insanely violent and each one of them was slapped with an NC-17 upon their initial submission to the MPAA. If you're not into reading subtitles, I beg of you to change your views for at least one of these movies because if you call yourself a horror fan these are a must see, hands down. While my personal favorite of the bunch is Martyrs, all of these would get my highest recommendation any day of the week. Adieux, horror fans!
Watching this movie is a truly moving experience. The first time I viewed it, my jaw was on the floor in disbelief. I couldn't even comprehend what I had just witnessed. While decidedly the least gory of the bunch, it is the most disturbing and it leaves the greatest impact. The film follows Lucie who, as a child, escaped a sick child abuse chamber. She grew up in a foster home with Anna, a girl who acted as a mother figure for her. Lucie is disturbed, and haunted by a "monster" as a result from her horrible ordeal. 15 years after she escaped Lucie hunts down the family responsible in an attempt to rid herself of her past, and start her life over again, dragging a reluctant Anna along with her. What begins as a simple tale of revenge spirals into a dark descent of terror that the two girls were not prepared for. The plot twist in this movie is haunting and very well executed. I wasn't expecting at all what unfolded before me as I was watching, curious to see where it would end up. This is a beautiful movie, with great acting, and amazing atmosphere. It takes turns and twists that you would never expect, and reading anything more about it would ruin the whole experience. The setup is great, the payoff is outstanding, and the message really stays with you long after the credits are done rolling.
High Tension (2003):This movie blew my mind. As part of the unofficial "Splat Pack," Alexandre Aja burst into the horror scene with his brutal, mind bending slasher debut. For a first film, Aja already showed some serious talent for directing suspense and action. The film centers around Marie and Alex, two college friends, who go to Alex's parent's farmhouse for some peace and quiet, and also to catch up on some studying. Before long, in the middle of the night a nameless assailant comes knocking, setting a desperate struggle for survival into motion. This movie was so expertly crafted that I literally have nothing bad to say about it. It's scary, disturbing, suspenseful, and above all, gory as hell. While not as deep or meaningful as Martyrs, it's the perfect movie for any gore hound. Here we have axe murders, slashed throats, and one of the most unique decapitations I've ever seen. The film is also very dark and gritty, adding to the overall sense of dread. The acting is amazing, and it was just an added bonus to have the always great Phillippe Nahon (who I know from I Stand Alone) as the killer. The story is tight with only three big set pieces, which made everything that much more claustrophobic and intense. The direction is impeccable, the music is superb, and Aja even throws in a few nods to the 1980s slasher classic Maniac (the gas station bathroom, jumping on the hood of the car). I won't spoil it, but I did really enjoy the twist near the end. I thought it was well executed and gave the movie a tremendous edge over other recent horror movies. An exceptional first film from someone who would later direct other great genre flicks like The Hills Have Eyes and Piranha. It may not have you thinking about a message or theme, but it sure as hell will leave you with your fist held high, and your gore craving satisfied. It's a fantastic horror movie, and one of the first to kick off the new wave of gory fright flicks.
Inside (2007):One of the main reasons I love French horror is because they take a horror sub genre, in this case home invasion, and they twist it into something totally different and refreshing. This movie revolves around Sarah, a recently widowed woman who is about to give birth to her first baby. The night before she's due to go into labor, an insane woman (credited simply as "The Woman") breaks into her house for one thing and one thing only; her unborn child. This movie is absolutely terrifying. Home invasion is the one sub genre that freaks me out, only because it could happen, and it happens in a place where you're supposed to feel the most safe. The scene when you see The Woman in the background while Sarah unknowingly sits on the couch, sends shivered down my spine every time I watch it. Plus, this movie is one of the goriest movies I have ever seen. Anyone who is unlucky enough to enter the doomed household is dispatched in increasingly gruesome ways. The special effects are astounding, making each death seem that much more real and brutal. The film is slow, yet creepy at first, but when the blood starts to flow, it never stops until the crimson river finale. The simple plot allows for minimal excess and little exposition, which is good, so we can focus on all of the carnage. Speaking of carnage, this movie is very ballsy in putting in the C-Section scene and I applaud the filmmakers for it. They opted out the "happy ending" and when it was over, it left me with a very uneasy feeling, as a true horror film should. A scary, suspenseful, blood drenched horror flick that demands a viewing from anyone with a taste for gore.
Frontier(s) (2007):Another amazing, genre defining horror film from France. Director Xavier Gens chews up the "torture porn" genre and spits it right back at us. He has crafted a highly original, thrilling, and brutally violent film that you would never see released here in America. The story is about a group of thieves who escape Paris with $125,000 and head for the boarder. Along the way, they stop to stay at a hostel who's innkeepers are far more dangerous than the riot plagued city they came from. This film is very dark, and violent with no light or humorous moments. It's an in your face thriller that pulls no punches. The gore is fantastic, and includes one of the best axe murders I think I've ever seen. The story is great and takes enough plot twists to keep your interest and it never veers off into familiarity. The acting is stupendous, and the pacing is tight with not one dull moment. Gens uses a bit of a quick cut technique in the more chaotic scenes and it works to great effect. The characters are rich and both the antagonists and the protagonists are memorable in their own way. This film has it all; neo nazis, cannibalistic underground sub-humans, dysfunctional families, and loads of the good ol' red stuff. If you're a fan of Saw or Hostel and you want to see a movie go even further than those, seek this one out right away.
Those are the four biggest horror movies to come out of France in the 2000s and they are all modern masterpieces. They all have their own tone, messages, and style, but one thing bonds them all together; gore. These are all insanely violent and each one of them was slapped with an NC-17 upon their initial submission to the MPAA. If you're not into reading subtitles, I beg of you to change your views for at least one of these movies because if you call yourself a horror fan these are a must see, hands down. While my personal favorite of the bunch is Martyrs, all of these would get my highest recommendation any day of the week. Adieux, horror fans!
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