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Posted By: iNSANEmoments at 3:18am, November 8, 2009
This disturbing French film from the maker of “Saint Ange” (Paul Laugier), revolves around a religious cult that tortures kidnapped women until they “transcend” pain and become martyrs. The violence in the movie is so graphic that even the French Ministry of Culture got involved in the ratings process. The movie is visually stunning and repulsive. Like with many French horror films, there is an especially strong philosophical undercurrent to the film. The intellectual themes in the film, in my opinion, are intriguing most because the writer and director actually took them seriously. Overall, good.
This movie is truley one the best horror films ive ever seen. And wheather you like it or not you cannot denie the fact that this movie sticks with you. I laughed at people who said that about paranormal activity but this film truley does. I never felt the way i did after this movie. I think i was in shere aw the last 30 min and when the credits rolled i jus felt plain dirty lol For real this film is not for the faint of heart but if ur a sick bastard like me check this 1 out
Wow.... If you want a movie to truly horrify you, then this is the movie to watch. I love how you think you know where the movie is all about and then all of a sudden it turns completly left and you are somewhere you didn't expect to be. If you think i know what you did last summer was scary or disturbing then you would probably wouldn't like this film. Truly for the hardest of hardcore. One of my fav horror films of all time.
Friend of mine watched it before I did because wasn't sure I really wanted to see it. Not because I was scared, but just not sure this was one I would sit down with and not be bored. He told me was really good, so gave it a try and was not disappointed. This was a very screwed up film and I liked the premise of it. Not what I was expecting and really enjoyed it. That chick went through some hell. After seeing this I wished things would have worked out for Laugier to direct the Hellraiser remake, think he would have been a good director for that film.
Man this movie was a tough one to watch. I usually don't get bothered by movies but I just felt so weird after this movie. Even the first time I saw LHOTL (original) I felt that was kind of tough to watch but man this movie whoa. It actually was a well made story just a really f*cked up one. This movie definitely gives you food for thought on just whats going on out there and how far people are willing to go to learn about the human psyche and limits we can take. Definitely not a movie for everyone as watching once was enough for me as I'll most likely not watch it again. But non the less if you do watch it just be prepared.
Hard movie to watch, but deeply rewarding. It evoked feelings I forgot I had!
Posted By: persona95 at 1:40am, September 27, 2009
Love this movie...very gut wrenching and hard but in the end it is a very well made film.
Posted By: Chuletafilms1 at 2:49pm, September 24, 2009
GREAT
Posted By: !!rogue!! at 7:54pm, September 17, 2009
A very dark and creepy horror flick that is horrifyingly gory.
Posted By: immortaldeath at 7:18pm, September 15, 2009
I love just about everything about this film. its brutal, has a good story, and i really liked the characters. i love when i put a horror movie in and through out the whole movie im like wtf and through out the movie i looked at my buddy with the wtf look. i recommend this to all horror fans.
The French have composed a film boasting ultimate brutality and gore.A powerful film which takes no prisoners, Martyrs is most assuredly not for everyone. Stay away if you don’t like graphic violence, and avoid at all costs if you can’t handle prolonged torture directed at members of the female gender. But if you’ve got a strong stomach and unshakable nerves, give this little French offering a try. Like the grotesque imagery from a crime scene or traffic accident, it’s something you won’t soon forget. I cant name this my # 1 fav, but it is top 2. I have heard they want to remake the film here in the US. I BEG THEM NOT TOO. The Actresses in this movie are phenomenal. This by far is the most realistic horror movies I have ever seen. Truly an amazing film, not only for the gore, but the tale of true friendship/Love, and the courage of ones soul to never let someone break you!
Posted By: Novfanaion at 6:01pm, September 10, 2009
Wow... I never really thought much of French horror, until now.
MARTYRS, is one of those horror films that really make you think, and that's one of the major aspects I look for in a horror.
I truly feel that Pascal Laugier has made one of the greatest horror films that I have ever seen. Everything about this film is just amazing. The cast, the special effects, and of course the plot are all done very well.
The main cast includes Mylène Jampanoï and Morjana Alaoui. Neither of which I have heard anything about until now. However, they have both proved to be two great actresses and seemed to have put 110% into their characters in MARTYRS.
The special effects in MARTYRS was near breathtaking and added a lot of suspense to scene like the "shotgun" scene... brutal yet awesome.
The plot had to be the best part of the film by far, and is not some cliche mindless torture shit like some may think... yes I'm talking about you "eatcheese", open your eyes and suck your mother's left teet.
Anyways, because I do not want to ruin anything for anyone who has yet to see it, I will refrain from discussing just how incredible the plot is. So, just watch the movie and you will know what I'm talking about.
Such a difficult film to score. I quite enjoyed the first hour, was bored to shit the next 25 minutes, but only to get interested again at the very end when I realized why I had to endure those 25 minutes.
Overall I would definitely recommend all to see this film just because it's one of those rare horror movies that has to be experienced, if you like it or not.
Don't even read this or any reviews! Go see this movie ASAP! Buy it, Rent it, download it, borrow it, steal it if you have too. It is awesome!!!
Posted By: unkordinated at 12:31am, August 31, 2009
I know people are pretty polorized on their opinions of this flick, but I just found it amazing. Beautifully shot, written, and acted. The last line of the movie gives me chills, and the look of Mademoiselle was just so bizarre and cool. I love how she is showing Anna all the martyrs, great scene. Like Inside, if you choose to see this film, GET THE UNRATED. Only small differences but it pays to see the film as it was intended. Its a wonder to me why this film needs to be remade for english audiences. Why cant someone fucking appreciate a foreign film and just not bitch about subtitles?
what a piece of shit ! to everyone having orgasms over this film, you are all truly desperately starved of decent French horror ( HAUTE TENSION takes that award ) or so brainwashed into believing you must like MARTYRS that you actually think you like it.
Never, and I repeat NEVER - have I seen such mind numbingly boring crap since the original TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE - oh look, here's a chick shooting a family - look - here's someone else being skinned - the end - how fucking pathetic !
You all need to seriously grow up if you got anything out of this waste of space - second biggest ever shit piece behind TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE.
Posted By: VeryEvilDead at 10:58am, August 17, 2009
Hooks you in the beginning then follows with a very intense home invasion sequence. Once the gore dies down for a while the story starts to reveal itself and that is when the film is truly disturbing. Good movie.
Okay this has to be the most overrated and overhyped horror movie I've seen this year which is a shame because it has two strong leading actresses that played their parts well. Yes this is violent, gory and sometimes very intense and brutal but saying it's this years Inside no fuc$king way! I thought the director did a good job capturing a gritty and haunting atmosphere and it reminded me alot of the other french horror movie Frontiers which was also better than this. I just felt like most of the stuff that happened in this movie didn't make much sense and didn't add up and I felt like their goal was like if you thought that horror movie was violent and vile take a look at ours, I just don't understand why anyone could enjoy a horror movie like this one, it's just a very strange and sick movie and not in a good way. Overall I'm very disappointed and I'm getting sick and tired of the torture porn horror movies because most of them don't impress me at all. Just skip this overrated mess and move along! Not Recommended!
This is a powerful movie. It's quite an interesting movie - it's well directed, the acting (which usually leaves me underwhelmed in foreign movies), is remarkable. However once you get past the first and second part - which is an intense, confusing straight up horror movie - you come into the mental and emotional torture that makes this film complete. I found the premise to this part of the film to be rather flawed.
The acting in the movie is enough to get you mentally and emotionally involved with the character during certain scenes (*cough* *cough* the last scene with Anna). However the ending is questionable at best, the reasoning behind the whole ordeal is somewhat (well) retarded, and certain aspects of the torture are simply meh.
All in all, this is a disturbing movie that keeps you nervous and uncomfortable. It's something that sticks with you. It's gory, brutal, and intense. If you can get through a few plot details, you'll absolutely love this movie. If you're into absolute logic during horror movies, you may hate this.
I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5. Great movie - it definately stuck with me.
I watched this movie last night, and while it didn't blow my mind, it definitely left an impression. It is a movie that fans of horror should not miss.
While watching it I got flashbacks to several, quite different, horror films, which in this case really worked for me, because Martyrs manages to make every bit of it (whether intentionally or not) its own.
The movie is ripe with scenes of mutilation and gore. But what really got to me was the brilliant acting of the two leading actresses.
I found this movie to be much more disturbing than pretty much any of the "horror" movies Hollywood has presented us with lately.
this movie was absolutely brutal and just a vicious piece of exploitation pushed to the fullest limits.
this was a very good movie and definitely not one to watch if you are very squemish.
absolutely check this movie out.
you will not be disappointed.
wow, I loved this movie thought it was kind of slow but other than that it was great,it felt like it cycled through several different genres to me but left me fairly disturbed and that hard to find in a lot of movies now a days.
So few films live up to their hype, and you can add Martyrs to the list for me too. While the gore was good, I had zero attachment to the story.
I couldn't help myself in thinking that this plot line closely resembled the Thorn in the awful Halloween sequels. Build a super killing machine, build a martyr. Both silly ideas, one just looked slicker than the other and tried to give meaning to it's madness in real terms.
Everyone has their tastes in horror. To me, torture is one genre I have no desire to revisit. It's relatively pointless in it's attempt to scare you. I find that all it does is give an FX artist the ability to push the envelope with what they can do with latex, corn syrup and props. Martyrs is no exception.
Incredibly gory movie, the plot may seem underwhelming but it was saved by absolutely brilliant acting. Watched this countless times and recommended it to every horror fan I know.
I've had this in my library for a month or so now and just viewed it for the first time last nite. This is SUCH a prolific film. Martyrs is so well crafted it reminds me of Let The Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) - genre defining story elements and wonderfully shot scenes.
Even though most peeps consider this a 2-3 act film, the way that it threaded me through the mystery I am confident of it's cohesion - compelling to the core.
Seriously, one of the best horror films I have ever seen - Martyrs has left an indelible mark on me. Well done:)
On a side note, this film highlights the current disparity in quality between Hollywood and the rest of the world. American genre storytellers need to pay close attention to what is being created overseas - brilliant fu!
I came into Martyrs with a fresh mind. I knew there was a LOT of hype, and usually that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but I was surprised to say the least. It was disturbing, real, and disgusting. What that poor girl went through was just numbing. I loved the movie.
The intellectual / spiritual "depth" of this movie is complete nonsense. The first half of the film is a relatively entertaining horror film. The second half is simply a helpless woman being beaten within an inch of her life with a BS premise to "justify" it. If watching a girl pee into a bucket while sobbing uncontrollably is your idea of entertainment however, this is your movie.
Now lets set the record straight Inside is one of my favorite movies but this was just complete garbage. Laugier you disappoint me and I'm surprised of how high of a rating it got on this site. This movie really has no redeeming quality about it and quite frankly I found it boring. Big disappointment and if this was an american film people would be saying that Hollywood had stooped to an all time low in bad taste. One thing I will say is that this made SAW and Hostel look like kiddie fare in comparison.
Well, I finally saw MARTYRS. With the hype and high expectations, I really wanted to love this film but instead I was completely underwhelmed and disappointed.
New benchmark for horror? Highly disturbing? Thought-provoking? An exquisite experience? No. Quite frankly, I became increasingly bored and the pseudo-intellectualism that was supposed to justify the violence was absurd. By the time the unsatisfactory ending rolled around I just didn't care.
Sure, the skillful Laugier delivered a well-made film with actors that are more than proficient but the hype didn't match the actual reality - this was not a great horror film. I'm quite surprised it got as many glowing accolades as it did because even with tempered expectations it's not that impressive.
This movie is one of the best forgein horror movies I have seen and probably will see. I watched this with a friend of mine and what was so exciting about it was figuring out what was going on while it was happening. The beginning left me a little confused because me (nor her) knew why all this was going on. And the longer the movie went on, the more exciting we both got. It's incredible, the story anyways. I didn't care much for the acting, but the story of why these people were being tortured and what they wanted out of it, to the down right insanity it caused was really thrilling. The movie was jumpy, very intense at some parts, and fun. Forgein horror ultimately tops what America has to offer. Movies like this really make an evening fun and is very fresh idea for the diehard horror fan such as myself. I'm suggesting this be the next movie you see.
I finally watched this last week and it was absolutely phenomenal. I was blown away by it and kept thinking back to it for the rest of the evening after watching it. It's been a longtime, maybe even never, that a movie has done that for me.
Easily one of the best foreign horror films lately agreed with the exception of let the right one in.Definately disturbing in its own right! Definately should not be re-made
Absolutely Amazing. This film stands as a testament to why i've been watching mainly foreign horror lately. Never before has a film made me more uncomfortable, and is one of the most thought provoking films it's ever been my pleasure to watch. Martyrs combines excellent and realistic gore, a chilling storyline and plot, incredible twists, and superb originality. Upon my first viewing, Martyrs enetered my top 10 list of horror flicks ever made. My only criticism would be that the film was a bit slow at times. Overall, excellent work, and hats off to you Mr. Laughier. 9/10
This film really surprised me. Because of the recent caliber of French horror films, intrinsically, I knew it would be good. What I wasn't prepared for was how uncomfortable this film made me feel. I consider myself a pretty hardened fan of the genre, but a few times during Martyrs, I wanted both the torture and the film to end. I was surprised by how cohesive it was, how graphically violent it was, and the subtle way the ending seemed almost to endorse the ongoing torture and depravity. Great film.
The movie was alright. I honestly think it was way to over hyped. I was not close to being disturbed or moved by the film. I thought it was nowhere near the brilliance of Inside.
The film travels at a slow pace building useless character development and a fantastic yawning experience.
Don't care to see this film again. May be I just expected too much out of it. I'd recommend it to any huge genre fan of the latest French horror movies, all others be warned.
this movie was pure brilliance! halfway through the movie it turns into this sick walk through hell (for any woman)... not as good as "INSIDE", but the french know what they are doing to put it simply!
I bought this film when it was first released on DVD in the US, but I hadn't watched it until tonight. I was extremely blown away! Going into the film, I knew next to nothing of the plot & I'm happy I saw the plot unfold from a virgin perspective. I really enjoyed "Inside" and feel the same affinity for "Martyrs", but this picture was much harder to stomach. I had to pause the disc a few times and get myself together; I don't think I'll very easily recover from seeing a beautiful, mentally stable woman slowly fall into the realms of "martyrdom." When the daily tortures began to take effect, and the audience realized the light was going from her eyes, I had to brush away the tears. Truly an experience.
Good,good,good, not bad. It's the little twist at the end that really got me sitting up taking notice and something that really needs to be expanded on further in the future. How? who knows? But can't find fault with the movie except the second half does come dangerously close to stalling. But kudos for great acting and going beyond the usual remake jaded formula.
This was a great movie and even though i dont think it was as disturbing as some people say , my friends who arent really into horror were freaked out when they saw me watching out so i guees it gets the job done. I really liked the story and it added some unique to the movie instead of it just being a gore fest for no reason.
This is by far the most intense movie i have experienced in my life. you're either going to be proud of yourself for enduring this movie without looking away. OR, you're going to be ashamed of yourself for not deciding to stop watching this film.
Iv been looking forward to this movie for ages and I couldnt s be any more disappointed after seing it. Now 'Inside' was a great movie and I was expecting something of the same calibre but this is just gore for gores sake. Yeah its brutal, but that doesnt gaurantee a good movie. its disturbing and, at times, its very difficult to watch but theres no pay off for enduring it to the end. The story borders pretentious and tries to con the viewer into believing that its an intelligent piece of work, in actual fact its just torture porn. I dont have a problem with torure porn, I love 'Hostel', but this is just brutality for the sake of it.
French horror films definitely don't hold back! Martyrs is a very violent and disturbing film which often makes the viewer uncomfortable when watching some of the scenes although I think this is what the director aimed to do so it has worked well.
I wouldn't say that I enjoyed the film as it was depressing throughout and very harrowing during th final scenes. However, this does not make it a bad film. It is a film which shocks and gets under your skin
I thought it was very well made and liked the fact that it didn't stick to one theme because it could have easily been a revenge movie but this changed halfway through and the film took a different route and kept you guessing.
The main characters look like they went through a lot making this film, especially the girl who plays Anna who you really root for to get away.
This film will not be to everyone's taste but for those who want a bit more than your average horror and who aren't offended by brutal violence then it is definitely worth a look. It's not a film that you will forget easily.
A MASTERPIECE
ANOTHER GREAT FRENCH FILM
GREAT GORE, GREAT STORY AND GREAT ACTORS
ORIGINAL AND ABSOLUTELY DISTURBING AND DISGUSTING
IF YOU LIKE GORE EXTREME MOVIES MARTYRS IS YOUR MOVIE
MARTYRS KICKING YOUR ASS!!!!
1000/1000
Not a bad movie at all, but over hyped nonetheless. I liked Inside a lot more. This movie just felt a little too unfocused; like it tried to cater to a u multitude of horror genres. I liked the way it started and loved what it ultimately culminated into, but all the bits and pieces along the way felt jumbled. Not too mention the torture aspect felt like it dragged on forever with little that was actually disturbing or shocking (almost like cutting room floor material).
Check it primarily for the last five-ten minutes though. Awesome.
A very good disturbing film. Very disturbing in fact! It started off interesting and was interesting thoruoghout the film. It wasn't gory! Inside is better I think because Inside has the watchability factor and is a simpler storyline. I also didn't realise there was a twist. Could someone explain it to me because I didn't realise there was one.
*****
Out Of
*****
at first i thought "yup another plugged typical psychological shock movie all bloody, campy and filled to bursting with the same old tricks"
i was wrong this movie starts unexpectedly and end's that way (if you can get there)
there are obviously some of the same old tricks applied but done in a new gruesome and horrid way.
each and every time you get your hopes up that salvation will step in and save the day and there will be a happy ending your feet get kicked out from under you.
this movie was brilliant, repulsive, disgusting and probably one of the best i have seen in years.
As a long time horror fan I have to say Martyrs is already an instant classic. Much like the original Last House on the Left, Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Passion of the Christ, this movie is less about entertainment and more about the experience. Its like a right of passage. Making it to the end of the movie is not enough though, because once the whole thing truley sinks in, you'll start to interpret things in your own way and it really screws with your head. Is the purpose of life really just about the pain we endure ? Do the worst of times really bring out the best of what life has to offer ? What would you do to yourself or to others to find out the secrets of death ?
I thought the explanation for the events in this brutal psycho piece left a lot to be desired. Now I am not saying I did not like it because I did but the hype was way overboard. Martyrs is easily influenced by Hostel. The first half rocked but the second half did not add much to the story. Interesting but a tad pretentious for its own good.
This movie is a psychological disturbing masterpiece. It really makes you feel sick watching it, the violence is not bloody at all but is intense on the psychological level. I do not know how to describe it better. You should not compare this movie to movies like Hostal or such it has a more complex plot than these movies and really feels completly different. If you are a gore-hound I think you should leave this movie out. If you like "different" movies and dramas you might want to watch it.
I still have not gathered all my thoughts on this film i need to see it again. this movie was not dissapointing like Inside with the lack of story or Frontier(s). though this movie does not reach the level on violence and gore like Inside but it is done in a way which is still effective. the director shows really good talent in creating suspense, looking forward to his next film. also the film had different tone levels...like a rollercoster, which is the best way for me to explain. definatly worth cheking out
extremely overrated... not entertaining, boring... the gore and torture scenes were mediocre and not as shocking as anyone is making it out to be... nothing about this was brutal or even interesting.
COMPLETELY OVERRATED. DOES IT HAVE GORE? YEAH. DOES THAT MAKE A GOOD MOVIE? APPARENTLY SOME PEOPLE THINK SO. I DON'T. THE MOVIE WAS NOTHING SPECIAL. WANT A GOOD FRENCH MOVIE? SEE HIGH TENSION. THE CONCEPT OF THIS MOVIE WAS INTERESTING BUT THE PAYOFF WAS LACKING. I HAVEN'T SEEN INSIDE YET, BUT I THINK I WILL GO FOR THAT ONE NEXT. MAYBE IF I HADN'T READ INTO THE HYPE, I MIGHT HAVE ENJOYED IT MORE...BUT PROBABLY NOT MUCH. IVE SEEN SOME MOVIES ON HERE GET RATED WAY BETTER THAN THEY DESERVE, BUT THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE.
It's an original idea and disturbing. The end is a little odd and if you buy it, it's a fantastic film. i loved it. It is not torture porn. the people who say that either didn't make it to the end or didn't pay attention.
I watched the entire film, and I just done see the appeal of it - or the torture porn genre. It's just another torture porn movie. I think it has little to do with horror, and I wonder why horror sites and mags followed it closely. Watching a woman get beat, force fed, and skinned isn't scary - just obscene. It's not like cultural excrement "Salo," but still bordering the obscene, immho. I think it's simply another offspring of the modern day torture porn genre started by "Saw." (I actually liked the first 2 "Saw" films.)
After endless blood, gore and torture, they attempt to give us Shyamlan-esque twist, which I think didn't redeem the film. "High Tension" did the same, and I think pulled it off. To me, the violence overpowered every other aspect of the film, including both the plot and story.
I agree with some that the beginning was OK. But then the torture started, and it was all down hill.
I really wanted to like this movie, but after watching it and then reading the reviews, I just really can't understand how it can get so much praise. Everyone is entitled to their own views, of course, but so many act like it's the best film ever made. I read so much about it prior to watching it, but in the end, it was a major disappointment that I think shouldn't have received so much attention (and praise!) from the horror community. Unlike most horror films, it's just not fun to watch. I seriously found the torture of the woman to be repulsive. I guess it's just not my type of film. I'll stick with traditional horror films, which are at least entertaining.
OK I was looking foward to this movie. But after watching it I was so blown away that anybody could even like this movie.. It was so very very boreing they tryed to shock us but failed... It was a rip off of many movies... This was stupid lame and boring. To be honest I tryed to watch it again. and just skipped threw it.. I give this movie a BIG FAT 0!! it was just not scary or shocking or anything that would make me say wow. I've seen it all before. And this was the worst I've seen in a very long long time.
ok....all the french horror movies i have seen have been way too overrated and this one is overrated too...i wasnt disturbed or terrifued or did i really care about the characters after the first hour and let me tell you the last half hour is the mkost boring and stupid thing i have seen in awhile but the first hour was actually pretty disturbing but after the first hour this movie goes down hill...this is actually a movie i think should be remade for american audiences just for the fact that i think i'll feel more for the characters if i hear there actual english voices...
WTF WAS THIS CRAP? I expected so much more especially since it's French and let's face it the French have been a horror fans savior since "Switchblade Romance"/"High/Haute Tension". This movie was yes VERY OVER HYPED and it just didn't do it for me. The only reason this could be classified as horror was due to the gore which was not at all overwhelming. I never thought I'd say this but this could be better if remade( yea I know) down the line but only by the right director. As far as everyone else who thinks this movie is the end all be all....look at what horror has come too. If your bored with nothing to do then go ahead watch it for yourself but not worth buying at all. Hopefully the supposed Hellraiser remake won't be ruined.
wow I was absolutly amazed and shocked with this movie. pretty much having my jaw dropped half the movie, I almost had to tell myself sometimes, ITS JUST A MOVIE!
Just saw it yesterday and all I can say is "Wow!" For a person who has seen just about every horror film there is out there, I wasn't expecting to be depressed but that was exactly what this movie did to me, in a good old fashioned horror way of course. I will not give any hints to what this movie is like since it will ruin the fun(?) but I will say that people who felt largely let down by Frontiers will be in for a great treat. This is what that film failed to accomplish. Many people here have complained that the second half of this film is not that great and I admit it is a little slow, repetitive and not so violent as some may expect it to be but I believe that it was done in the best way possible which is to attack you in psychological terms, not necessarily in a physical way that many torture-porn films have come to be (not that I dislike them, quite the opposite!) Anyhow, if you enjoy the recent French trend, I believe this is the ulitmate one, next to Inside, both which won't be topped in a long time to come. Last but not least, let me just note that my wife who has endured many horror films with me like the recent Saw movies to Dario's Mother of Tears totally felt disgusted with this one only. Hope you enjoy!
Definately over-hyped... as I read from other reviews, the first part IS worth watching. It actually tricked me and made me think, "Ok, this movie is gonna be good".... but no. The end of the movie was repetitive. I was like if I see these weirdos feed this poor child one more spoonful of goo, i'm definately hitting the STOP button on my remote.. Besides the horrible end, it was an OK movie.. the beginning, at least.
really original and such a good movie u dont see menny horror movies like this one
and the scene when the lucie kills the famaly with the shot gun was just increadible
This is easily one of the sickest horror movies that I have ever seen. This was outright disturbing on a deeply emotional level. This movie makes Hostel and Wolf Creek look like pleasure cruises compared to what the characters endure. The first half of the movie is somewhat slow in building the plot but be patient, this sets down the groundwork for what is to come. Anyone that decides to see this should be wary this is not a movie for anyone with a weak stomach.
This movie was crazy. The film making was excellent showing the transformation of the girl getting caught and then her turning into the maryter. I love horror movies and this was in my top most fucked up movies but I really didnt like it that much. It was just way to depressing for me. I just coundnt watch this again for enjoyment unlike Inside were that was messed up too but it was a fun movie.
i watched it (the unrated version) the other nite.
for the first hour of the film i found myself constantly holding my breath.
i bet i only exhaled about 3-4 times.
lucie's story is so devastating.
i was totally drawn in and grabbed by that aspect of the story and man it didnt let me go.
the terror haunting her in her mind was just so brilliantly done.
and holy shit mylène jampanoï !! how great is she in this.
and i dont mean im slighting morjana alaoui in the least.
her eyes and expression in that scene at the end just blew me away.
lucie's and ana's bond was powerful and i wish it could have been explored more leading up to the rampage at the house.
the second part of the movie- SPOILERS- first, i was expecting the violence here to be even worse than what it was. actually in the whole movie, brutal as it was, i never got a sense of the torture porn vibe at all. i do think there where a few missed opportunities to flesh out (no pun intended) the cult and the strong undertone of cult/family/parental abuse that is in the film. and perhaps here, during ana's tribulations, a deeper understanding of lucie's and ana's relationship. (which was hinted at here with ana thinking about lucie, but very briefly)
ana was lucie's witness. lucie was her devotion. her belief in and love for lucie is what gave her strength. it wasnt a belief in the afterlife. just lucie. so what did she tell the mademoiselle? there is no afterlife? there is an afterlife, but not for you because of your deeds? this is your afterlife? maybe she just told her BANG. -compliments of lucie.
I enjoyed this film. However, I liked the direction it was taking in the beginning, and not so much the second half. Though I get the ending, I felt it was a bit slow getting there. Maybe I'm just a fan of torture-porn. Still a great film and very well made.
Wow Martyrs movie was amazing. Great plot very explosive from the beginning to the end. I would have to say that the french horror movies are going in the right direction. Martyrs will take you down a very dark road full of killing and unimaginable torture scenes. loved it, this movie will not let you down.
I watched this movie not only because I love horror but a lot of people said it was spectacular. I thought it was really good and kept my attention the entire movie, was very well done, acting was great, lots of blood, solid story, I just thought the ending would be been a little better but overall this movie is a definite watch for horror fans and can really screw with your minds, wow!!!
Talk about a movie losing steam, wow. This movie was AWESOME for the first 58 minutes. The other 40 minutes is the same old torture story shot from a different camera angle.
I don't want to say that Martyrs let me down, because it didn't. I would have much preferred this movie stopped for good at 58 minutes though.
Once you hit 58 minutes, the movie shifts from something raw, visceral, and natural to something manufactured, steely, and uninteresting.
The film is a must see regardless of the only shortcoming. The newer, Saw generation, horror fans with with this an 8 and above out of 10. The older horror fans will give this something significantly lower.
If the film ended like it started, I would have given it a 9 (Superior).
If the film started like it ended, I would have given it no better than a 3 (Bad).
I can't stress enough that this feels like two totally different movies cut together. It is disappointing to see the nosedive after such a great start.
All in all, it deserves a 5.5 out of 10 based on what it is. But it should get a 2 out of 10 for screwing up what it could have been.
Oh.My.God. What can one say about this totally unique film ? Words cannot describe. No wonder this guy has been tapped to remake Hellraiser as he has clearly been influenced by it to make this one. This film has left me stunned and speechless. Forgot what you have heard,good or bad. Just see it.
I just watched this film I say wow this film totally blows my mind I can;t even believe it...this movie makes up for alot of bad ones I seen.....the story line is very intense yes it has gore in it but its a killer story line.....yes its a revenge story but after that its a mind twist......this movie its so complex and raw I would say a very must see......They will remake it but it WILL NOT BE THE SAME I just HATE remakes they don;t do justice at all....I am still like wow from watching it so its 10 to me.
Torture porn is defined as torture for the sake, which this is not, but that doesn't make it any easier to sit through. I found "Martyrs" to be a unique and fresh approach to the genre,. I wold compare it closer to "Let The Right One In" then "Inside", which I felt was simply a series of gore gags for shock value. The film does have a few slow moments, but what makes this a home run in my book, is that whether you like it or not, the director has done something unique. He has taken a chance, which is more then I can say for most. The creators of "Inside" included.
The beginning of this movie sets the tone. Theres a real dark feeling to it, and about 15 minutes into the movie you get thrown for a nice ride. It builds up and makes you antcipate the worst. If your like me, and have heard many things of this movie before watching it, then it doesnt take long for you to prepare (or TRY to prepare) yourself for what your about to witness. The first 45 minutes has its share of scare and blood. Its setting you up, making you wait for that moment that is going to make you cringe, and then boom..... NOTHING... for the next half hour it slows down completely. The director is mind fucking you here, making you think you've seen the worst, and it actually makes you want to fall asleep through this half hour. If you manage to hold on through the boring parts, and make it to the final 20 minutes you will be mind fucked to the point that what you are witnessing may not register, and you may need to rewind and watch over, and over, and over.
Martyrs is another awesome French made horror. The genre that seems to be taking it one step further in horror. A must see for those who want to have their heads played with.
Nothing will fuck your mind, like Martyrs.
Check it out.
7/10
Oh my god! WOW! How can a film do this to me? Its the most brutal thing I've ever viewed but somehow simultaneously its the most amazing mind blowing viewing experience I've ever had! I'm someone who has spent a life time watching every kind of horror film imaginable, Sitting through most laughing my head off. I didn't laugh once watching this. It is an extremely scary and exceptionally suspenseful. I cant quite explain what genre to put it in? Its a revenge drama. Its a ghost film. Its extreme torture gorno. It has trances of Salo and moments of Hellraiser. It is very realistic in its violence, never cartoonish like a Saw film. It's a gala of intense human suffering, malice, and malevolence that is incredibly difficult to stomach. But somehow ends up being exceedingly poetic and something very beautiful and thought provoking. Although this maybe one of the most exceptional horror films ever made. I would not dare recommend it. It is undoubtedly not for everyone. My other half watched this with me and ended up being physically sick. Not because of the films graphic gore, but because of how intense the film is. I think Martyrs is a real milestone in horror.
But as for people saying it's so hardcore and stunning and...blah, blah, blah. It isn't. What it is, is a great movie with a great story and great acting.
What it isn't is a ceiling breaking, innovative, transcending horror film.
This was a good, though provoking movie, at best. There were times in the movie that things went on entirely too long, and in my opinion the audience is lost during this time. There is a fine line between getting the point across, and beating your audience over the head with it. This film beats you with it, and when you get up to walk away...it beats you again.
Now, again...I thought it was a good movie...but certainly not as disturbing as Inside...and certainly not what all the hype suggests it is. I think though that this has been a victim of the "hype" effect, where people piggyback off one another's reviews and interpretations of the film where instead of offering a real, honest review of the film...viewers try to one up each other with their "intelligent, wordy reviews".
It was a good movie. That's that. No barriers broken, no new level of sophistication for horror...just a good movie.
Well-written (mostly), well-acted, and superbly directed, but flawed in some key areas.
First off, talk about an uneven film. The first act was razor sharp and lightning-paced with some genuine scares. The second act is just sad to the point that you just want to turn the movie off.
The final act was by far the slowest and I was so numb from watching horrible things happen to people for the hour beforehand that nothing was shocking to me anymore. I was just bored and grossed out (not in a good way) at that point, wondering how long Laugier felt it was necessary to subject us to watching that poor girl suffer before we figure out the point of the movie. I don't know about you, but the point seemed pretty damn clear to me at the end of the second act when we meet "Madamoiselle" and have it all explained to us!
Not to mention the fact that by the end of the film, plausability had been completely thrown out the window. I don't want to spoil anything, but there's only so much a person can survive! That's something I can overlook in most horror movies ('Inside' comes to mind. How many times should that girl have died?) But Martyrs was given such a gritty, raw treatment throughout only to throw something totally unbelievable our way at the last minute (I mean in terms of the laws of nature,) which left a really bad taste in this viewer's mouth.
Despite it's flaws however, the film most certainly succeeds as an existential study of suffering and transcendence. It's a skillfully crafted piece of shock cinema that actually has a message, no matter how obscure or pretentious. However, the film is only partially successful as a form of entertainment (if you just want to be entertained, watch the first 35-40 mins and turn it off.) A lot of the film is simply so unpleasant to watch and so drawn-out that you find yourself watching it only as a personal dare. In fact, I almost feel as if Laugier was attempting to use own his audience as subjects in his torture experiments...
(One last thing: despite all my whining, I do firmly belive Martyrs deserves a solid four stars simply due to its sheer audacity and guts. I am looking forward to seeing Laugier's version of Hellraiser, although I imagine he'll have to town his style down a LOT in order to get it released in US theaters.)
simply stunning. this film will stick with you...and will haunt you after you've seen it. I MUST see it again and I really want to see the unrated version. Could only find the R version. but wow everyone needs to rush to see this. and go in without knowing ANYTHING. its the best way.
all i can say is WOW.... what did I just watch. this was a fuckin bomb brought to your brain. Making your brain seize anything and everything that is real. Brutal indeed, is it more brutal then inside NO! Inside was played for gore and gore stakes only this film makes you see what could happen. ANd everything will stay with you indeed. I still don't know what the fuck happened. Holy shit. WOW.
Would anyone happen to know the difference between the Rated and UnRated versions of this flick?
I picked up the Rated R version but I'm afraid to open it up if the UnRated version is much better.
I'm just thinking back to when they cut the hell out of INSIDE...perhaps they've done the same here?
This film is truly beyond anything I have ever seen before. I have NEVER teared up during a horror movie, or pitied a character as much as I pitied Lucy. The gore was fantastic and completely in tandem with the movie. I don't think you can really compare this to High Tension or Inside, it's just a different kind of film. Those other movies deliver while you are watching them and Inside really has the revulsion factor going for it. However, Martyrs stays with you, the more you think about it, the more horrifying it becomes. I think the lull in the second half is necessary to prepare you for the full force of the ending. This movie was incredible, end of of story. It's not for some people, you do have to think to appreciate it and you have to open youself to the concept the director is showing you.
A note on the "torture porn" convo.... I heard that it meant movies containing torture in the form of punctures, like what Hostel was full of. Implements penetrate a victim, hence the reference to porn.
Lore: Two scared little girls, desperate, trying to find their way back home after being lost. Literature: The concept of catharsis; the emotional scarring of the observer. Artistry: Expression, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful. Then, somehow . . .
Reality: Genuine emotion. Realistic events. Something so far removed from a fictional environment, it strikes you on a level beyond something happening on a screen, and feels as if it’s an experience.
Of all the qualities of perfection in storytelling that Martyrs has, it’s that last quality that sets it apart from the crowd. While hundreds, maybe thousands, of films before it reached a level of art house perfection in both storytelling and aesthetic, I can count the films that achieve both those AND are still a genuine portrayal of reality on one hand.
The story of Martyrs, point blank, is the most original horror stories in decades. In the second opening sequence alone, you’re hit with so much original plotting, it will throw you into a state of disbelief. I won’t ruin the opening twist, but I will say this. I watch over 800 movies a year, read over 250 books a year, write negative reviews on nearly everything I just mentioned, and simply put: I have never once in my life seen the unpredictable directions the Martyrs plot takes. Things that would be major plot twists in any other movie are just scene transitions here, because the story is so original.
Taking that last paragraph further, I’d like to also add this. The reason the Martyrs story is as original as it is, is because it’s fully grounded in reality. It doesn’t play off literary clichés (also called literary “rules”). The story follows the same narrative that real life would. The characters do the same things real people would. There is no beginning, middle, and an end. There is no real defended good-bad conflict. There is no foreshadowing, no doomsday atmosphere, no perfectly contrasted shock value. Martyrs is too real and too honest to form-fit to the clichéd storytelling methods they teach in middle school. And that is why it’s so emotionally powerful.
But as pretentious as all this may sound, it’s not. Martyrs is one of the few movies where they could literally not cut out of a minute of runtime without affecting the story. I’m personally sick of the recent outbreak of slow-burn “boring = good” horror movies, because, while they sometimes are good, they seem to be the only thing anyone makes anymore. Here, the pacing is fast, and something interesting happens every minute of that pace.
The on-screen gore, contrary to anything you’ve heard, is minimal. If you’re an average horror fan, I doubt you’ll even notice the gore level. I’m shocked to see so many horror sites being so squeamish as to say this is actually a gory film. It isn’t. The on-screen gore never once reaches the level of the average Saw film, not even close. And, honestly, the brutality isn’t anything to brag to your friends about, either. I see reviews saying this is harder to watch than Inside, and that’s purely ludicrous. Inside has to be one of the bloodiest movies of all time; Martyrs just has a couple spurts of it. But that isn’t criticism in any way. Martyrs doesn’t need to be gory to have the emotional impact that it does. It shows true desperation to a degree no film before it has accomplished, and I find that more significant than bloodshed when telling this story.
Some people complain about the second half of the film, and I can somewhat understand why. When I finished Martyrs, at 3am two days ago, I couldn’t contemplate what I had just seen. My initial reaction was the entire movie was absolute stupid, because the ending went in a direction I wasn’t expecting. As you can see by my positive score, 48 hours and a second viewing later, I’ve given enough thought into the ending to fully grasp the intelligence.*SPOILERS* The film is not saying that humans can see the “other world” through extensive pain. It’s simply saying that the cult portrayed in the film believe that. The last line of dialogue heavily implies that Anna saw nothing on the “other side”, and that her suffering, and the cult’s purpose, was utterly meaningless. *END SPOILERS* When viewing the ending this way, it’s far from cheesy or pseudo-intellectual.
Martyrs redefines what the horror genre, and cinema in general, can accomplish. It goes beyond literary rules and shows honest reality at its most menacing. It’s a far cry from the unrealistic “persevere, try your best, and you’ll reach your goals” message that we all tell our kids, but never really believe ourselves. It shows strong people who, despite their absolute greatest efforts, became victims. And then goes even further, with a truly original story. What all of this amounts to is an emotional journey that some people, such as myself, and hopefully you, will never forget. What more is there to ask for from cinema?
Simply one of the best horror movies I've ever seen. Almost as good as The Original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and even more fucked up than that. The story was amazing and a great new take on horror. I think the people that don't like this movie are too stupid to understand it. The gore is over the top, the suspense is high and the plot is superb. It's as moving as it is mindblowing and made me wonder if I was losing my mind. I haven't seen a movie yet that I couldn't watch while I was sober without popping some Xanax. This movie has everything I've ever wanted in a horror film and then some.
This movie was good and NOT what I was expecting. I don't think it can really be compared to "Inside" and "High Tension" though. I kind of felt more a "Rosemary's Baby" theme. More philiospphical than horror to me.
This movie was great!!!!!!!!!better than inside. I dont care what the hell any of you think!!!!!!!People being tortured untill they are so close to death that they can actually see the other side is a horrific idea. They cut all her fucking skin off except her face!!!!I thought it was the best horror movie I have seen in a long time
awesome first half, then the second half left alot to be desired. i kind of understand the ending, sorta, but the whole half hour it took to get there could have been different or even totally left out, as it was totally excessive at what was going on. i was slightly disappointed by this movie. it had SOO much potential with the storyline from the beginning, but then fell off.
This is a great movie. It has all the ingredients for a perfect horror movie. Now, it does tend to lean towards torture porn a few times. *** Dear Truhorrur, the term "torture porn" is not used to describe porn that involves torture when discussing a horror movie. You do not need nudity for it to be torture porn. Porn is anything that gets someone off. If you get off on torture then a movie that is full of torture scenes would be porn to you. Follow? People are not using the word "porn" to mean sex and nudity when they use it to describe this or other movies that have excessive amounts of torture in it. Movies like Hostel I & II and Wolf Creek are torture porn movies. Understand? Good.*** Anyway, this is a great movie for the true horror movie fans. I can't say anything about this that hasn't already been said before so I will just leave it at that. Great movie. See it now!!
I just finished watching this movie after all the hype surrounding it. I wasn't expecting much due to being let down so many times in my 27 years of horror. This film's beginning was really well done. I didn't see the plot coming from a mile away, kept me in suspense and actually creeped me out in many ways. Also 2nd half is totally necessary to everyone who is bashing it. last time this is not freaking torture porn, where the porn???? Theres not even nudity stop diminishing great horror by throwing the trashy word porn in it!!! fucking zombie strippers is torture porn not this stuff. Not to give it away but you really didn't understand why lucy was so crazy until her friends see whats she went through. You need the 2nd half for the 1st to make any scene let alone be scary.
What is happening to people's opinions? What is happening to the horror community? This film is being compared to Inside? Inside is an absolutely brilliant achievement, this is utter overhyped crap. People are gushing over this and Laid to Rest, and I really don't get it. People vomited over this? Films from 20 years ago are gorier. And when you get to watch a girl held captive, beaten, force fed, then washed, over and over again for 45 minutes, well, that just seems ridiculous. The plot was a good idea that could have been very original and well executed, but instead it was self indulgent, higher than thou, pseudo art trash. Alternatives that are much better and not as appreciated? High Tension, Inside, Sheitan, and Calvaire. Do yourself a favor, avoid this boring mess.
After watching this movie, and after all the hype about it here on B-D and various other sources, I've gotta say it: Martyrs was pretty bad. No, I guess I should clarify that a bit. The second half was pretty bad. Shameless torture porn that the writer/director tried to give a deep meaning to in the end, but which only made me wonder exactly who a movie like this caters toward. The first half, though? Good shit. It became apparent fairly quickly exactly what the deal was with our sexy but disturbing pair of women. And up to the point when the torture started and threw all trace of a narrative out the window? I was hooked. Watch Martyrs for the first half, go warm up dinner or something for the second. I was extremely pissed considering how "good" this movie was supposed to be.
This movie was 1:35 min I'll never get back. What a waste of film. First off, it's WAY over-hyped. The first half comes off like a slasher/"the grudge" kinda rip off. Then we get into this cheesy DaVinci Code/soft core Hostel type horse shit.
If this is considered to be this director's best work, then I fear the worst for the Hellraiser franchise.
Thank God, I have been waiting to review this movie fir about three or months now, but I couldn't because it said that I have to wait for the debut of the movie. Anyway, this movie will change your life. It was disturbing in a tasteful way. The movie made me feel uncomfortable in so many ways. I mean I wanted to look away, but I didn't. Instead my urge to look away turned into squirms and cringes. The movie got more disturbing and yet more complexed in the mystery of why these people were being tortured. It turned out that it was an experiment based off a bunch of religious people's idea of suffering not being the only way to see the other side. The fact that they were maliciously beating woman to see something that might not have existed was disturbing enough. Unfortunately they kept doing the experiments because there were people before the maiin character who saw the other side and the people wanted to make sure that there was actually an other side and not a hallucination from the victims. It made me sick. I feel like I am giving up the plot but there is many other reasons why you should watch this movie. It might change your beliefs. It made me think about mine, that is for sure! A must see! Pity that America already wants to get their fat greedy hands on it.
Fuck all the haters! How anyone can seriously sit through this and give it 1 or 2 stars is asinine. This is one of the greatest horrors films ever! Amazing performances that take place in a nightmare. Fantastic craftsmanship from everyone involved in this film, from the writing straight through to the color grade. If you don't like or "GET" the ending - you're just not that fucking bright. This is a horror movie for ADULTS.
Impressive. I waited forever to see this, and just to let you know - the American R rated release has lots of footage cut from it. Nab an imported unrated or NC-17 cut if you can. It adds bits and pieces to the gore that makes it much more brutal than the version we got.
Brilliant film. The plot is always changing and keeps you guessing, so you never have any idea where its going to take you, and you get so involved with the characters due to beautiful cinematography and amazing acting, to where even if you do know what's coming, you still wince with the characters. Very realistic.
Wow. I think its been an hour. And I'm just now starting to relax. In a coffee shop. With my Vanilla Latte. I'm still thinking about the last 20 mins of the film. You think you know what to expect, but you have no idea. I really like how this film was made. There are so many things that I want to say here, but I can't without giving too much away. Is this the goriest movie? no. Philosophy of a Knife takes that cake. Is this the most USEFUL filming of gore into a heartbreaking insightful film? yes. That is what makes it so powerful. Every piece of violence filmed in this has meaning to the story. It isn't pointless and it is rooted in deep, dare I say spiritual issues that will make you think. A lot of people have said they didn't like the first half of the film. But i disagree. The first half, though not as compelling as the last half is what makes the last half so important. And if anything I think the director made it so, as to drag these everyday "PG-13" viewers of "Mtv Horror" films into the story and to literally take the piss out of them via incision to the bladder. I implore you to watch this film. I dare you see this with no expectations. If you haven't seen it, stop reading reviews, and go into this with an open mind. I did. And although it is not a happy film, I'm glad I trusted my judgment before going on this unforgettable trek into dark places. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. But it just depends on which tunnel you take. Just keep doubting ;)
WOW is all i can say. Yes this movie was OVERHYPED; as was "Inside", and "Switchblade Romance". This is the one of the three that for me, lived up to the hype. Why? I love violence and gore as much as any horror hound but My favorite horror movies are always the ones with some deeper meaning other than just, Run away, run away, cut off heads, run away, kill bad guy. Love those too, but this one is CRAZY. Not as violent as i was led to believe but hit me harder than any move since "irreversible". Some of these reviews on here make me wonder if some of these people even saw the same movie.
I hungered for this one like no film before it (well, this one and Splinter). I mean, I kept seeing all these top-ten lists and all the hype for it (and Splinter), and Martyrs was pretty good. I think it went way more into the "deep" than I had expected, but that doesn't make it unworthy of the hype, just a tad out of what I like.
That said, the kills and movements (creepy) were on-point, especially the shotgun blasts. I do like how we get some of everything: We get the action with the shotgun blasts and mowing down; we get the creature violence and overall creepiness of that; and we get the psychological depth (wrapped inconspicuously in torture-ish porn) and all that means; however, maybe just the order of things is what leads me to not rate it as high as, say, Inside (which, IMO, is one of the all-time Great FILMS period).
I would recommend all to see it, because French horror is something that is not to be missed. Even the bad is good.
P.S. Side note here: I thought Splinter was overhyped as well. It was good, but not as good as I was led to believe.
This movie was good...but the comparisons to Inside are ridiculous. Mr. Disgusting was out of his goddamn mind when he said "INSIDE is fun and literally is like a Disney movie in comparison to how tough MARTYRS is to watch"...thanks for overhyping the shit out of Martyrs and actually making an otherwise great flick somewhat of a disappointment for me.
The movie Martyrs will make you feel uncomfortable in your chair, it then will take a baseball bat of emotions and swing it across your fu*king skull and watch your head fall of your shoulders, then in it's final wake take a chainsaw and cut your fu*cking heart out and make you feel the pain that was induced in this film. Martyrs is the only way you will stay in line, It's the ULTIMATE WEAPON in horror cinema, Nobody is immune! Martyrs will eat up your soul and spit you up like up chuck from the Garbage pail kids, It will twist your body like the Exorcist! It's like nothing you ever witnessed on film before.
Martyrs affected me far more than any other horror movie because of the ideas and because of Pascal Laugier's artful handling of his material, raw-nerved excellence of the acting, as well as the great cinematography, editing, music, and make-up effects.
Honestly I think 3 movies make the trilogy of Horror, which has made Modern French Horror so endearing -
1) High Tension
2) Inside
3) Martyrs....Is Martyrs as good as the others ...No - It has a brilliant first half but then descends into spiritual hogwash - I would have preferred some ass-kicking at the end but the final 30 minutes I agree - they were a ride I would never ever take and it makes u connect with the main protagonist like no other movie - The Gore is unreal - Its organic to the plot but razzles ur senses so bad, that it would take some time to recover from the whole episode.
I completely compare this movie with INSIDE and the plot revelation and the twist at the end was awesome but this one...u really don't expect the end but its not much of it. Its like pouring a lot of water over the cliff, but when u see it from a distance - its not exactly a waterfall. Sorry - Pascal I was disappointed - I was so excited to watch this movie but quite disappointed at the end.
This seems to be a very polarizing film. I, for one, thought it was brilliant but I will NEVER watch it again. It's not that I'm squeamish or think that anyone on this site is, but Martyrs is just not a film you can sit down and enjoy as an entertaining experience. Instead, you are put into such a strange, dark, depressing place by the visuals, tone and ultimate brutality of it, that it took me a few hours to claw my way out of that place. People like Rob Zombie and Eli Roth should take notice of this film, though. Being from the same generation of horror fans as those two, I can tell you that neither one of them has ever had an original thought (or if so, they didn't put them on screen). A film like Martyrs, however, comes along and shows the horror community that we do not need more "homages" or remakes of old films, we need originality, and Martyrs has it in spades. But, be warned, once you've seen it, you can't UNsee it, and that is a high compliment to any horror movie, indeed.
The first 1/2 of the film was in your face and exhilarating. I enjoyed the ride, but then 1/2 way through it becomes something entirely different, and is really a buzz kill. Lots of great makeup fx and gore, but the latter part of the movie leaves a lot to be desired.
Overhyped, Overrated, just another big depressing mess of a film that glorifys torture with little to no real justifiable reason, fans of depressing horror films will glory in this film, I being a horror fan for 20+years, just dont find fun in watching something like this.
if a film has a realistic "tone" to it, and has no real moments of overcoming anything except the fact that this type of film is being rated for its realistic gore and not a original story with anything new or fresh other than depressing torture.
This is uhm, quite the movie. I can say after seeing it twice in two weeks that Its unlike any horror movie in years... and I even use the term Horror loosely because you could almost even call this a serious drama. Comparing this to movies such as Inside or High Tension is such a big mistake... this is Nothing like those movies... and if you expect it to be like those going in; you may end up hating it. This movie is far too artistic and slow burning to be compared to those. Only movie I can compare this too would be "Kids"... only in that after seeing it twice I never want to watch it again but can appreciate it as being a superb film. It just puts you in a very dark and depressing place (as does Kids) and never lets go until the final Even More depressing ending. Enjoy!
loved inside...loved this not as much but still loved it! A different story line then we are used to in a way...nice set up,great camera work...this movie makes you go through exactly what the charecter goes through which by the end of the film realy has you thinking about exactly what you have whitnessed.I analyzed this flick in my mind for a week which to me is the sign of a great film! kudos again france!
OMG, one of the movies which do NOT live up to the over hyped marketing campaign!
The movie was dull with mediocre effects (yes, they were graphic, but nothing we haven't already seen before) and one of the most ridiculous plots I have seen in years. Incredibly weak for a movie, which takes itself so seriously...
a very, very, very big disappointment...I am grateful I didn't spend any money on it..
Ive been waiting to review this for weeks!!! I guess the States are a bit behind the times, lol, this came out in Canada a month ago. This movie is the first I have ever seen that warrants the warning on the box. this movie is FUCKED UP!!! but in a good way. I was VERY uncomfortable at parts. can't wait to see what Laugier does with Hellraiser.
This is a great movie, but to compare it to Inside isn't fair. Both are completely different, but Inside is much better and sicker. I actually didn't think this movie was as squeamish as Inside either. That home invasion in Inside is much more disturbing to me than the relentless torture in Martyrs. I don't why it is to me, but it just is. The only comparison to Inside is in the scope of the brutality that's here, the stories are completely different.
Martyrs is a film that is tonally similar to the original Funny Games. Unpredictable and audacious.
The strength of this film is the plot structure and element of surprise. The weakness is it's revelation and the way it is discarded as soon as revealed.
Martyrs is not a fun body count horror. Deeply disturbing but never reaching it's potential intelligence .
I watched Martyrs after months of enduring pain from not being able to see it but hearing all the hype (honestly i had nightmares about this film before seeing it), and i have to say it did live upto the hype. I'm still not 100% sure if i understand it now - and i have watched it 6 times in the last month but i have some sort of clarity in my head.
The thing that sets these foreign horror films aside from the rest is the brilliant acting, you can really feel what each character is going through, hollywood should really take note from these movies when it comes to casting.
For me this movie is 5/5 and is the best horror movie i have seen since the orphanage, however the film is make or break after the 45min mark.
First half was awesome. Incredibly effective, som of the best horror I've seen in years.
Then it unfortunately took a turn towards boooring and ended really silly.
When I rewatch I'll probably turn it off after the first hour.
All this talk about it being disturbing and taking time to sink in and what not. Seriously? You review horror flicks for a living, are you really that squeamish?
This movie was great. It seems like the French keep making horror gold. They're making us Americans look stupid when it comes to horror movies, we need to redeem ourselves. Newayz its a good movie with suspense and blood, so if you haven't seen it, see it.
So I heard a lot of hype about Martyrs. How 'You must see it's, and being part of peoples Top 10 Horror Films 2008, etc. Knowing that I was going to see the film I stayed away from reading reviews and only watched the trailer months ago. The trailer made the film feel like another torture porn which this film is not. The first half of the film is following Lucie who has been tortured and escaped 15 years ago. She hunts the people that are responsible for her torture. As the camera follows Lucie you get a unique look at the attacks through the eyes of disturbed and haunted individual. After approximately 40 minutes, the film starts to follow her friend Anne who tags alog with Lucie to find the people who tortured her. Thats when you begin to find out that there is something terribly wrong with Lucie and Anne is fully aware of her mental instability.
The kills are not fun/creative but they are graphic. One example is at the beginning of the film when Lucie has her shotgun. Each shotgun blast is extremely powerful and a little extra bloody...which is expected from a French film. Over-the-top violence is not there though. All the kills and attacks have a very real and grounded feel to them which makes the experience more disturbing. They could have easily added brains blasting out of the head or Anne spitting out blood each punch she takes. The film is realistic, violent, and not what I was expecting. Martyrs has that foreign storytelling element going, where it wont give you much background information. So you never really know what's actually happening and it will leave some questions unanswered. Overall a good horror film that has its moments. 4/5!
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