Martyrs (V)
| release date | April 28 2009 |
| studio | Dimension Films |
| director | Pascal Laugier |
| writer | Pascal Laugier |
| starring | Mylène Jampanoï, Morjana Alaoui, Mike Chute |
| site | martyrs-lefilm.com |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |
ad
-
BD Finishing Fund!
Most Popular
Most commented on articles over the past 30 days.
Featured Stories
Top Stories From Bloody Disgusting
-
2 Comments
Martyrs
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!
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.
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?
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.
You decide.
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 .
Pure Masterpiece and I loved the ending. Didn’t see it coming….One of the best films I’ve ever seen. Left me feeling “dirty”.
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.
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.
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..
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!
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!
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.
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.
disturbingly brilliant.
amazing
i dont understand people who dont at least rate this a 9.. this is one hell of a movie. absolutely incredible..
Disturbing, that last 30 mins was hard to watch
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.
I can’t remember the last time a movie disturbed me this much. wow
Unreal….
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.
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.
WOW,the beast needs to see this movie
Are you kidding me!!!!!!!! now if you suffer you get to see the other side. you people who like this movie are now really reaching.
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.
I don’t know…
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.
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.
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
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.
Loved 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.
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.
Fucked up movie…
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.
Utter tripe.
Pinhead-R.I.P. Another horror icon ruined.
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.
One of the best movies I have seen in years. It will haunt you.
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.
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.
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!!
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.
Horrific. Truly disturbing. I’m still thinking about it.
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
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.
One of the best “True Horror” films done in awhile. I wasn’t expecting it to be so haunting and well directed.
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.
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?
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.
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?
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.
Great movie. Like a shotgun blast to the chest.
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.
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.)
Seriously?!
WTF?!?!??!
I mean, this was a great movie.
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.
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.
Oh man where to start.
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
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.
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.
This movie left me speechless. Brutal and beautiful. There are no words.
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.
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.
It was a crazy movie, but wasn’t really impressed with the whole concept of the film.
This movie was an UTTER-Disappointment, seriously…
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!!!
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 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.
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.
awesome movie. i want moar laugier.
Excellent. One of my forever favourites. French horror is the best!
First half great, but the second half just could not hold my attention.
Starts out extremely strong then slowly fades from there. Enjoyed it overall though, just had higher hopes for it.
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.
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.
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
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.
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!
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!
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
Now I’ve seen the unseen and I deeply thank Laugier for making this movie!
Groundbreaking, innovative, simply awesome!!
already a classic!
What a movie. Brutal. You don’t know what’s going on, which makes it more interesting. I liked it, but it’s definitely not for everyone.
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.
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.
another loss for the internet hype machine.
incredible movie. The ending will mean something different for everybody who can bare to sit through the carnage.
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
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.
This film will make you want to see a Disney movie after watching this.Its extremely brutal and disturbing.
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.
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 ?
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.
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
*****
Sorry for this crap review. I was young and inexperienced
Here’s one I wrote today after still being blown away from it after about the sixth time!
Martyrs is another French film that is one of the most effective and incredible films I have ever seen. It’s a rare thing now to get a horror film that truly shocks you, but Martyrs is one of these rarities. A film that you can’t un-see, and possibly one you wouldn’t want to either. Now, it would be easy to dismiss Martyrs as ‘torture-porn’ like Hostel, but Martyrs is so much deeper than that. The explicit and hugely upsetting torture sequences serve a very fine purpose to the mind-boggling narrative, and carefully constructed characters. You could also dismiss Martyrs as being exploitative, using gore for gore’s sake. However, Martyrs uses some of the most cringe-inducing gore I’ve ever seen, which dares you not to look away. Never has violence looked more nasty or pointless. You could even say that it’s a comment on how films glamorise violence. Martyrs shows violence for what it really is.
What makes Martyrs so extraordinary is its unpredictability and the way it plays on your expectations, in a similar way to The Cabin in the Woods, only not humorous in the slightest. The film changes direction at least four times, and two of these occasions are in the opening 10 minutes! The first time I saw Martyrs, I was in shock at the first plot twist, as it delivers the nasty surprise thick and fast like a Michael Haneke film. It defies all conventions, without ever feeling schizophrenic in tone. Even though Martyrs has so many plot twists, it never feels messy and it’s always focused on true narrative it’s trying to express. I’ve seen the film about six times now and it still manages to hit me hard with its visceral shocks.
Another great thing about Martyrs is its characters. The main protagonists feature on the front cover, both of them have a touching relationship as we see them through childhood. One of them, Lucie, is terribly haunted and a really tragic character who I felt immeasurably sympathetic towards. Her friend, is also almost like her carer who looks after Lucie, and also probably has feelings for her too. They’re both very deep characters who we can care for. Martyrs also features a memorable villain, who’s not in for long but offers a lasting and chilling presence, almost like Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. However, I don’t want to spoil too much, because that would be such a shame.
The turning point for people will be just over half-way when Martyrs takes a seriously surprising and gut-punching turn that no one could see coming. There’s a really heart-wrenching scene when Anna makes a discovery which should be strictly kept under wraps. This scene is one of the hardest scenes to watch in the film, and is outrageously disturbing. I always say that films become masterpieces when they turn into more of an experience, such as Black Swan, but Martyrs transcends from being an experience to being a challenge. It’s a real challenge to make it through the final half hour of Martyrs, as things only become more disturbing.
The final half hour will be the decider about whether you liked Martyrs or not. You can say what you like about the last half hour but whatever you say, it will be the thing that you remember the most about it. I shall not spoil it, but it’s one of the saddest moments, actually no, it is the saddest moment I’ve seen on film. Every time I see it I almost cry which is something I don’t do on many occasions. It packs such a huge emotional punch, and also has this chills-inducing music that escalates your feelings. Every time I see it I just want to collapse into a ball and weep an ocean of tears. But I’m yet to try that. It really is what takes Martyrs from being already one of the best horror films ever to being legendary. If you feel no emotion in this final third then you’re either a robot or a psychopath.
I can understand why people hate these final moments, because I remember when I saw it a second time, I thought that it would be much better to have a Frontiers-type finale. However, then I realised that this is what Pascal Laugier would want us to have, and is probably what other film-makers would give us. It’s these final moments that are the biggest shock of the film and also are very relevant to the narrative as it allows us to go deeper into the characters. Suddenly the mystery is revealed and it’s a chilling one. Martyrs turns unbelievably deep and philosophical which will make you provoke more thought than you could imagine. The ending will make your jaw drop, as it’s a lot to take in. You could even say that the film takes another surprising turn. The final two shots are just the final nails in the coffin of your psyche. They’re the last visceral shocks, and the last shot is sure to haunt your dreams.
So it’s easy to call Martyrs ‘torture-porn’ but it seriously is anything but. Since when has ‘torture-porn’ made you think or feel as much emotion as Martyrs does. It’s hugely depressing, and leaves such an emotional impact. The directing alone makes Martyrs more than just an exploitation film! He’s created a moving masterpiece. It’s not easy to watch but the pay-off is immense. Martyrs is possibly the boldest and most powerful films I’ve ever seen. It’s truly unforgettable, and I could write a list of superlatives like I did with The Dark Knight, but not one of them would justify just how mesmerising this film is. It’s a true horror masterpiece. Martyrs is a difficult film to recommend, because it’s the opposite end of entertainment, but the pay-off is truly unlike any other. Witness it for yourself. It’s one of the best horror films ever made. Maybe even THE best.
I am going to say it because we as Americans don’t like to admit it but the French horror filmmakers are kicking our ass.
If you look true horror as in no fairytale ending, as in it can drive you mad… true horror
JUST watch Martyrs. Find the unrated version and make sure your mentally healthy because this film is sick.
Enjoy. Cause I can imagine Hell being worse than this.
**WOW** Great plot – Gore level high – Cringe factor high – empathy for characters achieved successfully – Tragic ending
This is a MUST for the genre fan. my one complaint would be the pace after about 50-60 minutes in.
This film is easily in my top 5 and is an instant horror classic, in this writers opinion.
I would absolutely recommend it.
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 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
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.
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.
‘Inside’ was a fantastic movie. ‘Martyrs’ isnt.
mhm, good.
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.
Which one are you?
quite possibly one of the best movies ive ever seen
i hope this is never remade
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.
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.
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.
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!
The “intellectual” gore film, for lack of a better word.
This is not a horror movie, this is a revolution!!!
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.
Amazing.
The best of the recent French Horrors, and second only to Let The Right One In as one of the greatest Horror Films of the decade.
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.
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
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
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.
KERRAZY but at the end, I was overcome with sadness for Anna.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
beautifully disturbing on a psychological and superficial level; makes you reconsider exactly what humans are capable of.
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!
Great Movie, unique, bloody, and brilliant. Couldnt imagine having to endure what those girls went through. deff. a must see..
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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!
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.
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.
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?
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!!!
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.
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.
9/10
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!
A good movie but as strange as it sounds, I actually got a bit bored near the end.
one of the best movies ever !!!!
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.
9/10
A very dark and creepy horror flick that is horrifyingly gory.
GREAT
Love this movie…very gut wrenching and hard but in the end it is a very well made film.
Hard movie to watch, but deeply rewarding. It evoked feelings I forgot I had!
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.
awesome gorefest, one of the few movies i actually liked lately. Definately reccomend this one!
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.
Best horror movie of the decade, hands down.
I liked it. very disturbing however its not something id watch twice
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.
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
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.
Three words…
AMAZING. WATCH IT.
I just watched it last night, I would have watched it sooner but I couldn’t find the movie anywhere. It was a great movie but some of it was predictable. The gore/graphics were great and it had a fantastic story. The whole movie was great but I didn’t really like the way it ended.
This movie has been talked about in so many forms that I could not wait to see it for my self. I think the movie lived up to all the hype. Shock value, brutality, gore and body count keeps you interested. Then you get hit with twists and more brutality. Well done, I’ll watch this one again.
Definately wayyyy overhyped. I love those fucked up movies that no one else wants to watch, but this movie downright sucks! The first half got my attention but then came the sucky second. I mean seriously what the fuck kind of ending was that. Stupid movie, watch only if you wanna be disgusted and dissapointed at the same time, and that coming from me is pretty damn bad.
Insane. Twisted. Bizarre. Not everyone will be able to appreciate this one but it really is something special.
Amazing
Simply silly.
I may sound sick…but I really can’t get enough of this movie. It brings you to a state of mind that no other movie can. Like it or hate it, this movie will bring out so many feelings and force you to look at life in ways you can’t possibly comprehend until you watch the film. Seriously, this movie is no joke.
The 1st half was brutal, violent, psycho, crazy, etc–great horror. The 2nd half stunk as it was run-of-the-mill torture porn junk, and a complete letdown–SO damn disappointing is the direction this went after such a fervent opening. As a whole, this is not even close to as good as Inside….it could have come close if it weren’t for the route it took. 1st Half of movie review: 4 and 1/2 skulls, 2nd half review: 1/2 skull.
Could be the new Cannibal Holocaust.
Totally twisted, excellent movie.
“Martyr’s”
Let’s start with a checklist of Horror/Shocking film elements and rate them on a scale of 1-5, (1) being Disney’s Up and (5) being High Tension or Ishi the Killer and everything in between. Let’s begin!
1. Violence- Martytr’s definitely serves up heaps of violence. My favored scene(besides the shocker noted in #4) would be the random acts(slicing) inflicted upon Lucie( Myl`ene Jampanoi) by her “Haunting female creature” or the shotgunning down of an entire family (a few had it coming). It was no Halloween II but it was quite violent. BruceVain Rating on Violence- (5) Ishi all the way
2. Gore- Even films that have a decent budget can have over the top gore, or scenes that just don’t look real or even worse CGI gore. Martyr’s displays a minimal measure of gore, but when they do, they really take it to the next level and make it work. There is a scene where a women that has been held captive for who knows how long has a metal blindfold on. Fence staples are used to keep it in place and when they remove them, they can bleed a lot!! It appears that the skin has grown around the blindfold and when it is finally removed, the slime like puss from infection really screams quality GORE! Another example of the effects is a scene where Lucie is fighting with her “Haunting Female Creature” and the creature uses a straight razor and cuts into Lucie’s arm lengthwise, from behind the elbow to the wrist, reminded me of “Fatal Attraction”. I watch a lot of horror and this scene actually gave me chills. BruceVain Rating on Gore- (5) High Tension Style
3. Abuse- Apparently the M.O. of the film, trying to induce enough of it to promote transcendence in order to see the afterlife. In fact, the victims are not victims at all they are put through this process to make them into Martyr’s( Greek for Witness). Hoping that they can see what lies after death. BruceVain Rating on Abuse-(5) Ishi all the way
4. Flaying a Human Alive- To reach that final stage of transcendence this type of systematic abuse must be inflicted, and it is portrayed right before your eyes. This scene in particular is a testament to the acting and Direction, the pain in Anna’s(Morjana Alaoui) eyes is characterized exponentially for the viewer to experience. BruceVain Rating on Flaying a Human Alive-(5) shit that’s gotta hurt!
There were a few elements that I was not a fan of, for instance the film grain effect used in the opening and closing scenes. I was hoping that this would not continue for the remainder of the film….it didn’t. If I failed to mention this film is in French and is subtitled, for the first 5 min, the subtitles are on the top of the screen rather than the normal bottom( I was peeved by this).
The Director Pascal Laugier deserves credit for the performances, how did he get those girls to cry non-stop? I felt the pacing was a little slow and a bit out of place. It seemed like a long 1:37 min because of it. Overall the film is a must see for an admirer of the genre and if you want shocking depiction of violence and abuse Martyr’s is for you.
If a horror/shock film were a Tachometer in a race car, Martyr’s would be a blown engine.
Bruce Vain
Superior and cerebral movie – Agree with La Femme 01/4/10, not to everyones taste, but please watch and have an opinion.
this movie is not for everyone . but my god is it good .
Excellent film. Thought-provoking and terrifying at once. One of the few films that has really managed to get under my skin.
First off, different fans like different horror.
If you’re a fan that thinks horror is only for
entertainment, you probably won’t like this.
If however you actually like being HORRIFIED, as
in traumatized by horror, you may love it.
It is a hard movie to watch, closer in terms to
irreversable than inside.
Inside, I liked but did nothing for me emotionally.
Martyrs destroyed me.
When I picked up this movie I was surprised to see a warning right on the box about it potentially disturbing you, disgusting you, or frightening you. Of course, that is probably the reason I decided to watch it. I figured it might end up being a regular old revenge film, or even a paranormal film, but I was pleasantly surprised. If you’re a fan of slashers and end of your seat horror, then this probably isn’t for you. However, if you’re into being horrified and disturbed and having your mind warped around the directors finger, then this film is DEFINITELY for you. So, if you’re like me, I seriously suggest you check it out.
This has to be the best of the new french wave of horror.Started off great then just turned into another toture porn boring french art film.
3 Words Hard To Watch
Ryan Rotten at shocktillyoudrop.com claims that the film “is the new yard stick against which all forms of extreme genre films should be measured against.” And I totally agree with him, the French Horror cinema developed a new level to scare the shit out of you. There are no clichés, no glamor, no mainstream beauties or teenage parties, no silly jokes or (typical useless) sex scenes , just the all to real shocking truth about the human kind and some of their sickest individuals. The actresses Morjana Alaoui as Anna and Mylène Jampanoï as Lucie, are both doing one hell of a job. They made there characters so believable that it almost hurts to watch them being in these fucked up situations. In my opinion it’s one of the best, most terrifying, well acted and realistic horror movies of the last years, not wasting it with a lame plot solution at the end. This movie’s horror doesn’t come from dark lightning or a slashing killer sneaking around suburban families, but that makes it even scarier. But if you’re expecting a French version of `HOSTEL’ you’re wrong here, even if there are some similarities (torture/secret organisation) the intension of this movie is a completely different kind. This isn’t a silly `watch-with-my-friends’ movie like many horror films these days, this movie will make you think about certain aspects and especially about the end.
I rate it 9 out of 10 because this one really had the skills to scare me!
As others have said, this is definitely the new horror film to beat in terms of overall disturbing power… I’m good with putting it in the same category as Cannibal Holocaust (which is still much more disgusting, in my oppionion)
Martyrs is a great horror film that truly earns the word “horror.” Not something I’d recommend for anyone, but if someone asks for a real horror movie, they shouldn’t be upset when they get this.
My only complain was, it was no where near as strong on the second viewing. I remember watching it about a year ago when it first came out and being blown over by it. I remember it being almost unwatchable in certain scenes, but upon rewatching it just a few minutes ago, it seemed much tamer than I remembered. I suppose once the initial shock wears off, it just doesn’t have the same effect as the first viewing. I can’t dock the film any points for that though, considering it’s a movie most people would never, ever need to see more than once.
……………
If I had to describe this movie with one word, it would be either BRUTAL or BEAUTIFUL. It was extremely difficult to watch certain scenes without turning away, and at some parts, I almost screamed at the screen! A brilliant, yet disturbing movie.
this is by far my favorite horror film.it pushed limits and my friend said that they crossed the line with this one.but thats what i love about it.i think horror movies should cross limits and be raw and really get to you.this movie uneased me,disturbed me,yet i couldn’t look away.its not cheesy brutal with buckets of fake gore, its brutality that makes u somehow glued to the screen and utterly sickened.this movie really stuck with me. i love french horror because it’s always intense. this movie went were american horror films,hell most any fim, fear to tread. it was original and had really great acting.a movie every horror fan should watch
probably the most shocking movie of the past decade..the french horror scene never dissappointed me but this movie is something else…i never expected a movie will be stuck in my head for so long…will we recall this as a classic in the future???im sure it will
I love this film to death it’s a masterpiece of work I can’t say anything bad about this movie.
The acting is great the shotgun scene is that disturbing she mutilates a whole family within a few minutes what more can you ask for. A lot of people crap on this movie because they don’t understand the storyline or the fact that just because it brutally sickening it cant be beautiful piece of film and probably will go down in history as one of the best French horror movies ever made.
Fuckin’ twisted and I’ll never watch it again, it
was VERY DISTURBING HANDSDOWN & SICK SHIT.
The film of the year, absolutely amazing piece of work. Disturbing, entertaining and haunting. It has it all. Wonderful soundtrack.
After watching this film, it stayed with me for days.
This film is one hell of a ride. It starts brilliantly with some stunning gore and violence. You think you know where it is going but half way through, the tables are turned and a whole new film starts.
The anguish and pain the leading ladies suffer are brilliantly portrayed. These women deserve oscars for their performances.
The film is beatifully shot, the film is the most engaging film i have ever seen. It is full of suspense, pain, terror and is heartbreaking.
When you watch this film, hold onto the feeling you get at the end. You will only be able to watch it for the first time once. I have seen it four times now, and can honestly say i love this film.
The last part of the film is harrowing. Althogh it all becomes clear, it leaves you with a kind of emptyness, it truly is very sad.
Some of the final scenes are upsetting, the kind of scenes people watch sheilded by their hands.
This film is in my top three movies of all time. I am very concerned that it is being remade. This work of art should be left alone. Remaking it wont work.
There is a dubbed version around, which to be honest, a good option to pay closer attention to the film and its beauty
this is not a film, but a masterpiece. an experience. i can barely grasp what i’ve just seen. this movie is simply beautiful, horrifying, and mind-numbing. chilling, terrifying, and down right brutal, this will leave you in awe, shock, and just speechless. one of the most incredible and flawless films i’ve seen.
I just recently saw Martyrs after months of hearing about how awesome it is. After seeing it, I know I’ll NEVER forget it. Horror movies really don’t scare me anymore. After watching Martyrs, I was scared. Its hard to even explain what it is but it is GOOD, and you just have to see it for yourself to understand. The French really are making some remarkable films these days, and Martyrs is the best I’ve seen so far. (WARNING: Not for the faint of heart…or stomach) FAVORITE SCENE: Woman discovered in secret area of the house. (brought me to tears)
This is a work of art. It’s a disturbing film that is sometimes powerful and touching. Watching this was like being on an emotional rollercoaster. Great perfomances by the cast. A must see.
Thoroughly enjoyed this film, and i loved the reason for the carnage, but i am going to have to watch it again, i was too drunk to remeber much, but damn was it disturbinng, and from what i remember, nice innovation to a of a some rather commonplace ideas, though if i were to tell you those innovations, a lot of the film would be given away. In other words watch this film. I have a new love for french horror/realism…so if you arent familiar with their intensity check these films out, in order of awesomeness (my opinion)
1. Martyrs
2. Inside
3. High Tension…enjoy!
brutally brilliant……never wuz sooooo tuned in2 ny movie b4…..d actin wuz splendid……u really do feel 4 d gurls wen dey r being torturd…..d movie never gav in n kept d intensity goin rite till d end……gore quotient aint over d top bt has its due effect……leavin u in awe n shock is wad d movie does 2 u in d end……..nt 4 d faint heartd…..definitely worth a watch
I finally Watched this movie last night all I can say is IT WAS A MASTERPIECE!!! I cant believe it took me this long too view it. IF you havent seen this film watch it immediately! You wont be disappointed…
I’m not 100% sure how much I actually enjoyed this film, but it definitely hit me hard.
I haven’t seen anything like it, horrifying and heartbreaking.
All I can say is WOW. This movie had me in shock and awe this was the first time in my life of a horror movie fan that I puked from everything that they did to that girl. People who haven’t witnessed this flick really need to check it out.
very disturbing
ruthless in so many ways. its got like 3 horror films in one twisted story and so many7 different levels of shock. my girlfriend made me turn it off and i had to finish it the next day and there were more scenes that made me rethink finsihing it. im glad i did tho cuz thee is a deep story here and probably my favorite horror movie in a long time.
Fantastic. Had not heard anything about this movie. Just bought it from a shop and put it on. I did not know what to expect. I really enjoyed it. Had no idea what was really happening to near the end. It was sort of like two movies rolled into one. I didnt find it disturbing, (I think I have watched to many horror movies over the last 35 years) I found it more thought provoking. Excellent piece of work!
I hated this film. The director knows how to stage action and gore scenes, but the characters are underdeveloped, the premise as revealed in the final third is ludicrous and ungrounded, and the whole thing is massively pretentious and shallow. I’m a fan of movies in which genuine suffering is used for a reason. This film is brutal for brutality’s sake.
Disturbing but I couldn’t look away
is hehre a version of this movie with english audio?
i heard from people that it is all in french,
an english dub would be great
When the movie begins the viewer thinks its going to an obvious place: another french horror movie with a lead heroine who suffers from schizophrenia and goes on a maligned killing spree. Everything changes after the first act as the movie becomes a thought provoking study on the afterlife, gnosticism and the extreme horror of cult behavior. The violence in this movie is hard to watch, unglamourous and demands a lot from the audience. This is intelligent ultra horror that is truly disturbing and one of the best in recent memory.
Phenomenal! A must see!! Brutal!!!
I wouldn’t necessarily call this a horror movie.
I would recommend seeing this movie completely cold. Don’t even read the DVD case. Just watch and come to your own conclusion as to what exactly this movie is trying to convey.
Know this: Pascal Laugier is a fucking genius. He is uncompromising in his approach to the subject matter, and he transcends mere genre.
I understand a remake is in progress as of this writing. Pascal Laugier has already created a vision with “Martyrs” that would make any recreation, redundant to say the least.
Very highest recommendation. Watch this in the original French audio; it’s not so hard to read some English sub-titles.
Pretty fucking intense, not as good as inside but better then high tension and frontier(s)
“Martyrs” is the final film in my reviews of the new French horror wave. All four of these films were extremely thoughtful and well made. Nothing exemplifies this more than “Martyrs”. This film could be accurately described as art house existential horror. Written and directed by Pascual Laugier, his film goes the distance when it comes to creativity and graphic brutality. Dealing mostly with the psychological effects of torture and what lies beyond human suffering.
The film opens with a disheveled young girl running from a warehouse. This is Lucie she has endured quite a lot while being held captive by a group of unknown people. She is sent to an orphanage and obviously has some severe psychological and physical trauma. She eventually becomes friends with Anna, a girl her age.
The film flash forwards 15 years to your basic family of four having breakfast and conversation when there is a knock at the door. The father goes to answer it and finds and hooded stranger with a shotgun. This person coldly and brutally massacres the whole family. The stranger is Lucie, she feels that the parents of this family were responsible for the torture she endured as a child. She calls Anna who comes right over to deal with the mess. Anna has always taken care of and felt sorry for what happen to Lucie and little by little has gotten in over her head in helping her.
Lucie has been fighting her inner demons for years and this get kind of confusing as Laugier actually creates a woman like creature that continues to attack her. Upon first viewing it’s hard to tell what the hell to make of her. Despite Anna’s efforts Lucie commits suicide.
Anna further investigates the house and finds a hidden passage way to an underground facility that is the headquarters to a secret society whose mission it is to contact the other side, to find out what lies beyond death. Certain people, mainly young women are chosen to be martyrs. These people are systematically tortured and psychologically broken till they reach a certain point where they transcend the pain and suffering to enter into a new consciousness.
Anna is captured whiles snooping around the place and is subjected to the same torture that Lucie endured. After Anna has been broken it is time for the next stage. Are you ready for this? She is taken into another room and skinned alive, except for her face. She doesn’t scream or seem to feel any pain, she has transcended. She survives this procedure and whispers into the ear of the older women who seems to head this society. The Madam calls a meeting to share the news of what she has heard. If you want to know the rest watch the movie, sucka!
This film definitely “transcends” your basic horror movie and goes places we have rarely been. This secret society is composed of rich elderly white people. I guess they want to know what to expect. Sadly, there is an American remake in the works and no matter what they do; it could never come close to matching the stunning effect of this film.
For more reviews please visit http://www.RockportReview.com
Ok, seriously, DO NOT buy this just because it is “brutal”, “disturbing”, and “intense” and you want to see some good gore. Buy this movie to get completely mind-fucked. I went into this expecting only the shock value, and came out loving this movie because it is a damn good movie with an amazing idea, and it is insanely original. The last 15 minutes or so leave your mouth wide open.. a highly recommended movie.
The only horror movie I have seen that made me want to actually look away from the TV, yet I couldn’t. It’s a beautiful masterpiece of a movie that not many people could handle, pretty sad, pretty badass, and pretty amazing. One of those horror films with a truly haunting story(by haunting I don’t mean scary). The french have established themselves as the cream of the crop when it comes to horror movies.
Quite possibly the saddest and most disturbing movie I’ve ever witnessed. It’s like a train wreck, you can’t look away. Masterfully done but I don’t think I ever want to see it again, it’s just too much of a mindfuck.
Nah, to me it looks like just another torture prone flick centered around a mixture of young girls and S&M. The beginning of the movie had me for a a little, but even then you knew where the story was going. I guess it could have been different, but the storyline was so weak. It was well made but…I mean, the plot ?
Eh…I need more from a movie, sorry I didn’t like it.
An incredibly thought provoking and disturbing horror film, this movie will completely mess with your emotions.
I felted disgusted to be a human after witnessing this movie. I’ve now seen it about 10 times with no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Not too much can be said about it without giving a lot of it away. Just watch it and enjoy the ride.
I just sat through Martyrs, a French language horror film in the new tradition which is being established right before our eyes.
I’m going to bet the majority of people who might read this are people who haven’t seen this little French serving of complete insanity. With that in mind, I’m not going to say much about the film, except that I loved it. It’s been a really good while since I’ve seen something which was able to hit me in the soft spots with as much ferocity, accuracy and consistency.
So, in order to give those of you who might see the film a chance to go in blind and untainted, I’m going to talk a little bit about how I see the film, and why it’s gotten the reaction it has from both mainstream critics and the horror community. For once, they’re equally torn. They love it, hate it or are completely flummoxed by it. This is probably the thing which made me most interested in seeing it. Beyond the fact that I’m a horror obsessed geek, I tend to find the films I enjoy the most are the ones which create the most bitter divide in the audience. It means you’ve felt something strongly or you just don’t exactly know what to feel or how to think about it. When a film can draw such strong opinions of pro and con, and still at the same time have people more or less saying, “yes, it’s something different and new, but I don’t know that I like the different and new that it is”, this is a good sign.
Let’s start with the blatantly obvious. This is not a film for everyone. In fact, this is probably a film for a relatively small audience. It’s showing at last years Cannes Film Festival served it well because it did create this buzz and this controversy among the critical community, but it also is probably drawing some unfair and unnecessary criticism because there are people seeing this film who were never meant to see it in the first place. It’s not meant for the faux art house crowd. Of course, they’re calling it misogynistic. If a woman isn’t worshiped or presented in what they interpret as the most positive light, they tend to whip out the misogyny card. This is not to say there aren’t some extremely misogynistic films out there, because there are. At the same time if you can’t give women the respect to present them as you would any other human beings, with examples which are really cool, awesome characters and also really horrible, disgusting characters, you’re selling them short by presenting them as being something more or less than human. I know some really incredible women who are inspirational to me. I know some really disgusting women who are inspirations in much the opposite way. There is nothing of them I want to see in myself. I say faux art house because in the last fifteen or twenty years what we’ve begun to be spoon fed as “art films” aren’t really art films or even independent films. Most of them are just films major studios have used some small arm too spend less money to produce, but still provide enough money to make sure the costumes are pretty and the equipment is top notch. There was once a tradition of art house films which were dangerous, hard, and challenging. If you appreciated those kinds of films, you will probably appreciate Martyrs at least for it’s aspirations and it’s pure technical prowess in storytelling and narrative, if not as a whole.
I understand perfectly why there’s a wide section of the horror community which is not at all thrilled by Martyrs. The simple answer is that it’s not a simple film. It is violent and gory, which your average gore hound usually eats up. But, it’s a little too complicated to be a splatter flick. It’s a little too cerebral to be your usual kind of hack and splash horror film. It’s at least aspiring to be something a little more intelligent. Don’t get me wrong, I can absolutely enjoy a big dumb gore fest as much as any pure gore hound. Sometimes, it’s great to be able to just turn my brain off and enjoy some big, loud, bloody excuse for incredibly silly and completely unbelievable puppet shows. In many ways, that’s how you have to look at some horror flicks. There really is nothing else going on. It’s all right there on the screen, there’s nothing more to think about or consider. They are very purposefully saying nothing. They’re no underlying theme or idea. They are just there to gross you out, make you jump a few times and take you on a roller coaster ride from the safety of your non-moving seat. If you’re looking further than that, you just are incapable of getting it. This is not the movie for the pure of heart gore hound.
Also there’s a whole spate of reaction to the film which cover the current “jingo” for simpletons. Misogyny is one. Torture porn is another. Lesbian chic, yet another. Pretentious and religiose round out the use of contemporary go to descriptions for people too lazy to actually come up with something more meaningful and more nuanced. Sorry guys, but you’re as intellectually lazy as the mainstream movie folks you all seem to really like to skewer. At least the majority of those people will admit to not even wanting to have to think about their movies. I understand this reaction though, and it’s something that happens when many films are capable of skirting that line of presenting the superficial, popcorn, pure entertainment variety of film with some really strong ideas, themes and questions. To some degree this has to do with the fact that Martyrs is a horror film. The critical community pretty much sees the horror film as the unwanted orphan dropped off on the film communities door step. It’s there, and yes, sometimes something good comes out of it, but the thing is, we really don’t like to admit we raised it and it’s part of the family. To another degree, I think as an audience we’ve dropped our expectations so low that when something does come along that does have something more going on, we don’t necessarily catch it if it’s not slapping us in the head with a frying pan. If they’re preaching to us, we can’t stand it, but we’ve been inundated by big dumb movies for so long, we forget to look for something smart going on under the immediately accessible surface. I don’t think the critics are immune to this, especially considering that as a community they seem to really enjoy finding something to look down their nose at. I can’t really hold it against them either. In movieland, there’s a whole hell of a lot to look down your nose at. At the same time they can laud heaps of praise on films which are too dumb to understand the meaning of nuance and subtlety (you remember Crash, don’t you?).
Beyond the fact that Martyrs is a horror film film though, it deals with some really uncomfortable ideas, themes and questions. Suffering is actually a central theme and there are some really interesting questions the films suggests about it. The misogyny call is particularly dubious in the instance of this film because it suggests woman are more capable of surviving and transcending suffering than anyone else, “especially young women” is actually a line from the movie. I can’t go into it more without spoiling it. It also suggests something about extremism in it’s own way. The fact that this film has gotten stamped with the “torture porn” label by some critics is something I almost think is good. If it were to be watched in comparison to some of the other films which have been slapped with this unfortunate label, most especially Hostel (the film which inspired the term), I think a pretty interesting set of ideas would start to emerge about what these films are actually saying. Both of them, in their own way deal with a kind of extreme dedication to an idea or ideology. The kind of dedication which suggests that for these people, they either don’t care about right and wrong or possibly even more frightening, believe that the dedication to this ideology or idea puts them above considerations of right and wrong. I think that much like the films of the late sixties and early seventies, some of today’s films have some weird, inexplicable process of cultural osmosis going on and the questions and the horrors we’re dealing with in the real world are coming out in some of our horror films.
The thing is, Martys is not for everyone. Not at all. Had it not gained some level of notoriety in the way of controversy and becoming somewhat notorious, it would have been passed around the horror community and argued over by those of us who are passionate about horror films. The rest of the world would have been more or less unaware of it’s existence, kind of like Cannibal Holocaust. I am specifically at odds with the fact that there is a remake of Cannibal Holocaust in the works because the rest of the world doesn’t need to know about it. It’s in no one’s best interest, except possibly the studio hoping to incite controversy with it. Martyrs is a film which would have and probably still will find a very loyal cult following. People who are capable of loving and admiring both it’s ferocity, it’s grace and it’s thematic aspirations would have told friends about it, who’d have told friends about it and so on. Occasionally, some poor schlep whom it was never intended for would have been forced to sit through it by some well meaning friend who thought they would enjoy it, and there would be people out there who’d seen it and just reviled it, and that would help it’s strange cult status. It’s the kind of film meant for people who can appreciate the full range of what film can be and who love film for that reason. The pure gore hounds can’t handle it because it’s probably just a little too high brow, even for it’s guts and gore. The people who like to fancy themselves “aficionados” or guardians of films cultural importance aren’t going to like it because it’s rough, dirty, disturbing, gory and most especially, deeply subversive. This is one of those rare little films for people who can appreciate all of those things equally without being chained to any single one of them as more important than the other to either the medium itself or the culture. It’s kind of movie for people who love movies in equal part because of their splendor and their sickness.
WOW! Heard about, watched it, and now it’s one of my favorites. This film just keeps accelerating from the first frame, and it doesn’t let up! I was mesmerized! It took horror to a level not seen since Psycho. Whoever thinks this is torture porn hasn’t seen torture porn, there was no porn in this film, period.
I love this movie. SHOCKING but also the most thought provoking film I have ever seen.
everything about this movie i love. the opening is easily one of the best ever. well acted, great plot. i actually kept guessing as to what was really happening, if it was real, or a dream maybe. but the director pulled no punches, just got in your face and stayed there. my only gripe is, while everybody seems to think that the torture scenes were hard to stomach, i found that they slowed the movie down alittle. i didn’t think that they were graphic at all. easily one of the best movies i’ve scene in a long, long time.
most films don’t bother me but this one bothered my very much and even now the memory of it has a lingering disturbing effect, to me it was brutal, inhumane and very wicked, the abuse was to real and the thought of finding beauty out of someones torture and agony is freaking bizzare but that being said this movie will certainly freakout those with weak minds and already emotional problems like me!!
Fuck this movie.It was nauseating and awful.I threw away my burned copy of it after watching it because I’ll never see it again.
Dark gritty film that leaves you feeling dirty masterpiece.
The premise of this movie was pretty original. Although I think the end fell a little short, but that may have come down to a bad translation.
Overall a decent flick but I think I like my horror with more blood, more dialogue, and a little more light-hearted.
If this movie was a woman I would make sweet, sweet love to her.
This movie is a modern horror masterpiece, a haunting film that stuck with me a months until I made myself watch it again. I wish american Horror film makers would try and make something so dark but artistic as this fantastic film.
There is no spoilers in my post.
Its hard for me to even call this a horror movie. I didn’t know much about it going in, and I’m glad so if you have the privilege, please, jump right in. Do not be scared. Yes, there is some violence but the way it is handled is very well done.
I think this movie is more art than movie. It is surreal, beautiful, and unlike anything I have ever watched. As an artist myself, I think that the horror genre has actually always been a genre that truly reflects on human philosophy, but most of the time it’s unintentional.
In horror movies we are less inhibited, and you see the same with comedies. It is where you are allowed to cross the line.
This movie definitely crosses the line but it is magnificent and gorgeous.
People will say that you are depraved if you find this movie beautiful, because of the extreme violence. But violence is part of human nature, and I find we are having more of a shift into accepting that, and using it as a device. This movie definitely does that. Violence is not just from the hand, it’s from the mind. Our own minds are the most violent places we will ever go because there is nothing that cannot be imagined.
This is not a horror movie for horror lovers, its a horror movie for those of us that love to have our minds twisted and come out on the other side a different person.
The movie is revolutionary, and I see more of this sort of thinking coming in the future. Lars Von Trier is another, as such in his new film Meloncholia, and for sure in the Anticrist.
I think we are literally feeling at least a partial art era shift in all forms. It is definitely going in the direction of postmodern, like Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho. The most depraved book I ever read, the most disgusting violence ever typed into words. But that film shares a lot of qualities with this one.
Amazing movie.
Fantastique. Brilliantly disturbing ride into the horror which is the human condition from several angles.
Extreme violence and horror composed in a such a beautifully artistic fashion that it supersedes the moniker “torture porn”.
I will highly recommend any film fan of any genre.
“Martyrs” is a nasty, brutal, violent horror film that deals with torture, sadism, insanity, and the embrace of revenge. It is a film so violent that it almost got itself an “18+” rating in France, which is essentially an “X” or an “NC-17″ rating in America. It deserves whatever criticism (or praise) that it has coming to it. It’s a divisive movie, that I shall openly admit. But its horrors are transformed from being merely disgusting and sadistic to something more; something admirable, and something almost worth an emotional investment.
There are even more graphic films on the market today, some of which I’ve seen. The thing with these films is that they draw the line between exploitation and art. “Martyrs” is a film that, in spite of the fact that it may make you want to barf, stands as an off-kilter artistic achievement for its genre. It will not please those who want what we call a “torture porn” film. This is not pornography. It has substance, intelligence, and a certain message. I won’t say it’s a perfect movie, but it’s crafty in the way that it blends emotions and horror into one tight little package.
The film begins as a tale of revenge involving two girls who evade their captors; one of them who had to escape people who physically and psychologically abuse children for fun. They grow up and decide to take revenge on the people who did these things to them. The film gives its characters time to develop, so that we don’t want to scream and look away once they start the killing.
When they do start the killing, all the violence involved is sick and brutal. It’s not fun to watch, and then again, it’s not really supposed to be. If you can endure the scene in which one character almost forcefully shoots the brains out of an entire family, then you’re basically good. The scene, which is a prolonged killing spree, has emotions embedded in the violence; making for a forgivable, if not violent beginning.
A character is stricken by guilt. The character kills herself, leaving the other woman all alone in the world. She is eventually captured (re-captured?) by her friend’s previous tormentors; who apparently have a motive to their mad techniques.
The film is not merely about violence; it soaks in the very blood that is shed. People have compared the film to “Hostel” in terms of being absolutely sick and depraved. They may be right, or of course, they could be very wrong. “Hostel” is an exploitation picture that makes false accusations and points about Europeans, and there was no purpose or feeling to the bloodshed. In “Martyrs”, there is good acting and writing going on; good enough of both to make us sympathize for the film. I am a forgiving and open-minded movie watcher; one that loves horror, but does not enjoy films such as “Wolf Creek” and, as I mentioned, “Hostel”. I can’t say I en joyed “Martyrs”, but I did like it. It’s a well-made film that does not bask in style; but instead sheer horror and even emotional resonance. For some, it just won’t be fun or even interesting. To me, it’s worth the ride that it makes us endure, that is if one can call it an endurable film.
In spite of having such good cinematography and performances, “Martyrs” still requires a certain audience. You need to know that the film is not all about violence; and that is carries the tradition of films such as “Frontier(s)” when it comes to intelligent-but-violent horror. French horror can be good; and this film will not disappoint for those who are willing to go to a horror film to give a shit about characters. With all due respect, “Martyrs” is good at what it does; and I felt SOMETHING upon watching it. By no means is it a masterpiece, but it’s definitely something different for its genre. Few films can treat brutality with such brutal, emotional honesty, yet here we are. This is a rare movie; made for people who can enjoy such a film. And yes, it is art.
“It took an entire 24 hours for the movie to sink in and really left a dent in this reviewer’s psyche”
I think it has been nearly 1 year since I saw this one and I still can’t get it out of my system. I would like to see it again it but the theme of collective torture is just too difficult for me. I can deal with ásicko’s psyche making whatever you imagine out of a fellow human being (e.g. Hostel) or even someone who makes money out of it (e.g. Hostel again, since it is apparently compared to it, don
This film was amazing. The concepts underlying the torture of young women is poignant. The selfishness of those commiting these crimes is astounding, and it is their own fear of death that drives them to commit these vile crimes. The ending of this film was unbelievable: whoever gains the knowledge of what lies beyond death never lives to speak about it. Fantastic acting and a psychologically warping film. An absolute must-see for horror fans everywhere. A truly tasteful horror flick.
I was always a fan of horror films, ever since I seen a Nightmare on elm street, over the years, I always thought horror movies were fun to watch, only a few movies actually caught me in an awkward position, like The Descent, Eden lake, Inside & [Rec], but Martyrs just changed the way I see horror movies now. If anything Martyrs made me immune to every other horror film, words cant express how much this filmed moved me, now I know how people felt when they first saw The Exorcist
One of the best films I have seen.
After a long search for apparently disturbing horror films, this is the only film that has came close to disturbing.
What;s more, the storyline itself isn’t far from the truth that would happen years back, in reality, which surely adds absolute depth to all the events in the film. You need reality to make something disturbing, and this is the closest I have seen.
Although I am still looking for a genuinely disturbing film that leaves me unnerved, this film deserves nothing but 10/10.
Start out as a mind fuck, turns into a horrific tragedy.
At times its actually hard to watch… some truly horrific things take place in this movie.
NOT for the weak of heart.
Hobo Approved(TM)
I watched this film some time ago twice, once in it’s originality and the second time dubbed. Some parts were actually terrifying for me and this is coming from someone who’s seen alot of messed up movies and some parts were very disgusting and disturbing to watch. I like movies that put you in the characters shoes or make it so you feel what the character feels, and you genuinely feel sorry for the characters, for me Lucie in particular (I think that’s her name, it’s been a while) But this movie left me speechless, i disliked the ending until i analysed it in my head, and i now think the good thing about it, is that it can be interpreted in your own way. I can’t particularly remember what was said near the ending, but i remember there was a small speech about not being scared or something among the lines of that which stood out for me at the time when i watched it. The thing i don’t like is the fact people misinterpret the movie to be some amazing slasher after hearing that it’s highly gruesome then are only left to feel dissapointed. If you can see beyond the blood and gore you’ll see what a masterpiece this movie is.
Pascal Laugier’s ” MARTYRS ”was well on it’s way to becoming a permanent fixture in my Fave Five Horror Films , when all of a sudden , we swung into the final act .Make no mistake about it Kids , THIS FLICK IS UBER-GORY , and those with delicate constitutions should avoid this flick like the plague .The tale , about a young girl who escapes her torturous captors and slowly develops a trusting bond with another abuse victim in her orphanage upbringing , is truly heartbreaking , and more than once during the proceedings the ‘ dod-ster ‘ found himself with moist peepers .Once the young woman formulates and then carries out her vengeance on those who harmed her , the gloves are off , and the grue is flying .It was during this act , when the girls are trying to clean and vacate , that I found myself in awe of what Laugier had accomplished , and knew this would become a personal fave .But then we get into the horrific final act , and while I am extremely impressed with what Laugier tried in the final stage of the film , it came off as just too much , my tolerance level pushed dangerously close to overload , and ” MARTYRS ” became another film I’m proud to own , have seen , and never want to watch again .
one of the best films ive seen in a hell of a long time, amazing script and brilliant performances. the concept of religion, abuse and the supernatural work wonderfully together.this film is a certain classic.
I think Martyrs has polarized me from most other horror fans more than any other film. It is an accomplished effort that is among the most difficult to watch films ever (and I mean this as a compliment), but it also features a complete tonal shift halfway through that is completely jarring and the moral is equally heavy-handed and far too simplistic. I enjoyed it, but have no interest in ever seeing again due to its issues.
ok guys, need some help here! After years of going back and forth about this film, I finally watched it. Wasnt sure about the fact that such ultra violence was involved…..would it traumatize me? So fast forward 3 years later,thought what the hell….thought it had a good premise, 1st part of movie was awesome, but feel it fell short after the twist…I know I cant be so jaded…where is the uber violence? Where is the sickening plot? I think I would actually recomend this to my 64 year old mother to enjoy. Probably would only watch this again to get a second point of view…..maybe I missed something? Once again, the hype fell short of the reward!
oh my God!! i just watched martyrs for the first time right now and i have to say my hands are shaking while i write this!!! what do i say,where do i start?! this was an amazing film, it was gritty tense sureal,wow!! i went into this film not knowing much about and i have to say i wsnt prepared for what i witnessed!! the first half of the film i sat through no prob but once lucie is kidnapped, what i witnessed will stay with me for a long time!! i would lov to reccomend thisfilm to my friends but i know they would not appreciate the film they wre watching!! id say martyrs is in my top 5 films of all time,notjust horrors butin saying that i dont think id be able to watch it again.
Started out decent. Feel apart in the second half.
no thanks.
Masterpiece. A movie where written dead ends are surpassed with creative instinct story telling.
I just made an account so I could put up my two cents’ worth. I originally watched this film when it first came out. I remember finding it very confronting; the violence is extreme. Conceptually, it is interesting but I don’t see it as horror per se – it is, however, horrific.
I watched it again just now some two/three years later and it was a completely different experience. Still horrifying, but also deeply moving and a testament to originality and superb acting. I was aware of what I was in for with regard to the violence, so with that shock diminished the story and the acting came to life.
I rate this as one of the best movies I have ever seen. Here’s to finding freedom by letting go of fear.
Phenomenal from beginning to end with excellent story structure and progression. Despite the overly intense and extreme violence, the real “horror” comes from that innate feeling of depravity, loneliness, and despair that draw up into an awful burning in the back of your mind and pours into the trenches of your bowels. Many will pass this off as an extreme horror flick and miss the underlying and overt social, moral, and religious themes at play. And still others will become consumed by what appears to be straightforward standard hyper-violence only to become confused and angry by the hook during the middle. However, true fans of cerebral, visceral, and morally damaging movies will see this amazing film for all its nuanced and blatant brilliance!
Beautiful movie, a true horrific masterpiece. It may be difficult for some people to watch, but personally that’s a quality I like my horror movies to have. When a movie can get me biting my lips and squeezing my eyes shut it just goes to show what a fantastic job was done. Plus, the gore in this was done in moderation to add to the film, and not just for shock value. It’s rare to find that in a gorey movie anymore. Ten out of ten, I’d reccomend it to any horror fan.
This movie was awe inspiring. I remember when I first saw this film I was already captured by the normal family time massacre with blood painting the white walls. And from there it just got better.
With a good capture of raw violence and emotions of what Lucy has been through and also what Anna had to endure while looking after her, this really struck the left side of my chest. Very strong depiction of trauma, sorrow and anguish.
Then as about the half way mark reaches the plot develops and unravels even more. We figure out why this has been happening to these girls and we actually get to witness the process.
The writing was amazing and i felt that most themes and elements were spot on. This also touches a sensitive topic to some, about God, death, and the afterlife, leaving you wondering throughout the entire film.
This movie is Art and i hope this tradition sticks within the French Horror Underground.
Very Disturbing and hard to watch at times.
I am not sure if I loved it or hated it. I do know for sure that I was skull raped. Never before have I seen a movie which left such an impression on me. I thought the acting was flawless and at no time was I left feeling robbed. If the films motive was to shock and awe, I would say it hit its mark. I confess, I couldnt sleep that night. This was truely a master-piece! A final comment. I never want to see it again!!!
This is a heavy film experience that is so thought provoking,bloody scary & incredibly imaginative. Do not be mislead by the strange DVD packaging.It does not represent the flavour of one of the most important extreme cinema films you may decide to watch.The DVD cover is far more gentle and diluted than the actual film.Perhaps it was a clever marketing decision.
I really want to work with Pascal Laugier (Director. Seriously, the man is a genius. Iâe(TM)m sure he was going to direct the new âe~Hellraiserâe(TM) project, but thatâe(TM)s not going to happen now. It will be a pity if the rumour is true that âe~Martyrsâe(TM) is going to be remade because itâe(TM)s subtitled. Bloody stupid. On the other hand, if âe~Hamlet âe~ the play and other same old same old shows are redone time after time in the theatre then why canâe(TM)t films also have a different interpretation of the same story? I want to do a remake of âe~Goodfellasâe(TM), but set it in London, that would be awesome. I also want to remake âe~Westworldâe(TM) with myself playing the part that Yul Brinner originally did. Anyway, that moment gives you all a little more salt nâe(TM)pepper about me, now letâe(TM)s return:
âe~Martyrsâe(TM) ingredients: Have a dash of revenge, 28 large tablespoons of torture, a huge shot of humiliation, a quarter of realistic violence, half a pint of disturbing and disturbed characters, 53 tons of genuine terror, 40 grams of mental illness and 13 cups of the stuff nightmares are made of….then you are still not near to âe~Martyrsâe(TM) achievement to deliver a very dark cloud of brutal episodes under one canopy.
Before I showed the film to my friends in film club, I gave them a firm warning and apologised in advance for what they were about to witness. I had to stop half way because Wayne needed a cigarette…in the end feedback was positive, everyone liked it…Phew! Itâe(TM)s not one to see if you plan on having a romantic evening…if you have just started dating someone, you wonâe(TM)t get a second date. I believe the film was shot in Canada because it’s a french – canadian production.
The film follows the journey of two woman played by Morjana Alaoui and Mylene Jampanoi. One looks out for the other. Their journey involves more twists and turns than the roads and roundabouts in Milton Keynes. The Revenge aspect of the film is shocking and raw. The gore and terror is not the main core of this film. Yes, there are cutting edge films available to see…well this rare piece of creative art is not cutting edge itâe(TM)s bleeding edge. The films spiral was a real surprise. I had no way of knowing which direction this story was going. I felt my heart beating fast due to my adrenalin kicking in to prepare me and help me to recover from scene to scene. The twists and turns are imaginative and relentless.
Mainstream films like âe~Saw 3,4,5,6,7âe(TM) (whatever) and ‘Final Destination’ series take up the podium of popular horror for the majority. Oscar nominations and other festivals of recognition overlook films like âe~Martyrsâe(TM), which I guess is a good thing in some respect because you feel special knowing about an underground horror film not everyone knows about. Yet the flipside is that there is little reward, apart from cult status.
The talent of the two actresses in this film make several Hollywood leading actresses look very predictable and dull. The camerawork is sharp and on Blu-ray itâe(TM)s cinema -picture perfect – magic. The film combines many different horror categories very well. Remember when watching âe~Wolf Creekâe(TM) when suddenly, like a flick of a switch, the plot follows another direction…âe(TM)Martrysâe(TM) executes this on more than one occasion in such a refreshing way.
The torture scenes will test you. But donâe(TM)t switch off or fast forward because the scenes are relevant to the flow of the story. I thought at the time, in terms of a stunning and disturbing film, nothing can top this. But I was wrong when âe~A Serbian Filmâe(TM) came along. The difference between them is I could not watch âe~A Serbian Filmâe(TM) with anyone apart from my good old mate Dave. With âe~Martyrsâe(TM) I could watch again with people, no problem.
I donâe(TM)t want to compare the two films because they are both very different, yet both are made without any compromise whatsoever to deliver stories that make you feel again. Expect that feeling to be anger or depression,the point to these films is that you actually feel something. When I think about the point of âe~Martyrsâe(TM) I admire it. Itâe(TM)s an intelligent adventure that has zero boundaries.
I hope you get it and like the ending as much as I did. In a way Iâe(TM)m jealous if you’ve not seen it because I think it’ll be a long time when I will be that disturbed again by an amazing piece of cinema that matters.Do one thing for me, if you plan to see this:set the tone, make sure itâe(TM)s dark inside and outside, turn your mobile phone off & donâe(TM)t let anyone interrupt you when you are watching.Martyrs is the real extreme deal,so be prepared to feel damaged afterwards.
bleedingcritic
bleedingfilms.com
Commenting hate reading foreign films but I got it because everyone said it was good and inside wasn’t a bad flick either along with my favorite high tension. So I bought this movie and watched it all the way threw. Faced paced and gruesome, just the way I like my movies. This met my expectations and loved it. I want to see America make an English version but I know it’s going to suck but interested. I recommend this movie
One of my faves.
This movie fucking blows my mind every time i watch it! Brilliant!