Reviewed by Michael Edwards
Stars Morjana Alaoui, Mylène Jampanoï, Catherine Bégin, Robert Toupin, Patricia Tulasne,
Juliette Gosselin, Xavier Dolan-Tadros, Isabelle Chasse, Emilie Miskdjian | Written by Pascal Laugier
UK certification 18 | UK RRP £15.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 95 minutes | Directed by Pascal Laugier
Martyrs is a dark and brooding horror with frightening levels of violence, a disturbing vision into a dark world of pain and torment from writer/director Laugier which plumbs depths many horrors have failed to reach. Opening with a child fleeing a warehouse in which she has been tortured, the film follows her as she befriends young Anna in a care home and, eventually sets out for revenge against those who scarred her so severely.
But there is more to this film than a simple, if gory, tale of revenge. Somewhere in the middle of the story, and towards the end of the journey poor tormented Lucie (the tortured girl from the start) Martyrs transmogrifies into an utterly different type of film from many of its horror cousins. Explaining the difference is difficult without giving too much away, but suffice to say that as the motivations behind Lucie's suffering become clear the violence that may have seemed merely shocking or excessive in the early stages of the film takes on a whole new dimension. And it is very very uncomfortable.
The originality of the plot is not the only thing going for Martyrs either. The fact that it works towards a grand plan beyond mere fright factor alone is a big bonus, but the strange relationship between the young girls adds a much-needed human factor that makes for compelling viewing. There are nuances and undertones that are far richer than you may realise at first glance.
The importance of this relationship is enhanced by the fact that lead actresses Alaoui and Jampanoï put their all into this, delivering powerful scenes that pay dividends on the emotion clearly invested in their roles. The visceral suffering of Lucy is conveyed so forcefully that it is difficult not to be shocked as she deals with the aftermath of her imprisonment. There are no gratuitous scare scenes, no lame chases or unnecessary dialogue expositions, just powerful instinctive progress towards the conclusion of her story. The complexity of Anna's love for Lucy receives similarly instinctive treatment, shunning monologues and declarations in favour of genuine responses to the situation as it develops. These are performances so strong that they must be seen to be believed.
There is so much in this film that you really have to see it. Horror fans yearning for something new will be greatly rewarded for giving Martyrs a chance. However it is worth noting that the distressing nature of the issues dealt with here may make it a little divisive. And the stomach-churning ending might deter some folks from giving this film the second viewing that its multi-layered story deserves.
EXTRAS ** A making-of featurette, and interviews with writer/director Pascal Laugier and special makeup effects artist Benoît Lestang.