Martyrs. 2008. Pascal Laugier.
Proper grim French torture porn jobby from the director of the brilliant The Tall Man.
A young girl called Lucie is rescued, nearly naked and beaten beyond belief running through the streets. She claims to have been abducted and systematically tortured. When authorites inspect there are clear signs supporting her claims however no perpetrators are ever found.
Eventually Lucie is placed in a home for young women where she finds friendship with another damaged young girl Anna. During one of the films most terrifying sequences and if I'm being honest one of the few truly creepy scenes I've seen in a long time it is revealed Lucie is being stalked by a grotesque, sinister presence that is intent on mutilating her.
Fast forward 15 years and we move to the home of a nice seeming family. One morning over breakfast there is a knock at the door and a crazed woman with a shotgun proceeds to mercilessly gun down the whole family children and all. And from there it only gets madder and darker.
Much like Pascal Laugiers next feature, the Jessica Biel starrer 'The Tall Man' Martyrs is set out in a way one never really knows where its going. At least i didn't. The both films seem to stem from similar dark subject matter too, abuse.
Martyrs is a hard film to watch but almost impossible to take your eyes off and is one of those films that leaves you feeling a little guilty. Complacent almost. The performances are bloody superb across the board and i don't look forward to revisiting it. But i will.
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