In all my years of being a self-professed movie geek, I have come across very few movies that have shook me to my core. There have been documentaries that have saddened me to no end, but very rarely did a movie, based on fiction, truly change me. That was, until I viewed Martyrs. I resisted writing a review, because to not include spoilers, would insinuate that I feel this is a great movie and everyone should see it, which is not the case. This blog, which unlike my other movie blogs, will include a partial synopsis and spoilers. It is intended to add a layer to two reviews written by some Twitter friends, that while I appreciated greatly, I felt left out one huge item. Here are their reviews and please check out their website. It is amazing.
http://www.thehorrorhoneys.com/2013/08/martyrs-keep-doubting.html
Let me preface this commentary with the fact that I watched Martyrs a little less than two years ago and before "meeting" the Horror Honeys, I haven't had a desire to revisit it other than in the darkest recesses of my mind. Martyrs is the one movie I was blown away with, but have never suggested to anyone to watch. Thankfully, the person who suggested it to me, knows who I am, maybe as well as anyone, despite our distance and infrequent conversations. I had approached someone, a "Honey" about a dual blog about the director Pascal Laugier's treatment of his female characters, which are the stars of all three of his films. We haven't got around to that, but something I'm still interested in exploring, as I feel women see horror films much differently than men.
If you've read their reviews you know that the movie starts with a young girl escaping confinement and torture and then going on to a seemingly normal life. This lasts but a scene or two and you quickly realize that Lucie, played by
Mylene Japanoi, is still haunted not only by the memories of her kidnapping, but of leaving another behind. Fast forward about 15 years and she's blowing away a family with a shotgun, blaming them, and their children for her incarceration, but more importantly her mental state. After she kills everyone, she calls her only friend and confidante, Ana, played by Morjana Alaoui, to help her dispose of the bodies and clean up. What happens next, some might say is open to interpretation, but I feel, the demons inside her manifest themselves into a "creature" who attacks her and punishes her for leaving behind the other girl. She ends up killing herself and dies in Ana's arms, finally free of her tormented life.
At this point we're at a loss, because one of the main characters is gone and the movie seems to have explained itself fully. Then Ana finds a trap door leading to an underground system of chambers. As she explores she finds a woman in a bathtub, whose eyes are covered by a metal shield which is screwed into her head. As she tries to free the woman, the woman is shot and killed. This is where the movie gets completely insane. I will fast forward a bit, because I don't feel like reliving the 30-40 minutes of brutality that Ana is subjected. I will just say this. I've been in fights, I've been on the giving and the receiving end of a beating and I had am numb to violence, like so much of us are, because of the world we live in. That being said, I had to pause the movie during one of the beatings and walk outside of my apartment and get fresh air. These beatings and the torture she is subjected to is actually explained. They are trying to make her a martyr, so that she may reach a transcendent state and explain to this group what lies ahead in the afterlife. It is explained that they have done this testing before, but like Lucie, they have only created victims. Ana is seen as coming the furthest. In one scene, a figure of Lucie comes to Ana, telling her to give in and let it go. Basically, accepting her fate and death will come sooner. Ana does not.
In the final 15-20 minutes, a woman named Mademoiselle is summoned that the Ana is ready. Ana has been flayed alive and has survived. She is suspended first by some handcuffs on a bar and then in some sort of bath. The only skin that remains is that on her face. Mademoiselle leans in to hear what Ana has to say and then in the next scene she is in front of a crowd of people, her cult, seeking the answer. A dissenter asks if what Ana said anything that gave answers and Mademoiselle after asking if he could imagine what comes after, says "Keep Doubting, place a gun in her mouth and kills herself. The screen goes black and here is where I differ from my other reviewers. The word martyrs comes up with the definition, witness.
Now, in current language, we view martyrs as someone willing to withstand pain and suffering for a cause. So my fellow viewers, if I'm to understand correctly, believe that Ana was a martyr, because she withstood the torture Mademoiselle and the others inflicted upon her, but refused to give her the information that she wanted, thus becoming a martyr out of spite. I disagree and in the way I see it, it changes the entire meaning of the movie. I feel that the entire movie is about these demonic people trying to get answers, by making others martyrs and through their pain and suffering they receive some knowledge. I believe the end moment, when the word witness comes up, throws a monkey wrench into their assessment of the movie. I feel that Mademoiselle honestly believed that she would hear about some moment, but like the first reviewers explained, there is nothing. Where I truly differ is that I think the main point of the movie, was who the martyr was. I think Mademoiselle is the real martyr, as she had exhausted every attempt to prove her faith and belief and in killing herself, she did what a true martyr does, dies without ever renouncing her faith. I think it's important to realize that at no point does the viewer ever feel Ana will survive and Ana knows this to, but she doesn't let her death come without a cost. She in the end, dies a victim, but in doing so, wins. I think it's important that we not try to figure out what Ana really saw, because it's not the point. Her final act was redemption for herself and Lucie and that is all that matters.
I will add that this film brought me to tears. I took a long walk, came home and showered and literally used a half a bar of soap scrubbing away what couldn't be scrubbed away. I've avoided viewing this again, because I don't know if I want to feel that way ever again. The movie is absolutely the most brutal thing I've ever watched, but it important to note, this is never exploitative. The director is very careful to point out that at no point are these women sexually abused. The torture is never about male domination. It is always about the answer. That is what makes it even harder to digest. Like I opened with, I don't want anyone who isn't ready to witness something awful to see this, but through the blood and brutality, you'll see a beautiful story of friendship and doing whatever it takes for peace. You just have to look really long and really hard to see it.
http://www.thehorrorhoneys.com/2013/08/martyrs-keep-doubting.html
Let me preface this commentary with the fact that I watched Martyrs a little less than two years ago and before "meeting" the Horror Honeys, I haven't had a desire to revisit it other than in the darkest recesses of my mind. Martyrs is the one movie I was blown away with, but have never suggested to anyone to watch. Thankfully, the person who suggested it to me, knows who I am, maybe as well as anyone, despite our distance and infrequent conversations. I had approached someone, a "Honey" about a dual blog about the director Pascal Laugier's treatment of his female characters, which are the stars of all three of his films. We haven't got around to that, but something I'm still interested in exploring, as I feel women see horror films much differently than men.
If you've read their reviews you know that the movie starts with a young girl escaping confinement and torture and then going on to a seemingly normal life. This lasts but a scene or two and you quickly realize that Lucie, played by
Mylene Japanoi, is still haunted not only by the memories of her kidnapping, but of leaving another behind. Fast forward about 15 years and she's blowing away a family with a shotgun, blaming them, and their children for her incarceration, but more importantly her mental state. After she kills everyone, she calls her only friend and confidante, Ana, played by Morjana Alaoui, to help her dispose of the bodies and clean up. What happens next, some might say is open to interpretation, but I feel, the demons inside her manifest themselves into a "creature" who attacks her and punishes her for leaving behind the other girl. She ends up killing herself and dies in Ana's arms, finally free of her tormented life.
At this point we're at a loss, because one of the main characters is gone and the movie seems to have explained itself fully. Then Ana finds a trap door leading to an underground system of chambers. As she explores she finds a woman in a bathtub, whose eyes are covered by a metal shield which is screwed into her head. As she tries to free the woman, the woman is shot and killed. This is where the movie gets completely insane. I will fast forward a bit, because I don't feel like reliving the 30-40 minutes of brutality that Ana is subjected. I will just say this. I've been in fights, I've been on the giving and the receiving end of a beating and I had am numb to violence, like so much of us are, because of the world we live in. That being said, I had to pause the movie during one of the beatings and walk outside of my apartment and get fresh air. These beatings and the torture she is subjected to is actually explained. They are trying to make her a martyr, so that she may reach a transcendent state and explain to this group what lies ahead in the afterlife. It is explained that they have done this testing before, but like Lucie, they have only created victims. Ana is seen as coming the furthest. In one scene, a figure of Lucie comes to Ana, telling her to give in and let it go. Basically, accepting her fate and death will come sooner. Ana does not.
In the final 15-20 minutes, a woman named Mademoiselle is summoned that the Ana is ready. Ana has been flayed alive and has survived. She is suspended first by some handcuffs on a bar and then in some sort of bath. The only skin that remains is that on her face. Mademoiselle leans in to hear what Ana has to say and then in the next scene she is in front of a crowd of people, her cult, seeking the answer. A dissenter asks if what Ana said anything that gave answers and Mademoiselle after asking if he could imagine what comes after, says "Keep Doubting, place a gun in her mouth and kills herself. The screen goes black and here is where I differ from my other reviewers. The word martyrs comes up with the definition, witness.
Now, in current language, we view martyrs as someone willing to withstand pain and suffering for a cause. So my fellow viewers, if I'm to understand correctly, believe that Ana was a martyr, because she withstood the torture Mademoiselle and the others inflicted upon her, but refused to give her the information that she wanted, thus becoming a martyr out of spite. I disagree and in the way I see it, it changes the entire meaning of the movie. I feel that the entire movie is about these demonic people trying to get answers, by making others martyrs and through their pain and suffering they receive some knowledge. I believe the end moment, when the word witness comes up, throws a monkey wrench into their assessment of the movie. I feel that Mademoiselle honestly believed that she would hear about some moment, but like the first reviewers explained, there is nothing. Where I truly differ is that I think the main point of the movie, was who the martyr was. I think Mademoiselle is the real martyr, as she had exhausted every attempt to prove her faith and belief and in killing herself, she did what a true martyr does, dies without ever renouncing her faith. I think it's important to realize that at no point does the viewer ever feel Ana will survive and Ana knows this to, but she doesn't let her death come without a cost. She in the end, dies a victim, but in doing so, wins. I think it's important that we not try to figure out what Ana really saw, because it's not the point. Her final act was redemption for herself and Lucie and that is all that matters.
I will add that this film brought me to tears. I took a long walk, came home and showered and literally used a half a bar of soap scrubbing away what couldn't be scrubbed away. I've avoided viewing this again, because I don't know if I want to feel that way ever again. The movie is absolutely the most brutal thing I've ever watched, but it important to note, this is never exploitative. The director is very careful to point out that at no point are these women sexually abused. The torture is never about male domination. It is always about the answer. That is what makes it even harder to digest. Like I opened with, I don't want anyone who isn't ready to witness something awful to see this, but through the blood and brutality, you'll see a beautiful story of friendship and doing whatever it takes for peace. You just have to look really long and really hard to see it.
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