Martyrs (2008)

Plot: Martyrs Tells the story of Anna, once a missing little girl, found wandering a year later on a country road virtually catatonic after suffering some sort of physical abuse. She grows into a comely young woman, but she's got serious issues. She also has a close friend, Lucie, who she ultimately calls after she finds herself in an unusual house in the middle of the forest. There's something very disturbing about the Bauhaus-esque home, something Anna can't quite put her finger on *this is not my synopsis this was taken from rotten tomatoes.com*

Comments: Every once and a while a movie jumps out at you as something special something that has left a lasting impression on you like you never expected. Whether it be for good or bad you can't stop thinking about that one film you watched that made you go "whoa, now that how it should be done." As a aspiring director these films make me hold them on a tier above others of that genre. For example Lord of the rings is far and away above all other fantasy films out there same as The Dark Knight it rains supreme as a stunning film in my mind above almost all. Anyways ramblings aside Martyrs is one of those films. I am sitting here a month and a half later thinking about this movie. Martyrs garnered a rep in cinema chords as brutal and violent. Yes it is that but not for violence sake. So on to the review

Overall 9/10: Words can't describe how well this movie was made. Stunning photography meshed with acting that even though it is spoken in a foriegn language it sucks you into this work of tragedy. Unlike modern american horror Martyrs is soaked in a realism that makes the fear feel more real.

Gore Factor 10/10: For squeamish folks stop thinking about watching it now. Yeah its very violent. Its what some consider a Tortureporn I HATE that term. But more on that in a later blog. The last 30 minutes of martyrs is torture yes, but it is not done to the likes of hostel or saw. No powerdrills no beartrap like contraptions here. *SPOILER STOP READING IF YOU PLAN OF WATCHING* The last 30 minutes of martyrs is the lead female trapped in a room being beaten every few days and being feed a nasty concoction. The final act of torture is the female lead is she is skinned of screen and left alive so the tortures can see what you see before the reaper comes to collect

Language 0/10: As odd as this seems i can't recall a single obsenity said through out the entire course of the film

Nude factor: 7/10 There is some nudity in Martyrs but NONE is in a sexual manner. The nudity is as follows a spector like women (who is later revealed to be the guilt of the second lead female embodying itself into a women she saw when she was fleeing from the captures when she was 13 and could have saved) is shown nude due to cuts and marks you can barely make out any of here neither regions. The other scene of nudity is at the end during the aformentioned *SPOILER* Skinning part the lead is shown getting her shirt cut off and briefly shown topless. Keep in mind that the nudity is by no means meant to arouse of titulate but more so to show fear, guilt, and helplessness END SPOILER Its also worth noting all the nudity in the film is never shown for long lengths at a time

Themes 8/10 : The movie is very dark, therefore the themes are dark as well. The main theme for the first half of the movie is a young girl driven mad by visions of a spector and getting revenge of her captures to try to heal herself, the second half goes way deeper than that. It revolves around a group of people fascinated by what lies on the other side of the veil so to find out the pick strong female test subjects and torture them to the point of martyrdome where the basically reach a plane where the pain they have inflicted for those they love, or those they fought for keeps there spirit alive and they seen beyond out existence. SPOILER The end the lead is to the point of martyrdome and simply whispers into the capturers ear and the capture procedes to commit suicide and the camera fades to black never telling us what was whispered whether it was what lays on the otherside was a great thing or a awful thing or nothing at all

Final thoughts: So if your reading this still your probably think " Wow such a high score but so violent and such disturbing content. So yes until about a week ago i just kinda thought the movie was alright then i relized that, that lasting impression that i spoke of earlier was there i judged every horror film i have seen since in the vain of how it stacks up to martyrs or if it was shot or acted as well as martyrs. Martyrs is a film that is unforgettable whether it be for the sake of you watch it and it makes you never watch another horror film again or you have a sudden appreciation of horror films because of it i garantee you won't forget it. Martyrs is a work of horror cinema art in my oppion