A police sergeant has inexplicably opened fire on a busload of school children. Ten are dead; one is in critical condition.

A highly successful horror novelist has tried to commit suicide by jumping out of his window. The paramedics discover him, halfway through the plate glass window. He has smashed up his luxurious loft apartment and everything in it. There is blood everywhere, as he has hacked off his fingers with a large blade.

A washed-up psychiatrist has the unfortunate task of trying to find a reason for the writers' attempted suicide, and perhaps a link between him and the police officer. The writer, who is in a state of catatonia, isn't much help to the doctor.

A nosey reporter, who has been covering the writer's every move for a biography he is preparing, brings forth many clues that puzzle the doctor. Has the writer been witness to dozens of horrendous crimes? Was he there when the policeman opened fire on those innocent children? What does his writing have to do with any of this and why did he cut off all of his fingers?

This is the premise of the profoundly disturbing supernatural thriller "Sur le seuil" (Evil words). Montreal director Eric Tessier has crafted a highly effective film that incorporates elements from "In the Mouth of Madness" and "The Silence of the Lambs". Acclaimed French-Canadian actor Michel Côté delivers a powerhouse performance as the disillusioned psychiatrist Paul Lacasse, and comedian Patrick Huard is quite surprising as the troubled writer Thomas Roy. His performance, filled with nuance and restraint, chills you to the bone. When he eventually comes out of his state of catatonia, we see him as a terrified human being. But what is he afraid of? Why did he destroy his latest manuscript? Why are the other patients in the psychiatric hospital showing signs of growing hysteria? Doctor Lacasse will soon find out as he tracks down an old priest that had tried to contact the troubled writer. He finds him in an isolated village, a five-hour drive from the Montreal hospital. What he will learn there will scar him for life and will make him regret ever coming in contact with Roy.

I don't want to tell you anything more about this fantastic film because you must experience it for yourself. This is an extremely well crafted story that unfolds like the layers of an onion: the more you peel away, the more its smell overpowers you. This film truly is crafted like a puzzle: at first you flip over all the pieces, then you start to put things together. But the picture that you re slowly starting to assemble is something you do not want to see. Something shocking. Something horrible. But you can't help putting everything together. You want to see the whole picture. This is true for Doctor Lacasse and for the audience as well. We are both spectators. When the priest tells the doctor what lies behind Roy's eyes, both him and the audience are horrified and fascinated at the same time. And what can I tell you about the great Albert Millaire? As the priest, he grabs us with his story and never lets go. He is, without a doubt, one of the best French-speaking actors working today, and his performance in this film is absolutely enthralling. I could go on and on but you owe it to yourself to seek out this gem of a film. The climax alone is the creepiest, most apocalyptic thing I have ever seen in my entire life.

Dimension Films has purchased the remake rights and are now developing a new script, but I implore you: don't wait for the remake! You can find this film on most Canadian DVD online shops like Amazon.ca or dvdsoon.com, and with the current state of the Canadian dollar, it is quite a bargain for such a quality film. It is an awesome DVD to boot (if you don't mind subtitles...)!