Martyrs

Martyrs

The only reason I rented this French movie was it said it was from the director of “Brotherhood of the Wolf”, one of my favorite films of all time.  However, director Christophe Gans did not direct this movie, Pascal Laugier did, and he directed the TV version. I was like “dammit!” I just got bamboozled.  I was glad though that I did rent this top-notch French thriller.  I had no idea what I was in for as I sat glued to the edge of my seat wondering ” WTF is going to happen next?”

This is the story of a girl Lucie (Meylene Jampanoi) who escapes some warehouse where she had been held captive and tortured.  She goes to some psyche hospital and meets Anna (Morjana Alaoui).  They become best friends for life.  Good thing too because Lucie has some definite issues and has vowed revenge on the people who have done this to her.  The discovery they both make is too gruesome and mind-blowing to comprehend.

I went into this movie not knowing what to expect, and I was blown away.  This is a great thriller, it will have you jumping, and gripping your pillow throughout the film.  Yes it does have lots of shocking and gory scenes, so fair warning.  But the way the movie moves along with Lucie’s character, you are like WTF!  She is batshit nuts, but Anna loyally stays with her.  It keeps you guessing what really happened to screw up Lucie that much. But like you do, Anna does too come to realization that, yep Lucie is crazier than I thought. My only knock on this was, why doesn’t Anna just freakin leave, she had numerous opportunities.  Oh well, I guess she cared too much.

Then with Laugier’s direction the movie takes a drastic and unexpected turn, leads you down a path of utter darkness and suffering that you can’t peel your eyes from.  I won’t say anymore you will have to see for yourself.  It is a French movie so you can watch it dubbed or with English subtitles. Either way this is one creepy thriller that will shock you and have you on edge.

I give this movie 4 Beers!

Grotesque (Unrated 2009)

Did not put trailer with this one.

Ok I forced my self to finish this movie and now I need to take a shower.

This Japanese horror flick is about a couple on their first date.  When the young girl asks her date ” Would you die for me?”  He replies after some thought, ” I would do my best”.  Little did they know they were foreshadowing their own futures.  They are knocked out and kidnapped by a sick psycho.  When they wake up they find themselves tied up in what appears to be a home-made operating room.  They are promised if they can excite the psycho he will let them go free.  Then he begins!  They both are sexually assaulted. Then they are tortured throughout the film.  After the male victim is castrated, the psycho has found his “excitement” he treats their wounds and takes really good care of them.  He promises to take them to the police and turn him self in. So for days he feeds them and treats their wounds. Gives them medication, then uh oh they wake up tied to the tables again!!  Psycho.

Now this movie has English subtitles but believe me there aint much talking going on in this film.  When the Japanese decide to do a horror movie, they do a horror movie.  This was the most sick and twisted movie I have seen to date!  I mean it was gruesome.  Gory is an understatement, the sheer terror that you feel for the people as he is dicing them up makes you want to turn off your DVD player.  It’s not that you like the characters, you just feel for them as humans. The psycho himself is a handsome man, seems refined, and has a taste for classical music while he is cutting off body parts.  He is calm, never once raises his voice when talking to his victims, it’s just business to him.  Makes him seem even more terrifying that he is so matter of fact about what he is doing to them.

The movie has about a 7 minute scene of character development, that’s it.  The whole movie is torture.  Even when the psycho is being nice to them (and they’re falling for it) he is killing them with kindness, even after cutting off the guys junk and other body parts of the female. The plot, what plot? Torture, that’s the plot.  When the movie reaches its climatic ending scene it is one you will never forget.  It reminded me of a scene from Evil Dead 2 but much more gruesome.

Listen you have to be a big time horror movie buff to sit through this one (and a little twisted).  If you thought Saw or Hostile was horrifying then don’t watch this one.  If your into blood, guts and intense realistic torture effects then knock yourself out with this. The Japanese are some perverted people when it comes to horror movies! Watch at your own risk.

I give this movie 3 Beers.

Devil’s Double

Devil’s Double trailer

This great movie is based on the true story of Latif Yahia, about his life as a body double for Uday Hussein.  Both character’s in the movie are played by Dominic Cooper.  The story takes place during the late 80′s and early 90′s.  The movie tells Latif’s story of first hand accounts of the insanity, sociopathic, and brutal ways of Sadam Hussein’s youngest son Uday.  How Latif was a witness to the many rapes, tortures, and murders of numerous people including young school girls. Latif falls in love with the beautiful and sexy Sarrab, played by Ludivine Sagnier.  She is Uday’s number one squeeze and it is forbidden that Latif even talk to any woman who Uday has laid claim to. Well they end up bumping uglies anyway but are careful not to get caught.  Eventually Latif has had enough of watching Uday just brutalize and intimidate everyone including him, so he escapes with Sarrab.  But no one can escape the long arm of the Hussein’s as long as you stay in the Middle East.  So an assassination coup is hatched to take out the evil son of a motherless goat herder.  Well we all know what eventually happens to Uday (USA! USA!), but I did not know that what happened in this movie actually took place first.  Watch and find out.

This was a very well done movie.  Dominic Cooper should be nominated for an Oscar in his portrayal of both characters.  It tells an excellent story that none of us probably knew, and the depth of insanity that Uady Hussein possessed.

Rent this movie, it’s a suspense laden drama that is very fast paced and not boring at all!  Highly entertaining and great acting.  If you didn’t already hate the Hussein’s, then you really will after watching this movie.

I give this movie 4 Beers.