Comments on: TIFF Review: Martyrs

By: Daz

Daz — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 05:47:16 +0000

Two friends actually warned me about watching this film, one apologising for making the other guy watch it. I was told to have something happy to watch after it because it will mess with your happy day. This film has stuck with me, it is a film to make you think, and i enjoyed that about it. At first i thought …. hmmm the cgi could have been better (the shotgun breakfast scene) but i stuck with it. Then it went nasty, very nasty and the ending will be one to upset a happy day. Inside was a movie i had seen before Martyrs and it had nowhere near the impact on me that Martyrs did.

By: Coby

Coby — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:28:04 +0000

A METAPHOR for religion (from an atheist perspective).. spoon feeding the lies of religion, the shackles and imprisonment of the rules of religion, the promise of a better life and future and finally when the end is reached (ultimate closeness to God or higher religious state of mind) one is left more confused and without any real answers.

Looking at it in this way.. it all makes sense!

By: The voice of reason

The voice of reason — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:24:30 +0000

F**k. I actually turned to the person at the side of me and apologised to them for making them watch such a god awful, sickeningly disgraceful piece of cinema. What the hell is wrong with the french? Its not daring, its not artful and it certainly isnt worthy of committing to film. Its retentious, disgusting and wrong, plain wrong. What kind of a world do we live in where we can condone such films to continue to be made? Think of all the struggling writers/directors out there who have to fight tooth and nail to ahve their work made, when lets face it all you really have to do is create an excercise in the breaking of the human spirit and then try and pass it off as existential french shit. This made me sad, sad that i would spend money on it, sad that the people in it didint have the sense to smell evil when they put their names to it and sad that no matter what i say these ‘torture porn’ films will continue to be churned out. the only thing that sets this aside from any other (hostel 1/2, Saw 1-6 etc) is that this time they conveniently masked the pointlessness in some ‘religious’ shroud of misguidance. Ridiculous, terrible, shocking and mind numbingly sad. I felt dirty after watching it, anyone that condones this film or actually took away with them some kind of joy or excitement from watching it should be sterilised, and that goes for the director. Oh, and yes….i got the message, i understood the point, i appreciated how well it was shot and how it played with the audiences reconcetions of run-of-the-mill horror genre…and you know what? It was still the worst thign i have ever seen. My comments will no doubt inspire others to watch it, my only advice is….it will be 108 minutes of your life that you will never get back and will leave you a little sadder inside if this is a taste of cinema future

By: somebody

somebody — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:14:39 +0000

“Martyrs is a unsettling film, but it is not the penultimate horror film.”

It is not the second to the last horror film? You mean there probably will be more than one horror film after it?

By: Axle

Axle — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:36:09 +0000

Martyrs is an interesting film, disturbing and thought provoking. As a horror movie, it has done its job–which may be the most one should ask of a horror movie. After all, what is the purpose of the horror genre? To be shocked, startled, reviled, disgusted in the safety of one’s family room or the local theater. Entertainment.

However, it is odd to me how some people seem to find “greatness” in Martyrs. This is not a great film. I do like the acting, the camera work and editing are technically competent, the sound and music good–which quite a few horror films lack! Martyrs is a well-crafted movie in the Hollywood style. (It IS made in the Hollywood style–Media Studies majors get over it…) But, the grand epiphany that supposedly comes through intense and prolonged physical pain as seen in the photographs of other tortured people throughout history, although intriguing, is not supported well enough in the script to overcome my willing suspension of disbelief. The cellar hallway scene, of course, with the Cult’s leader explaining to the main character the need for torture with the photo album (despite the fact that the same larger photos are on the walls next to the actors) is almost comical in its brevity. The film would have been creepier had it delved into the occult and the mysterious efforts of alchemists…or, say, if the secret organization were financed by the Vatican. We’re not told, and I think to the film’s detriment. How can martyrdom be talked about without religion. And, how can torture be rationalized without some self-serving (most would coin this kind of enterprise as evil) intent? Of course, anyone thinking that the male torturer and the others are just “doing their jobs” would probably find “the whole Nazi thing” to be no big deal….

No. What horrifies me about this kind of film is that it glorifies a false intellectualism that treats graphic torture in a relative light. I’m not as worried about “American Rednecks” loving this film as much as the mildly educated 20-somethings who think that they have stumbled upon something deep in this “wicked Euro-flick”–which they’ll probably buy and place next to their TOOL CDs….

By: RamblinSydRumpo

RamblinSydRumpo — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:40:21 +0000

10/10 for Martyrs. Inside is nowhere near as good a film. Starts promisingly but degenerates into a stupid splatterfest which makes absolutely no sense. Ludicrous exercise.
Martyrs on the other hand is one of the best horror films in decades. I found it extremely moving. A stunning achievement.

By: WiredRacing

WiredRacing — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:43:23 +0000

I think it’s better than the reviewer indicates. I also think while it certainly contains ‘Torture Porn’-like scenes, there are key differences and the film as a whole.. “okays” it.

Nothing put on screen here (especially after the half way point) is for anyone’s sick enjoyment.

This is a horror movie with a point.