My sister worked on that movie when I was a child, i actually have such good memories of the whole crew and actors were so kind ! I’ve been on many sets as an actor myself since then but this one is still one of my fondest memories. We didnt realise it was such a violent movie obviously because they kept us children away from the main actors when they were in makeup, just when I watched the movie recently I was pretty surprised this was the same set were I used to get cupcakes from the catering lady and run around the house 😅
That's cool. Nice to know the set wasn't some depressive/oppressive environment where people were miserable. Because oh boy, this movie certainly creates some gnarly emotions in people.
@PinkCarnation - Mind telling us more about working on set? I'm a huge fan of this film and would love to talk to someone who worked on it in any capacity.
@@jeanpaulmichell7243 as I've understood, it's not uncommon to have a very relaxed and happy atmosphere on films as extreme as this one. Salo for instance, the vibe on set was so relaxed and laid back that the actors didn't even realise how far the film would go, sure they had to film a few horrible scenes but they planned it so that the actors didn't film them back to back. Some actors actually left during first screening because of how horrified they where
If you've ever seen the version on dvd, it comes with an introduction from director Pascal Laugier basically apologizing for making the film lmao. It's the version I first watched back in 08, and showed all my friends. Not only does that introduction really prime the viewer for a terrifying next 2 hours, but i believe it sort of shows that he isnt nearly as nihilistic or calloused as the film might lead you to believe
That reminds me of stuff done by Junji Ito. Reading any of his work, you'd think for sure he's this tortured soul, but whenever you see him in interviews, he's the most composed, sweet and kind man you'll lay eyes on.
stating that I couldn't believe that there was a director that actually thought it was ok to make such a horrific and disturbing movie that is why I put in my comment what was the director thinking wasn't depressed was it a fantasy like Jeffrey Dahmer what was his mental state but this has cleaner made a bit of sense
At the end, the heartwarming message is that the real friends is the horrifying truth about the nature of our seemingly meaningless existence that we picked up along the way
I think this dude's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally. Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made. You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up!!!🙄
Allegedly the director was going through a bout of severe depression, and wanted to convey the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness and horror that comes with it. As someone who's battled major depression since 13, and as a life long horror fan, I think the guy nailed it. This film creates the feel and logic of that state of mind; the inability to escape the horror, since the horror is coming from yourself, and fighting it results in being dragged further down, to an even worse fate. Then you fall deeper still into the pit, thinking you've hit bottom...... Until THAT floor gives, and you fall yet again into a fresh new hell. Jeez I went on a bit of a rant; point is this film is a masterpiece that connects with some; others should steer clear of it. Martyrs may just ruin your day.
Fortunately, I've never suffered from clinical depression, but I've been depressed at certain points in my life like most people. So, I appreciate your insight. Be well!
You laid it out rather well. I haven't seen it, but I most likely will, maybe sometime this week. If the writer/director Pascal Laugier was going through a bout of severe depression when he made the film, it would seem that he was able to channel it to make what he may have crafted as a cautionary tale (total speculation on my part, having not seen it yet). It looks like they released an English-language version of the film, with an all new cast, eight years later in Jan 2016. Interestingly, Laugier apparently was attached to direct the recently released Hellraiser remake, but pulled out of the project. Hope you are well . . .
Martyrs is one of those rare films that actually understands and depicts despair. Not "oh, shit's really bad, but maybe we can pull out a win", but straight-up "our only concept of hope is a fond yet distant memory" despair. It takes a special type of horror film for me to acknowledge just how damn well it's made to the point where I can't in good conscience recommend it to everyone; the first time you have that inner-turmoil with yourself, you know you're watching a real cinema rarity.
It might be rare and it makes me think what was the directors mental state when making this movie and is it really good that we entertain it but I heard that he apologise for making this movie but I have to wonder is there real things like this hidden in the background in real life or even in Hollywood you have to think there's so many coats and agencies out there that do these type of things it's unreal and it reminds me of eyes wide shut I wonder
@@secreteobsession3584 this is the recurring thought in the back of my head. That this film is in some way, shape, or form a truth of something the director personally had become a part of and this film was created as a trauma response of some sort ?? No clue but I wonder...
@@ChamStar625 If that’s the case, the director would be represented by the family in the house that lived above it all. I do believe that stuff like this is happening. If you can think of something, it’s likely happening right now somewhere in the world. The scary thing is how easily someone with money and a lot of power could do something like this and never face consequences for it. We hear about trafficking all the time. Many people who are trafficked may end up like Lucie or Anna. Bleak stuff. Reality is always scarier than horror films. Better to not think about it.
@@_.-_Crimpy-_..-. Pascal confirms it in special features of the Martyrs bluray release that human trafficking was definitely a strong element, with that said. Most of the NFE films have all been inspired by events that happened in france around that time, Inside was supposed conceived as a film idea after one of the directors heard that close to fifty pregnant bodies were found over the course of two, all of them disemboweled and the womb removed, and Frontier(s) was made as a statement against the far that at the time was about to come into power in france. Art really does mirror reality sometimes, its why those kind of films scare me more than metaphysical horror films.
@@secreteobsession3584reminds me of Eyes Wide Shut".. exactly what i was thinking. The ritualistic nature of it all. Also notice how all the old rich people at the end congregate to celebrate 😂 Movies like these, and Kubrick's EWS maybe sly ways insiders are trying to tell us about the seriously weird excesses and interests of the jaded .1% and their efforts at achieving some kind of renewal / nirvana. Given what we know today about, lets just say the extreme eccentricities and transgressions of the very privileged, a movie like this just makes you wonder if they aren't just outright mocking us 😂 Edit: the recurring motif of inflicting pain upon the young and working class, and using their dismay as some kind of outlet / high for the few is something that gets touched on quite often.
The ending elevated it beyond torture porn. Either she realised there was nothing after death so everything she did was pointless and she couldn't live with what she'd done. That or there was a a glorious afterlife and she wanted to get their quicker because age was terminal. Love how open ended it was
Tbh I think she was told something horrific and hope erasing so she just surrendered herself to whatever it is. Thats why she said keep doubting to the old fellas.
@@MrHiglon it can be but should could have died naturally enjoying her last few days of good wealthy life yk , Or it's something that's just very mere and nothingness that there's just void , absolutely nothing, so with that she lost every hope in after life and died thinking all this for nothing, another theory is that even the director don't know if there is afterlife so her death was very necessary in order to keep it logical and not something made up 🤷🏽♂️
As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
if the afterlife was glorious, why wouldn’t she tell the others? If the afterlife was nothingness, why did the director make it seem like Anna definitely saw something? If the afterlife was bad, why would she be in a hurry to get there? Tbh, i don’t think any of the endings make sense without it being a stretch, like Stuckmann said
@@ptsdsucks9069That theory is plausible but the movie never indicates that that’s what happened. It never remotely seems like Anna is plotting anything. It’s basically a head canon
I remember reading in an interview a while back the director saying something about being in a very dark and sad place in his life and in my opinion, it really shows.
I think this youtuber's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally. Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made. You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up people!!!🙄
@@pdcdesign9632 I think he had a pretty level headed approach to this review. also he didn't say that the meanings derived from this movie had to be positive, he said that he appreciates when he understands where the director is coming from.
@@pdcdesign9632 in a movie like that yes you have to put meaning if your movie has no meaning then it's a forgotten film or just one of those pop corn theme park movies i mean why do you think the first chainsaw massacre movie is still the best one ? because it has alot of meanings and massages not some brainless slasher film that other slashers tried to copy and failed
He was frustrated with his life and with the movie industry, so he poured all that negativity into the script and into making of this movie what it is. Regardless of whether or not it was intentional, he created a masterpiece of this genre. And for that, I will always be grateful.
ironically, “people stretch to find meaning in the ending where it really feels like there isn’t” is basically the perfect ending for the themes of the film
This is the only Horror movie that I’ve found myself randomly thinking about years after and being unsettled all over again just from thinking about it.
I completely respect that people feel the way you do. But personally I will never entirely understand it, I just love dark films like this 🤷♂I find them entertaining and I don't think I can ever be truly upset by something like this, I just don't understand the mentality. I watched this film again with my wife on our anniversary a few weeks ago and she thought it was really good too, She's not someone who watches messed up films like this but still she wasn't upset by it either, she just watched it, enjoyed it, the film finished, she had her dinner and went to bed. I guess so many people just have so many different ways of processing things. As I said I entirely respect that everyone takes things differently but the idea of being disturbed by a movie, no matter how messed up it is.. is just not something my brain experiences lol.
This film stayed with me forever. You can’t get it out of your head. The film has a purpose and leaves you breathless and questioning many things about life. It’s probably the finest film that relates so vividly to existential dread. It’s an endless loop of suffering and pain but the payoff is completely without precedent. One of the best films I’ve ever seen and can’t recommend it highly enough but be forewarned: it’s impossible to shake off or easily dismiss. It asks too many questions and answers none. You cannot “unsee” this movie
I saw Human Centipede (part 1 and 2) and that was disturbing enough… I’ve decided not to watch Serbian Film because they say it’s the most disturbing movie ever made and I already know of some scenes in it But I’ve been trying to watch Martyrs without success, I tried watching it last week with my friend and he didn’t wanna watch it because it wasn’t in English. I’ve already seen alot of clips of it but I think I just need to watch the whole movie
I watched this before A Serbian Film. The horror of this movie leaves you after watching A Serbian Fim. How do I get rid of the PTSD from A Serbian Film?
I remember hearing about it years ago and gave it a chance. To this day I never forget the uneasiness of just sitting there in complete silence trying to come to grips with what I was watching. Just as the credits rolled, my neighbor let out a terrible scream. Thankfully it was just her dog getting too feisty, but that had me actually shook.
A critic who cares for the filmmaker's emotions while making the film.. only a true artist can empathize that way. Thanks for doing what you do, Chris.
@@BigHeadUgly way worse, hostel is brutal but still feels like a movie. in hostel things are over the top when it comes to the brutality. this does not feel like a movie because of how brutal and realistic the violence it is. the torture in this film is so grueling to sit though. i would never watch it again, but the movie is a good movie.
As brutal and gut wrenching as this movie is, its more than what appears on the surface. There is a lot to unpack and it leaves you thinking about a lot of things afterwards. It’s certainly not for everyone and it’s also not the type of movie I’d watch over and over but I think it’s worth watching.
I think this dude's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally. Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made. You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up!!!🙄
@@pdcdesign9632 “grow up” coming from a random stranger leaving a comment on RUclips to tell someone to grow up because they shared their opinion. Just because you have no friends doesn’t mean you need to be a prick 😊
yeah i have a lot of movies i’ve seen that are really really great but i definitely don’t need to see again, boys don’t cry being one of them. (i have watched requiem for a dream a few times though (and read the book) and i do think for many ppl it would be that type of movie. but i do feel ready to see it again soon)
To put it mildly, the movie is interesting, but I would not watch it again or list it among my favorites. Although a cliffhanger, the conclusion was still interesting.
Laugier has said in interviews that he wrote the film during a mental health breakdown and that’s how the movie speaks to me. Of the pain, the rawness and the fact that you have to go deeper into the basement of your mind in order to climb out of the other side. That’s my take on it as someone who has had a few MH breakdowns and spent time on a MH ward.
So the ending of the film where the martyr finally accepts her torture means that she represents how a person can just accept their role in life? I’m trying to find the deeper meaning in the film, why not reveal the last words she had said to the Mademoiselle? Maybe it means there’s no other side even if you resign yourself to your fate?
@@whitedragoness23 There is a love story at the heart of this tragedy. Anna’s self sacrifice for her deep bond and love for Lucie is what put her in this situation. I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
@@ptsdsucks9069 I do believe there is a love story between anna and Lucie, I did question why did Anna do so much for lucie. She did kill a while family and that was before anna was able to confirm it was a conspiracy to torture women for the after life. I think Anna was in love with lucie. It’s hard to tell if lucie felt the same way because she was tormented from her torture and wanted to be free. I debate all the endings and each one seems to make sense. I can definitely see your theory being a strong candidate because like you said Anna could get her revenge by tricking the madame with her own obsession
@@whitedragoness23 I think Lucie felt more of a sisterly love for Anna, whereas Anna wanted to be a couple. As disturbing as this movie is, it is deeply tragic and sad.
The thing that made this movie a heavy impact for me was how the character Anna was treated during the film. I genuinely felt deeply sad for her and literally cried throughout the last 30 minutes.
First time I saw it, the last 30 minutes made me ALMOST turn the movie off, it was so intensely upsetting. But I HAD to see what happened next, I was deeply interested in Anna's fate, and the film's writing is so well done I soldiered on to the end and I'm glad I did. Martyrs is a genuinely crazy-ass experience.
@@jeanpaulmichell7243 exactly, It was difficult to look away from because of the curiosity on what her resolution would be, it was a pretty interesting ending I gotta say, just very depressing. That close up shot of Anna’s eye as she witnesses “life after death” was kind of beautiful in a weird way, It sort of feels like that one scene from Uncut Gems when Adam Sandler’s character dies from the gunshot wound on cheek. It does the same exact shot.
The ending is just spectacular. Martyrdom, according to the movie, is almost impossible of a thing to attain. The word is often misconstrued, shallow and understated, but this film is specific on informing us just how rare and how valuable a true martyr may actually be. The question is, how much does a sing human being have of themselves to give away, or on the contrary...to be taken? How much flesh blood and tears, how much of mind, body and soul, of the human spirit can be given? How much can be decimated? Encompassing all these human elements into a single form, what are we left with when reduced to our lowest common denominator? The smashing of a human atom into a single human particle?? Then once we have our hands firmly grasped on that, how far can we take that particle? How far past the sun, and beyond the last original place does it go and where the hell on earth does that lead us? Movie is brutal. But not as brutal as the lack of knowledge humans have about themselves.
There is a love story at the heart of this tragedy. Anna’s self sacrifice for her deep bond and love for Lucie is what put her in this situation. I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
When I tell people I like horror movies they automatically assume I enjoy popular slasher franchises or jump scare horror (which can be good and have their place) but I find I need to specify that Martyrs is the perfect example of what I want to see in a horror film. It checks every box for me!!
this was truly a masterpiece with so many symbolic meanings and i think seeing and feeling all hope is actually gone is hard to come by in most movies, not this one. the raw emotions and the true martyr is so rare to find, this movie sends shivers down my back and i only have brought myself to watch it once.
"Trying to inject meaning where there's none" is a quote that fits the point of this movie kind of. I love it at least, but I don't really recommend it to people unless I know they want to watch something truly unsettling. Btw I love that you're wearing a Hellraiser shirt because they're quite similar in a lot of ways. I would love one of these french directors to make a Hellraiser movie because I feel they could do it justice.
Martyrs director Pascal Laugier was once associated with the Hellraiser remake, but he left for unknown reasons. Some say his script was turned down by the Weinsteins because it was not marketable.
@@76BitchSlap yeah the weinsteins bounced laugier when he wanted to really lean into the gay s&m angle. Presumably if it would have been about female s&m harvey would have been fully on board
I watched this gem in the Sitges Fantastic Film Festival that year, and I remember coming out from that screening and going directly to the queue to watch the next movie and I noticed my armas, my legs... felt so numb. It was incredible. All my muscles were tense during more than 90 minutes during that disturbing movie and affected me physically. Love Martyrs. And I could also watch other extreme French horror hits in that festival years before, such as Al Intherieur or Frontiere(s).
This is one of my favorite horror movies and I still don't know if I'll be able to watch it a third time. But the themes of terrible loss mean so much to me, as I saw it at a time when I'd been in a worse depression and having trouble shaking existential bullshit. You can feel the heart in it. One of the only horror movies that have made me cry, and heartbreak is one of the most real horrors. SO COOL to see you review this, thank you. (I just showed it to my parents) I'm pretty sure you haven't already (sorry if you have), but I would also love to hear what you have to say about Eli Roth's HOSTEL, THE torture porn movie that is NOT torture porn and has a really interesting, layered plot and a classic structure and twists (and it's not NEARLY as explicit as it's made out to be‐-it actually hardly shows any torture and leans on editing, sound, the performances) I think it deserves way more credit than just being "that fucked up torture porn movie about torture porn." Not saying it's perfect but man if people weren't so turned off by it because of the reputation I think they'd really like it. For the record I did watch this simply to overcome a fear of a gross movie I thought was going to be boring torture porn, and was surprised at how much I enjoyed the movie. it became an instant favorite of mine. The score by Nathan Barr is also simply EXCELLENT, like Bernard Hermann's scores for Psycho and Vertigo. Like this shit is bangin. (the movie also feels very Hitchcockian in ways and is pretty much a more fucked up Psycho set in Europe)
Really hope French Extremity is revived, disturbing but incredible films that are quite rare within the genre and not seen in Hollywood horror. High Tension and Martrys are A+++
High Tension was sooooo good. Those movies were all really fantastic and really felt like they had something to them besides violence. You could classify them as torture porn, but they were "elevated" from the schlockiness that the subgenre was infamous for.
I'm French, I can tell you this is VERY hard to get these kind of films made, because there are very few producers willing to put some money in them. It has to do with the way films are financed and distributed here. It's a real shame because all of us genre fan are a bit forgotten in France.
There's something about this film that makes it disturbing even outside of the gore. There's a scene where the main character gets beat up by a hulking man and she's so done by that point that she doesn't even fight back. There had been way gorier scenes earlier in the movie, this was actually quite tame by comparison. But that was the point where my brother got up and almost left the room because it was too much. It makes you feel so helpless and upset.
Yes, those scenes of the big man beating Anna relentlessly on almost a daily basis really made me feel sick to my stomach. Even when she was unconscious he would either wake her up for more or just continue while unconscious. Dominantly in her face made it even more brutal. Made me cry.
Best blind buy I've ever purchased. I will thank the dude working at Sunrise who picked this out when I was having a scary movie night with people who had "seen everything". Best blind watch too, it's brutally fantastic. Best part is the back of the DVD made it seem like the film was only about the revenge portion. Also, on one of the copies I have there is an introduction by the Director, he basically apologizes for anyone about to watch the movie
Which version had the intro? I rebought it on Blu-ray and eventually sold off my old dvds of it (had both the R cut and uncut versions, I regret not just keeping them), but I can't remember if either had that intro.
@@polygon.fiction6514 the Cover with the intro wasn't the normal dvd with the Black cover with the leads. The version that has the intro is the "unrated" cover it has someone all bloody creeping out from behind a bathtub
This movie is one of those that should NEVER had been remade! The way it was shot, acted and it’s theme is one that is not for the faint of heart yes! It has so many possible subjects that could be concluded from it. The one thing I will say is this! I have watched Marty’s several times now and it is one of my top films of all times. The cinematographer, theme and acting is brilliant. It’s not for everyone yes! However it does what a good film is supposed to do. It makes you think. It’s real and raw and the anguish and pain is so tangible you can taste it. It’s a hard movie to watch but oh does it make you think!!!
@@War624 it was a travesty and the people who did it should be arrested! They destroyed the whole concept and reason why this movie was even done in the first place.
@@hayleyjohnson9505 - Indeed, it was such a random, not even publicized remake... and it removed the ending's ambiguity, making it clear that what the last girl (don't remember her American name) speaks words that makes anyone listening immediately go mad and suicidal, like some Lovecraftian stuff. I doubt the remake's writers asked the original writer for more insight, it was probably their interpretation. But anyway, that remake really went under the radar when it came out, even as a fan of the original movie and horror films in general, it took me a while to learn that there was an American remake that made zero noise that came out.
Martyrs and Irreversible stood out to me as really messed up back in the day. But, yes Martyrs definitely initiated more conversation. It's violent, but A+. But not the kind of A+ you can repeatedly watch.
À l'intérieur (Inside) is another good one from the 'new french extremity'. Also, I Saw the Devil fits the bill of being a crazy experience, yet something you'll reconsider before watching again.
I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
I watched Martyrs for the first time a week ago. There is nothing else quite like it: a film where the ending is so uniquely and unsettlingly apocalyptic. Not much impacts me these days due to how much I have experienced, but the ending for Martyrs is fascinating and something I will remember for a long time.
I am 40 years old, i've watched almost every horror film known to man. Martyrs is, for me, in contention for best horror film ever made. Yes, it sounds heavy, but it seriously deserves to be part of the conversation.
I think this youtuber's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally. Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made. You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up people!!!🙄
I love that you said people don’t have to watch something just because it’s infamous. Sometimes I feel like I’m missing out on these “big” experiences but I also know that movies can be really powerful and I don’t wanna like, throw up
It's really rough, and it's really gory, but it does some really thought provoking things as well. All the best films do, and make no mistake, this film will stick with you. I'd suggest it only if you want something you will think about for quite a while afterwards, but I'd suggest going into it with an empty stomach, and certainly not a good watch if you're depressed.
I like to describe Martyrs as what it feels like to speedrun a severe depressive episode. I have a very weird relationship with this movie cause I watched it at like 1 in the morning one night when I was in a very, very bad headspace, and while it did make me realize that maybe I don't want to act on my bad thoughts, it left me in a fugue state for a week because it was seared into my memory. 10/10 I will never recommend it to anyone and it will be a long time before I can watch it again.
A phenomenal work that I highly recommend to anyone with the fortitude to endure a thought-provoking yet deeply disturbing experience. Also, worth pointing out since they strangely received no mention, Mylene and Morjana deliver devastating and powerful performances.
There is a love story at the heart of this tragedy. Anna’s self sacrifice for her deep bond and love for Lucie is what put her in this situation. I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
Just saw this movie, had this thought, and have been scrolling, looking for someone who shares it. I think she definitely got retribution. No matter what she told Mademoiselle, it worked.
I agree; I think Ana said something like that. My thought was "I see paradise, but no one who hears what I say about it will ever see it." Mademoiselle knows she can't resist the urge to ask for the details, so she ends it, and tells the others to stop.
When I watched it I had to take a few breaks from it. I went to the garden and looked up at the blue sky and the green grass. When the film ended I took a shower and I went to the garden one more time. Then I dressed up and left the house. No other movie has ever had such an effect on me. What an experience.
@@sclay757 It's Very Brutal and Bleak I thought about it as well why did I put myself through it but it's kind a rare thing for a movie to stay with you for days like it was a experience not many horror films can give you. Don't watch it if you are curious. Watch SPEAK No Evil 2022 if you want something lite but still Good horror
@@gutsthestruggler3052 you said don't watch it if you are curious then when should you watch it? And if you had it to do all over again would you not watch it or still watch it?
This had so much hype back in 08. I remember very clearly. Yet I live in Australia and it never got a theatrical release. Maybe a year later I was in my local BLOCKBUSTER store and there it was. Have never gotten back home so quickly to then immediately play a movie ever. It kicked my ass but still really appreciated it. In between 2009 and 2022 you couldn't find a copy anywhere for less than $60. This year Umbrella Entertainment Poduction Company have re-released Martyrs nationwide with a beautiful glossy slipcase special edition with all the special features and on bluray for $35. Bought it and waiting until Halloween night to throw it on. 🤘
I have the exact same feelings towards Eden Lake. It's one of the few horror films that I've struggled watching because it is that brutal of a viewing experience.
@@spupydo Couldn't have explained it better myself! Well done! We didn't have to see what was going to happen because we all knew deep down what was going to happen. I don't think an ending has quite left me feeling that depressed. I had to put something else on straight after because I didn't want to go to sleep with that movie, and it's ending being fresh on my mind. To this day, I've struggled to rewatch it because I just can't bring myself to sit through it again, even if I watch it with someone the next time around. Oddly enough, I've seen plenty of RUclipsrs highly recommending it and enjoying it, and I'm still baffled as to why!
Very interesting film. I found the first act pretty silly (Fassbender’s character was rather stupid) but I enjoyed the second act, and expected a third similar to Ready or Not or You’re Next. Nope.
This is perhaps my favorite horror film and think your review is a fair one. The extreme genre certainly isn't for everyone but if you have to watch only one of the latest shock movies - this is the one to see. It is so much more than just shock. It is the masterpiece of the genre.
Definitely one of the best horror films I’ve seen. Glad to see the new Hellraiser showed some glimmers of it especially around the end. We don’t often get horror movies that explore layers of pain and it’s transcendental power like this.
The director of martyrs, pascal laugier, was going to do the hellraiser reboot one time. But apparently,, the studio said his vision was too much. Now that, I would,due loved to have happened.
@@ThePatank yes. I would have loved to have seen that happen. But "they" [studio heads] were scared of it. I personally think, he would have done it how it should have been done. A hellraiser film, by pascal laugier is a match made in heaven/hell. 🤔🎯🎯🎯
In my opinion, the big question/theme behind Martyrs is extremely simple, and to me in a very genius way. Without spoiling anything, the film simply asks "how far are we willing to go to learn the meaning of life & what may come after death". A simple question that does truly bring lots of meaning to a very brutal and upsetting film.
I really appreciate your closing point about not bowing to the pressure of watching every “extreme” gratuitously, sadistic violent film. I’ve seen my share and although Martyrs is undoubtedly an important film, I haven’t dared myself to watch it. There are certain headspaces that people who try to appreciate certain kinds of art have to go to in order to understand it. It can be unpleasant and very difficult to unsee. One of the last films I saw in that category was Salo, and while it is undoubtedly a significant film; I never want to see it again.
I think this youtuber's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally. Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made. You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up people!!!🙄
I've seen it twice, and as a lover of quality horror, have been debating whether to 'endure' it once more or pass. Want to show my partner to give her an idea of what my head-space was like, at least symbolically; but I don't think that it would be fair to her, as I would be making her feel very unpleasant emotions partly for the sake of my own catharsis (the last twenty minutes in particular are painful to see). Either way, Martyrs is one hell of an experience.
@@niallmartin9063 that's the question, isn't it? My interpretation is that she told Mademoiselle what lay on the other side, and whatever it was made the old woman hastily off herself. I have no hard take on it, it could have been 'nothing', or some fantastical afterlife with either rewards for Mademoiselle and her group, or some kind of hell, I honestly should rewatch it and look for details but, man I don't feel like going through that just now lol.
@@niallmartin9063 There is a love story at the heart of this tragedy. Anna’s self sacrifice for her deep bond and love for Lucie is what put her in this situation. I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
I finished watching the movie martyrs a few minutes ago. I just want to describe the wonderful feeling I'm experiencing right now! Right now I just want to kiss my family, smile at my neighbors and play with my dog.... It's amazing how such a disturbing film can make us see our real world more beautifully. I think that's the real importance of movies like this. Martyrs is a masterpiece in all the forms of art!
Chris mentioned, that creator of 'Martyrs' pretty nihilistic guy. As fan of Pascal Laugier, i would recommend his movie 'Ghostland' (2017). It's dark, unsettling, extreme, but have strong optimism and life-affirming values in it's core, makes you feel deep empathy to characters and that there's always light even in the darkest places. Also great Mylene Farmer starring in this movie!
I grew up a Witness also. When I watched Martyrs, I was blown away, because this movie is about curiosity. Especially DARK curiosity. And the ending, to me, was a statement about each one of us and our own dark curiosity. I haven't seen any movie that made me sit and think like this one, especially about how so many atrocities, THAT GOOD PEOPLE ALLOWED, were because of curiosity. And this movie puts you in a distinct position, by putting you through such dark scenes that you don't want to watch, but if you stick it out, it was because YOU were curious. And what kind of person does that ultimately make you? It's important, because this is "Just a movie". But it changed how I view certain things in life now. It's powerful.
@@nickl9317 spoilers: the whole thing was setup by a group curious about the afterlife. The reason to watch all the torture was because we find out about the martyr search, and now we want to know too. The sting at the end is that the head woman in the turban hears what was seen by the martyr, but kills herself before letting anyone else know. Thus robbing the others, and the viewer of having their curiosity satisfied.
Martyrs is genuinely great filmmaking...it's just in the service of some disturbing content. It reminds me of Salo in that regard. There is no shortage of disturbing movies which are poorly done, made by people who don't know what they are doing or care about what they are doing. Something like Martyrs is very rare. It's at the highest levels of art for the gorehounds. And we know who we are.
This is the best movie to break up to. Not watch after a breakup. But to watch it with someone who hasn’t seen it and then breaks up with you. I’ve seen it almost 3 times.
Martrys blew my mind. Yes, it's horrific, but as Stuckmann says there's meaning behind the horror. The ending is surprising and brilliant. Also Mylene Jampanoi has the most captivating eyes!
@@Psyteth Agreed that anyone with even a cursory awareness of the horror genre will be hip to it, but Chris has a ton of general movie fans, young and old, who will find out about this movie today, which is pretty great.
My favourite film. The first time I watched it was when it was originally released on DVD, I was having a glass of wine. As the movie progressed, a second glass of wine was most needed. By the time the third act started, I had to pause the film and get outside for some fresh air - not because of the violence and gore, but because of the absolute dismal nihilistic atmosphere. It hits hard. After some fresh air I continued, and boy, oh boy, IT'S EVEN MORE DIRE!!!! The emotional impact this film has every time I watch elevates it to a rare station that almost no other has had on me. My favorite film. And we can talk about the content from here to eternity, but even technically it's an expertly crafted film!
I watched this for the first time two weeks ago, glad you reviewed it, it's definitely right up there in terms of the sickest, and I too looked into ending meanings, it's one of my top horror movies now, along with Babadook and Mama
I literally have the same feelings like Chris did with Martyrs but I have with The Golden Glove. It's about Notorious Serial Killer Fritz Honka and his murders, it's such a depressing, sad, nasty, disturbing and gritty portrait of this man! I personally thought it was a good film even tho I just wish it ended sooner! It was just too depressing for me and just too much at times!
I had the complete opposite reaction to The Exorcist and it's reputation, it actively hurt my first watch. The marketing and legend of The Exorcist during my life was that it was the scariest movie ever made and when I first watched it as a teen my reaction was "that's it?". I thought it was fine but it hardly lived up to it's legendary reputation, even found it kind of goofy at points. It wasn't until I rewatched it years later, knowing what to expect, that I truly appreciated it.
The whole point of the movie is about how we find beauty and meaning in even the bleakest most hopeless situations. That alone proves to me that Laugier is not a nihilist
My favorite horror movie of all time! It's crazy to think things like that really happens in real life, that's why i liked this movie, it seems very real. Thank you for the review, Chris. From a brazillian fan (so, forgive my english, i am not fluent).
Yess finally I have been waiting for this one. What a breath of fresh air Martyrs was! One of my favorite horrors and it got me into the New French Extremity genre!
I still remember scenes from it 10 years later after watching it as a teen. Such a disturbing movie. It sucks you in, it's horrifying but you cannot look away. I wish I had waited to watch it as an adult to understand it better, I don't think I'd be able to watch it twice.
@@yourmove267 Obviously I'll preface this with the ending is ambiguous so it's what you make of it. *SPOILERS for anyone else reading* IMO, I think it's pretty clear she was told that there is nothing after death. That's why she kills herself. She's realised her life's work: all the murder and torture has been for nothing. And that's why she doesn't tell her co-conspirators too. She leaves them with an ignorance is bliss kinda thing. If instead she was told that the *was* an afterlife, surely she'd tell everyone first? It feels weird to me if she found out it was awesome and she was like "f*ck it, I'll keep it to myself." That's why I don't subscribe to that theory but it's a valid, and just as popular one nevertheless.
@@frenchbaguetteoui just tu add to your opinion about the ending, it could also mean that she felt she deserved to die for what she did. Doing so, without telling them what she found out, could convince them to do the same, as they all deserved to die for what they did.
I love what Chris said about not needing to see something because of it’s content. Violence is like nudity, language, drug use, or anything else the MPAA uses to rate something: I’m fine with it as long as there is a narrative purpose for it.
Man the mid to late 2000s really had so many horror gems didn't it? I can easily think of a handful off the top of my head that I loved so much. Midnight meat train, Dread, Books of Blood, (yes all Clive barker adaptations), lake Mungo, VHS 1, triangle, gravedancers, I spit on your grave, drag me to hell, the orphanage, pans labyrinth, a Serbian film, high tension, and I'm not even scratching the surface the list goes on and on. With that being said, was there an alternate ending to Martyrs? Because what I got from the ending was pretty straight forward. SPOILERS 👇👇👇 They tried and tried AND TRIED lol to torture this woman and make her suffer so much so to the point of barely clinging onto life so that they could test her to see if there was anything after life. And in the end, I forget specifically how, but they're about to definitively gather that their efforts as a society are in vain and that it was all for nothing because they found out that no there really is nothing after death (horrible value to take from a work of fiction, but fiction nonetheless), so the head of the organization after discovering this blows her head off because of all the guilt she felt. Either that or because she knew she wouldn't have to endure being judged in the end and that her overall suffering in this life could end without consequence. Am I wrong with this take on the movie?
The person goes into the basement because she must assume it's probably her only chance to find proof a certain other person that matters to her a lot was telling the truth about a matter of some consequence to both of them. She has damn good reasons to go.
What a great review! I can relate so much, because I have been scared of this film for years - only, I haven't even seen it yet. That's why I would love to see you review The Human Centipede. A film, I had the same feeling about until I finally mustered up the courage and watched it the other day. That was such an unsettling experience, because the film was absolutely different from what I expected. Still, it shocked me down to my core. What made it even more disturbing was that it did so for all the reasons I was NOT expecting.I went through all the exact emotions you describe in this review.
I think this youtuber's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally. Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made. You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up people!!!🙄
My brother and I watched this a few days ago. He had heard of it,but I hadn't. And he didn't tell me a thing about it. Honestly I loved the movie even though I was quite disturbed by it.
Yes this and 120 Days of Salo have made me understand how f-ed up the human imagination can be sometimes. After this I immediately watched The Lego Movie to cope
The problem with disturbing films like these is that despite their messages and symbolism having actual purpose and the violence being part of that messaging, the imagery that you see completely overshadows every kind of message you can deliver because that’s all you remember after watching it.
I remember being angry when I finished watching this movie, angry that I watched it, and that the person I watched with expected me to be disturbed, they were confused about my reaction. I was just angry at the gross abuse I saw, guess that's better than nightmares. I think it's with this particular movie when I understood what nihilism truly was, how it affected me and why is not my thing. I read that the director got out of the dark place that was festering in him when this movie was made, and I'm glad about that.
I remember when I first watch this movie with my friends we where eating Wendys cuz we think “nah it’s not gonna be that bad!” We though we had seen everything and we where proud to be not repulsed by any horror movie and we where capable of seating through anything. So when we put this shit on one by one we all stop eating at certain points during the movie until eventually nobody was eating and we where all “WTF” looking back on the experience it was pretty funny 😂
6:21 100% agree with this assessment. I've seen some really *great* theories about the ending - ALL of them read like AU fanfiction. Narratively, I think it's missing something important in order to either have hidden information OR be truly ambiguous, but as it is, it's not quite either. Fascinating film, though
One of my favorite horror movies ever. New French extremity horror is where it is !!! ''Martyrs'' is the most popular one for sure, ''Inside'' is great... I like ''High tension'' too (despite the plot hole)
first time saw this: deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, saw this with two other guys. we talked about it for at least an hour after watching it and then several more times in the following weeks. second time watching: a month ago with my wife. she had a very similar reaction that we had when I first saw it. for me though the second time watching it, it really wasn't as bad as I remembered. I watched it this time with a more analytical mind and noticed that they show a lot less than you might realize. the sounds are what make it so much more brutal. I love the thought provoking topics it tackles. when I tell people about this movie, I am very careful not to recommend it to just anyone because it is a very tough movie to get through, especially the first time.
OEF 10-11 was definetly the most appropriate time to watch something like this, to think of someone else in a more f'd up situation than our own in a way is a bit of cathartic relief. Dark Horse?
It's a great film and one of the few movies that are REAL Horror , I started watching Horror at age 9 and by the time I was 16 I had seen it all , Horror just didn't shock or Scare me after that and movies like Martyrs actually give you that feeling you got when being a young teen watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the first time. All the supernatural, Jump Scare , possessed dolls crap does Nothing for me , we need more filmmakers pushing the boundaries.
I don't really get the idea of being confused by the ending.. the old lady was told what it was really like after death and she was either enlightened and happy about it or she was so terrified by what she was told. And she wanted to give up early to get to that afterlife, whatever it is. Without telling her peers what it truly is. Makes sense enough for me.. I love this film, don't hate the remake either. On our anniversary recently I showed my wife the film and she thought it was great too!
i usually don’t get creeped out or scared of movies,remembee preordering the canadian blu ray back in the day and excited to get this in the mail. popped the blu ray in the drive….took me no lie 3 days to finish this movie it was just to much to take in for one sitting. it’s one of the few films that really sticks to you and you still can recall every single disturbing detail in it years later.it’s a masterpiece for sure but not one you will revist often
I think it’s one of the most effective horror films ever made and that it’s good, but a lot of people won’t be able to look past the brutality, and that’s okay.
It's extremely telling that a family of four getting brutally murdered is one of the least upsetting things to happen in this film.
They deserved it, if you have watched this film.
At first I thought they were not involved and just owned the house but didn't know what was beneath
But no, this shit is just traumatic
It's the only standing ovation scene in the film
They...?
@@Veronica.A. That wasn't the point. The point was that their murder was a walk in the park in comparison to what Anna had to endure.
My sister worked on that movie when I was a child, i actually have such good memories of the whole crew and actors were so kind ! I’ve been on many sets as an actor myself since then but this one is still one of my fondest memories. We didnt realise it was such a violent movie obviously because they kept us children away from the main actors when they were in makeup, just when I watched the movie recently I was pretty surprised this was the same set were I used to get cupcakes from the catering lady and run around the house 😅
Lol that is so cool this is such a crazy movie
For Real
That's cool. Nice to know the set wasn't some depressive/oppressive environment where people were miserable. Because oh boy, this movie certainly creates some gnarly emotions in people.
@PinkCarnation - Mind telling us more about working on set? I'm a huge fan of this film and would love to talk to someone who worked on it in any capacity.
@@jeanpaulmichell7243 as I've understood, it's not uncommon to have a very relaxed and happy atmosphere on films as extreme as this one. Salo for instance, the vibe on set was so relaxed and laid back that the actors didn't even realise how far the film would go, sure they had to film a few horrible scenes but they planned it so that the actors didn't film them back to back. Some actors actually left during first screening because of how horrified they where
Ah a comfort, light hearted, coming of age, children’s movie 😍 truly heart warming
Yeah for degenerates.
🤣🤣🤣
😂 😂 😂
Agreed
Just watched it and it does comforting to me towards the end. 😊
If you've ever seen the version on dvd, it comes with an introduction from director Pascal Laugier basically apologizing for making the film lmao. It's the version I first watched back in 08, and showed all my friends. Not only does that introduction really prime the viewer for a terrifying next 2 hours, but i believe it sort of shows that he isnt nearly as nihilistic or calloused as the film might lead you to believe
What?? Ive seen this movie a few times but have never seen that intro lol. Would love to see it
which is ironic since Martyrs is somehow more optimistic than his follow ups lol
That reminds me of stuff done by Junji Ito. Reading any of his work, you'd think for sure he's this tortured soul, but whenever you see him in interviews, he's the most composed, sweet and kind man you'll lay eyes on.
Yep
stating that I couldn't believe that there was a director that actually thought it was ok to make such a horrific and disturbing movie that is why I put in my comment what was the director thinking wasn't depressed was it a fantasy like Jeffrey Dahmer what was his mental state but this has cleaner made a bit of sense
I’m glad that you finally reviewed this Disney classic that the whole family can enjoy:)
you got me... I laughed +1
At the end, the heartwarming message is that the real friends is the horrifying truth about the nature of our seemingly meaningless existence that we picked up along the way
I think this dude's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally.
Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made.
You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up!!!🙄
It's Not wholesome heartfelt story indeed
Disney is more into child exploitation and perversion.
Allegedly the director was going through a bout of severe depression, and wanted to convey the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness and horror that comes with it.
As someone who's battled major depression since 13, and as a life long horror fan, I think the guy nailed it. This film creates the feel and logic of that state of mind; the inability to escape the horror, since the horror is coming from yourself, and fighting it results in being dragged further down, to an even worse fate. Then you fall deeper still into the pit, thinking you've hit bottom...... Until THAT floor gives, and you fall yet again into a fresh new hell.
Jeez I went on a bit of a rant; point is this film is a masterpiece that connects with some; others should steer clear of it. Martyrs may just ruin your day.
Martyrs lets you sulk in misery and its oddly comforting
Sounds sad as hell. I hope the director is doing well
Fortunately, I've never suffered from clinical depression, but I've been depressed at certain points in my life like most people. So, I appreciate your insight. Be well!
You laid it out rather well. I haven't seen it, but I most likely will, maybe sometime this week. If the writer/director Pascal Laugier was going through a bout of severe depression when he made the film, it would seem that he was able to channel it to make what he may have crafted as a cautionary tale (total speculation on my part, having not seen it yet). It looks like they released an English-language version of the film, with an all new cast, eight years later in Jan 2016. Interestingly, Laugier apparently was attached to direct the recently released Hellraiser remake, but pulled out of the project. Hope you are well . . .
it helped to feel understood a little when i went through depression when i watched it back then for the first time
Martyrs is one of those rare films that actually understands and depicts despair. Not "oh, shit's really bad, but maybe we can pull out a win", but straight-up "our only concept of hope is a fond yet distant memory" despair. It takes a special type of horror film for me to acknowledge just how damn well it's made to the point where I can't in good conscience recommend it to everyone; the first time you have that inner-turmoil with yourself, you know you're watching a real cinema rarity.
It might be rare and it makes me think what was the directors mental state when making this movie and is it really good that we entertain it but I heard that he apologise for making this movie but I have to wonder is there real things like this hidden in the background in real life or even in Hollywood you have to think there's so many coats and agencies out there that do these type of things it's unreal and it reminds me of eyes wide shut I wonder
@@secreteobsession3584 this is the recurring thought in the back of my head. That this film is in some way, shape, or form a truth of something the director personally had become a part of and this film was created as a trauma response of some sort ?? No clue but I wonder...
@@ChamStar625 If that’s the case, the director would be represented by the family in the house that lived above it all. I do believe that stuff like this is happening. If you can think of something, it’s likely happening right now somewhere in the world. The scary thing is how easily someone with money and a lot of power could do something like this and never face consequences for it. We hear about trafficking all the time. Many people who are trafficked may end up like Lucie or Anna. Bleak stuff. Reality is always scarier than horror films. Better to not think about it.
@@_.-_Crimpy-_..-. Pascal confirms it in special features of the Martyrs bluray release that human trafficking was definitely a strong element, with that said. Most of the NFE films have all been inspired by events that happened in france around that time, Inside was supposed conceived as a film idea after one of the directors heard that close to fifty pregnant bodies were found over the course of two, all of them disemboweled and the womb removed, and Frontier(s) was made as a statement against the far that at the time was about to come into power in france. Art really does mirror reality sometimes, its why those kind of films scare me more than metaphysical horror films.
@@secreteobsession3584reminds me of Eyes Wide Shut".. exactly what i was thinking.
The ritualistic nature of it all.
Also notice how all the old rich people at the end congregate to celebrate 😂
Movies like these, and Kubrick's EWS maybe sly ways insiders are trying to tell us about the seriously weird excesses and interests of the jaded .1% and their efforts at achieving some kind of renewal / nirvana.
Given what we know today about, lets just say the extreme eccentricities and transgressions of the very privileged, a movie like this just makes you wonder if they aren't just outright mocking us 😂
Edit: the recurring motif of inflicting pain upon the young and working class, and using their dismay as some kind of outlet / high for the few is something that gets touched on quite often.
The ending elevated it beyond torture porn. Either she realised there was nothing after death so everything she did was pointless and she couldn't live with what she'd done. That or there was a a glorious afterlife and she wanted to get their quicker because age was terminal. Love how open ended it was
Tbh I think she was told something horrific and hope erasing so she just surrendered herself to whatever it is. Thats why she said keep doubting to the old fellas.
@@MrHiglon it can be but should could have died naturally enjoying her last few days of good wealthy life yk , Or it's something that's just very mere and nothingness that there's just void , absolutely nothing, so with that she lost every hope in after life and died thinking all this for nothing, another theory is that even the director don't know if there is afterlife so her death was very necessary in order to keep it logical and not something made up 🤷🏽♂️
As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
if the afterlife was glorious, why wouldn’t she tell the others? If the afterlife was nothingness, why did the director make it seem like Anna definitely saw something? If the afterlife was bad, why would she be in a hurry to get there? Tbh, i don’t think any of the endings make sense without it being a stretch, like Stuckmann said
@@ptsdsucks9069That theory is plausible but the movie never indicates that that’s what happened. It never remotely seems like Anna is plotting anything. It’s basically a head canon
I remember reading in an interview a while back the director saying something about being in a very dark and sad place in his life and in my opinion, it really shows.
I think this youtuber's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally.
Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made.
You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up people!!!🙄
@@pdcdesign9632 I think he had a pretty level headed approach to this review. also he didn't say that the meanings derived from this movie had to be positive, he said that he appreciates when he understands where the director is coming from.
@@pdcdesign9632 in a movie like that yes you have to put meaning if your movie has no meaning then it's a forgotten film or just one of those pop corn theme park movies
i mean why do you think the first chainsaw massacre movie is still the best one ? because it has alot of meanings and massages not some brainless slasher film that other slashers tried to copy and failed
@@pdcdesign9632 proof its religious upbringing or are you being biased?
He was frustrated with his life and with the movie industry, so he poured all that negativity into the script and into making of this movie what it is. Regardless of whether or not it was intentional, he created a masterpiece of this genre. And for that, I will always be grateful.
ironically, “people stretch to find meaning in the ending where it really feels like there isn’t” is basically the perfect ending for the themes of the film
Underrated comment
This is the only Horror movie that I’ve found myself randomly thinking about years after and being unsettled all over again just from thinking about it.
Really...you can't think of any others?
@@billriddle9215 Sounds like you have some suggestions. Feel free to share
I completely respect that people feel the way you do. But personally I will never entirely understand it, I just love dark films like this 🤷♂I find them entertaining and I don't think I can ever be truly upset by something like this, I just don't understand the mentality.
I watched this film again with my wife on our anniversary a few weeks ago and she thought it was really good too, She's not someone who watches messed up films like this but still she wasn't upset by it either, she just watched it, enjoyed it, the film finished, she had her dinner and went to bed.
I guess so many people just have so many different ways of processing things. As I said I entirely respect that everyone takes things differently but the idea of being disturbed by a movie, no matter how messed up it is.. is just not something my brain experiences lol.
it absolutely sticks with you.
"In a Glass Cage" belongs in same category. Its not as brutally violent, but its still pretty horrifying in same psychological way.
This film stayed with me forever. You can’t get it out of your head. The film has a purpose and leaves you breathless and questioning many things about life. It’s probably the finest film that relates so vividly to existential dread. It’s an endless loop of suffering and pain but the payoff is completely without precedent. One of the best films I’ve ever seen and can’t recommend it highly enough but be forewarned: it’s impossible to shake off or easily dismiss. It asks too many questions and answers none. You cannot “unsee” this movie
I saw Human Centipede (part 1 and 2) and that was disturbing enough… I’ve decided not to watch Serbian Film because they say it’s the most disturbing movie ever made and I already know of some scenes in it
But I’ve been trying to watch Martyrs without success, I tried watching it last week with my friend and he didn’t wanna watch it because it wasn’t in English. I’ve already seen alot of clips of it but I think I just need to watch the whole movie
@@nsasupporter7557 A Serbian Film probably isn't as bad as the Vomit Gore trilogy.
I watched this before A Serbian Film. The horror of this movie leaves you after watching A Serbian Fim. How do I get rid of the PTSD from A Serbian Film?
One of my top 5 favourite movies, absolutely love Martyrs. US Remake is pure garbage
I remember hearing about it years ago and gave it a chance. To this day I never forget the uneasiness of just sitting there in complete silence trying to come to grips with what I was watching. Just as the credits rolled, my neighbor let out a terrible scream. Thankfully it was just her dog getting too feisty, but that had me actually shook.
A critic who cares for the filmmaker's emotions while making the film.. only a true artist can empathize that way. Thanks for doing what you do, Chris.
Although people have told horrifying stories for ages around campfires not because they feel bad but because it's entertaining
As brutal as this film is, as hard as it is to watch, the ending makes it well worth it in my opinion. One of my favorite horror films.
Its a great movie. Never want to watch it again but its a great movie.
@@markwmosley never wanna watch it again😂😂😂 is it that bad? is it like on the level of hostile?
@@BigHeadUgly way worse, hostel is brutal but still feels like a movie. in hostel things are over the top when it comes to the brutality. this does not feel like a movie because of how brutal and realistic the violence it is. the torture in this film is so grueling to sit though. i would never watch it again, but the movie is a good movie.
Agreed
@@BigHeadUglyHostel was gay! It wasn’t even that extreme, at least Saw had a point
As brutal and gut wrenching as this movie is, its more than what appears on the surface. There is a lot to unpack and it leaves you thinking about a lot of things afterwards. It’s certainly not for everyone and it’s also not the type of movie I’d watch over and over but I think it’s worth watching.
I think this dude's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally.
Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made.
You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up!!!🙄
@@pdcdesign9632 “grow up” coming from a random stranger leaving a comment on RUclips to tell someone to grow up because they shared their opinion. Just because you have no friends doesn’t mean you need to be a prick 😊
@@pdcdesign9632 But makes sense since I know replying to your comment will stick you longer than I can imagine, but your sad life doesn’t effect me :3
yeah i have a lot of movies i’ve seen that are really really great but i definitely don’t need to see again, boys don’t cry being one of them. (i have watched requiem for a dream a few times though (and read the book) and i do think for many ppl it would be that type of movie. but i do feel ready to see it again soon)
This movie was boring. The repetitive abuse that she endures bored me. I was like, "Okay...now what?"
A french horror masterpiece! This movie left a huge impact on me when I first saw it. It's still one of my all time favorites.
that says alot about u
@@monkeforsure1973 yup. thanks. 😘
Agreed. Not one positive or happy scene. Whole movie is very dark and depressing.
@@monkeforsure1973it’s a movie… relax
To put it mildly, the movie is interesting, but I would not watch it again or list it among my favorites. Although a cliffhanger, the conclusion was still interesting.
Laugier has said in interviews that he wrote the film during a mental health breakdown and that’s how the movie speaks to me. Of the pain, the rawness and the fact that you have to go deeper into the basement of your mind in order to climb out of the other side. That’s my take on it as someone who has had a few MH breakdowns and spent time on a MH ward.
So the ending of the film where the martyr finally accepts her torture means that she represents how a person can just accept their role in life? I’m trying to find the deeper meaning in the film, why not reveal the last words she had said to the Mademoiselle? Maybe it means there’s no other side even if you resign yourself to your fate?
@@whitedragoness23 There is a love story at the heart of this tragedy. Anna’s self sacrifice for her deep bond and love for Lucie is what put her in this situation.
I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
@@ptsdsucks9069 I do believe there is a love story between anna and Lucie, I did question why did Anna do so much for lucie. She did kill a while family and that was before anna was able to confirm it was a conspiracy to torture women for the after life. I think Anna was in love with lucie. It’s hard to tell if lucie felt the same way because she was tormented from her torture and wanted to be free.
I debate all the endings and each one seems to make sense. I can definitely see your theory being a strong candidate because like you said Anna could get her revenge by tricking the madame with her own obsession
@@whitedragoness23 I think Lucie felt more of a sisterly love for Anna, whereas Anna wanted to be a couple. As disturbing as this movie is, it is deeply tragic and sad.
The thing that made this movie a heavy impact for me was how the character Anna was treated during the film. I genuinely felt deeply sad for her and literally cried throughout the last 30 minutes.
First time I saw it, the last 30 minutes made me ALMOST turn the movie off, it was so intensely upsetting. But I HAD to see what happened next, I was deeply interested in Anna's fate, and the film's writing is so well done I soldiered on to the end and I'm glad I did. Martyrs is a genuinely crazy-ass experience.
@@jeanpaulmichell7243 exactly, It was difficult to look away from because of the curiosity on what her resolution would be, it was a pretty interesting ending I gotta say, just very depressing.
That close up shot of Anna’s eye as she witnesses “life after death” was kind of beautiful in a weird way, It sort of feels like that one scene from Uncut Gems when Adam Sandler’s character dies from the gunshot wound on cheek. It does the same exact shot.
@@jeanpaulmichell7243I felt exactly the same way. The film left me feeling so anguished for Anna. She sacrificed herself for her love of Lucie.
@@juanguillen9409adam sandler sucks, always has
My all time favorite horror movie. Has everything. Gore. Scares. Story. Action. Deep themes. Meanings. Metaphors. All of it.
It has all horror elements, all in one
And hot chicks
. . . and completely devoid of hope.
Indeed a masterpiece, but I wouldn’t really call it a horror movie as much as it is misery porn!
sorry, this movie is dog shit and pretentious
The ending is just spectacular. Martyrdom, according to the movie, is almost impossible of a thing to attain. The word is often misconstrued, shallow and understated, but this film is specific on informing us just how rare and how valuable a true martyr may actually be.
The question is, how much does a sing human being have of themselves to give away, or on the contrary...to be taken? How much flesh blood and tears, how much of mind, body and soul, of the human spirit can be given? How much can be decimated? Encompassing all these human elements into a single form, what are we left with when reduced to our lowest common denominator? The smashing of a human atom into a single human particle?? Then once we have our hands firmly grasped on that, how far can we take that particle? How far past the sun, and beyond the last original place does it go and where the hell on earth does that lead us?
Movie is brutal. But not as brutal as the lack of knowledge humans have about themselves.
There is a love story at the heart of this tragedy. Anna’s self sacrifice for her deep bond and love for Lucie is what put her in this situation.
I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
wow what a comment, especially the last part. The movie felt very reflective along side disturibing and extremely hopeless. Fascinating.
Every year I look forward to spending Halloween with this man. I salute you, Chris! Happy 10 years!
"Martyrs"(2008) is an excellent psychological horror movie! The last part of the movie was enigmatic and very creepy!
When I tell people I like horror movies they automatically assume I enjoy popular slasher franchises or jump scare horror (which can be good and have their place) but I find I need to specify that Martyrs is the perfect example of what I want to see in a horror film. It checks every box for me!!
this was truly a masterpiece with so many symbolic meanings and i think seeing and feeling all hope is actually gone is hard to come by in most movies, not this one. the raw emotions and the true martyr is so rare to find, this movie sends shivers down my back and i only have brought myself to watch it once.
"Trying to inject meaning where there's none" is a quote that fits the point of this movie kind of. I love it at least, but I don't really recommend it to people unless I know they want to watch something truly unsettling.
Btw I love that you're wearing a Hellraiser shirt because they're quite similar in a lot of ways. I would love one of these french directors to make a Hellraiser movie because I feel they could do it justice.
I feel like Hellraiser is franchise whose popularity lies more in its potential than what the movies actually are.
Martyrs director Pascal Laugier was once associated with the Hellraiser remake, but he left for unknown reasons. Some say his script was turned down by the Weinsteins because it was not marketable.
@@76BitchSlap yeah the weinsteins bounced laugier when he wanted to really lean into the gay s&m angle. Presumably if it would have been about female s&m harvey would have been fully on board
I watched this gem in the Sitges Fantastic Film Festival that year, and I remember coming out from that screening and going directly to the queue to watch the next movie and I noticed my armas, my legs... felt so numb. It was incredible. All my muscles were tense during more than 90 minutes during that disturbing movie and affected me physically. Love Martyrs.
And I could also watch other extreme French horror hits in that festival years before, such as Al Intherieur or Frontiere(s).
honestly Chris, I salute you for being an honest person when giving reviews and being in tune with the intent of the creator and that impact on you
This is one of my favorite horror movies and I still don't know if I'll be able to watch it a third time. But the themes of terrible loss mean so much to me, as I saw it at a time when I'd been in a worse depression and having trouble shaking existential bullshit. You can feel the heart in it. One of the only horror movies that have made me cry, and heartbreak is one of the most real horrors. SO COOL to see you review this, thank you. (I just showed it to my parents) I'm pretty sure you haven't already (sorry if you have), but I would also love to hear what you have to say about Eli Roth's HOSTEL, THE torture porn movie that is NOT torture porn and has a really interesting, layered plot and a classic structure and twists (and it's not NEARLY as explicit as it's made out to be‐-it actually hardly shows any torture and leans on editing, sound, the performances) I think it deserves way more credit than just being "that fucked up torture porn movie about torture porn." Not saying it's perfect but man if people weren't so turned off by it because of the reputation I think they'd really like it. For the record I did watch this simply to overcome a fear of a gross movie I thought was going to be boring torture porn, and was surprised at how much I enjoyed the movie. it became an instant favorite of mine. The score by Nathan Barr is also simply EXCELLENT, like Bernard Hermann's scores for Psycho and Vertigo. Like this shit is bangin. (the movie also feels very Hitchcockian in ways and is pretty much a more fucked up Psycho set in Europe)
Really hope French Extremity is revived, disturbing but incredible films that are quite rare within the genre and not seen in Hollywood horror. High Tension and Martrys are A+++
High Tension was sooooo good. Those movies were all really fantastic and really felt like they had something to them besides violence. You could classify them as torture porn, but they were "elevated" from the schlockiness that the subgenre was infamous for.
Frontiers another one
Let's not forget Inside...
High Tension makes no sense though. Like the literal twists ruin the entire film because there's no logic that can explain it.
I'm French, I can tell you this is VERY hard to get these kind of films made, because there are very few producers willing to put some money in them. It has to do with the way films are financed and distributed here. It's a real shame because all of us genre fan are a bit forgotten in France.
There's something about this film that makes it disturbing even outside of the gore. There's a scene where the main character gets beat up by a hulking man and she's so done by that point that she doesn't even fight back. There had been way gorier scenes earlier in the movie, this was actually quite tame by comparison. But that was the point where my brother got up and almost left the room because it was too much. It makes you feel so helpless and upset.
Yes, those scenes of the big man beating Anna relentlessly on almost a daily basis really made me feel sick to my stomach. Even when she was unconscious he would either wake her up for more or just continue while unconscious. Dominantly in her face made it even more brutal. Made me cry.
Best blind buy I've ever purchased. I will thank the dude working at Sunrise who picked this out when I was having a scary movie night with people who had "seen everything". Best blind watch too, it's brutally fantastic. Best part is the back of the DVD made it seem like the film was only about the revenge portion.
Also, on one of the copies I have there is an introduction by the Director, he basically apologizes for anyone about to watch the movie
Which version had the intro? I rebought it on Blu-ray and eventually sold off my old dvds of it (had both the R cut and uncut versions, I regret not just keeping them), but I can't remember if either had that intro.
@@polygon.fiction6514 the Cover with the intro wasn't the normal dvd with the Black cover with the leads. The version that has the intro is the "unrated" cover it has someone all bloody creeping out from behind a bathtub
@@smithsb Yep, that was one I used to have. Wish I had kept both, even though I have it on Blu-ray... twice. Haha (CA and UK blu-ray)
This movie is one of those that should NEVER had been remade! The way it was shot, acted and it’s theme is one that is not for the faint of heart yes! It has so many possible subjects that could be concluded from it. The one thing I will say is this! I have watched Marty’s several times now and it is one of my top films of all times. The cinematographer, theme and acting is brilliant. It’s not for everyone yes! However it does what a good film is supposed to do. It makes you think. It’s real and raw and the anguish and pain is so tangible you can taste it. It’s a hard movie to watch but oh does it make you think!!!
@Hayley Johnson. Yes!
The remake's awful.
@@War624 it was a travesty and the people who did it should be arrested! They destroyed the whole concept and reason why this movie was even done in the first place.
@@hayleyjohnson9505 - Indeed, it was such a random, not even publicized remake... and it removed the ending's ambiguity, making it clear that what the last girl (don't remember her American name) speaks words that makes anyone listening immediately go mad and suicidal, like some Lovecraftian stuff.
I doubt the remake's writers asked the original writer for more insight, it was probably their interpretation.
But anyway, that remake really went under the radar when it came out, even as a fan of the original movie and horror films in general, it took me a while to learn that there was an American remake that made zero noise that came out.
@@hayleyjohnson9505 The Inside remake was also terrible.
Martyrs and Irreversible stood out to me as really messed up back in the day. But, yes Martyrs definitely initiated more conversation. It's violent, but A+. But not the kind of A+ you can repeatedly watch.
Irreversible messed me up for like a month after watching it. I actually felt disgusted with myself after viewing it.
2 of my all-time favourite movies - they definitely stay with you.
À l'intérieur (Inside) is another good one from the 'new french extremity'. Also, I Saw the Devil fits the bill of being a crazy experience, yet something you'll reconsider before watching again.
@@Punishment_for_Decadence If anyone's wondering, it's the 2007 one, not the 2016 awful remake
It’s arguably my favorite horror movie of all time but I’ve only seen it once.
This movie really is one of the most brutal movies of all time the ending just makes you feel defeated no movie has been that hard to watch for me
That’s French horror for you just cruelty and no happy ending 😁
I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
One of my favorite horror movies. Such a disturbing, vicious film. In my opinion, it's a masterpiece.
One of the few movies that actually had me yelling expletives at the screen.
Every time you think the movie can't possibly get any worse, it does.
I watched Martyrs for the first time a week ago. There is nothing else quite like it: a film where the ending is so uniquely and unsettlingly apocalyptic. Not much impacts me these days due to how much I have experienced, but the ending for Martyrs is fascinating and something I will remember for a long time.
I am 40 years old, i've watched almost every horror film known to man.
Martyrs is, for me, in contention for best horror film ever made. Yes, it sounds heavy, but it seriously deserves to be part of the conversation.
Very disturbing,but i appreciate the end and how it gave a bit of purpose for the gore and that the film isnt just shock value
Agreed!
It's a great film. Not for everyone obviously, but movies like this deserve way more attention than things like Saw and Hostel
@@retardedvaxxedliberal I thought it could've been executed better cuz I found myself pretty bored throughout.
I think this youtuber's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally.
Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made.
You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up people!!!🙄
@@LuigiBull33 maybe you have attention issues because i was not bored at all.
I love that you said people don’t have to watch something just because it’s infamous. Sometimes I feel like I’m missing out on these “big” experiences but I also know that movies can be really powerful and I don’t wanna like, throw up
It's really rough, and it's really gory, but it does some really thought provoking things as well. All the best films do, and make no mistake, this film will stick with you. I'd suggest it only if you want something you will think about for quite a while afterwards, but I'd suggest going into it with an empty stomach, and certainly not a good watch if you're depressed.
I like to describe Martyrs as what it feels like to speedrun a severe depressive episode. I have a very weird relationship with this movie cause I watched it at like 1 in the morning one night when I was in a very, very bad headspace, and while it did make me realize that maybe I don't want to act on my bad thoughts, it left me in a fugue state for a week because it was seared into my memory. 10/10 I will never recommend it to anyone and it will be a long time before I can watch it again.
I've always thought of Martyrs as a movie that you should see once, but not twice.
My best friend Nick Mullen is constantly in a fugue state
A phenomenal work that I highly recommend to anyone with the fortitude to endure a thought-provoking yet deeply disturbing experience. Also, worth pointing out since they strangely received no mention, Mylene and Morjana deliver devastating and powerful performances.
Yes, their incredibly intense acting is what made this masterpiece work, in my opinion.
Finally you reviewed this! Martyrs is one of the best horror movies in my opinion.
There is a love story at the heart of this tragedy. Anna’s self sacrifice for her deep bond and love for Lucie is what put her in this situation.
I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
Just saw this movie, had this thought, and have been scrolling, looking for someone who shares it.
I think she definitely got retribution. No matter what she told Mademoiselle, it worked.
@@johnwatters3431 absolutely! She had the final say in this horrific tragedy.
I agree; I think Ana said something like that. My thought was "I see paradise, but no one who hears what I say about it will ever see it." Mademoiselle knows she can't resist the urge to ask for the details, so she ends it, and tells the others to stop.
When I watched it I had to take a few breaks from it. I went to the garden and looked up at the blue sky and the green grass. When the film ended I took a shower and I went to the garden one more time. Then I dressed up and left the house. No other movie has ever had such an effect on me. What an experience.
Took me three days to finish and i also went outside for some fresh air
This sounds like torture lol. Why put yourself through that? I kinda wanna watch it but comments like this got me not wanting to.
@@sclay757 It's Very Brutal and Bleak I thought about it as well why did I put myself through it but it's kind a rare thing for a movie to stay with you for days like it was a experience not many horror films can give you. Don't watch it if you are curious. Watch SPEAK No Evil 2022 if you want something lite but still Good horror
@@gutsthestruggler3052 you said don't watch it if you are curious then when should you watch it? And if you had it to do all over again would you not watch it or still watch it?
@@sclay757 I am Never going to watch it I try to watch it again like a decade ago but it was to much anxiety for me
This had so much hype back in 08. I remember very clearly. Yet I live in Australia and it never got a theatrical release.
Maybe a year later I was in my local BLOCKBUSTER store and there it was.
Have never gotten back home so quickly to then immediately play a movie ever.
It kicked my ass but still really appreciated it.
In between 2009 and 2022 you couldn't find a copy anywhere for less than $60.
This year Umbrella Entertainment Poduction Company have re-released Martyrs nationwide with a beautiful glossy slipcase special edition with all the special features and on bluray for $35.
Bought it and waiting until Halloween night to throw it on. 🤘
Just bought the slip gloss on bluray today for $35! What a coincidence
I have the exact same feelings towards Eden Lake. It's one of the few horror films that I've struggled watching because it is that brutal of a viewing experience.
Eden Lake's ending is disturbing but not for what happens but for what we know it is going to happen. When it ended I felt really really sad.
@@spupydo Couldn't have explained it better myself! Well done! We didn't have to see what was going to happen because we all knew deep down what was going to happen. I don't think an ending has quite left me feeling that depressed. I had to put something else on straight after because I didn't want to go to sleep with that movie, and it's ending being fresh on my mind. To this day, I've struggled to rewatch it because I just can't bring myself to sit through it again, even if I watch it with someone the next time around. Oddly enough, I've seen plenty of RUclipsrs highly recommending it and enjoying it, and I'm still baffled as to why!
Yeah that keeped me up for a week. My fantasy just filled in what happened at the end and it disgusted me
Agree, that film was a one-time-only watch for me... You just want to grab those kids and beat the crap out of them...!
Very interesting film. I found the first act pretty silly (Fassbender’s character was rather stupid) but I enjoyed the second act, and expected a third similar to Ready or Not or You’re Next.
Nope.
This is perhaps my favorite horror film and think your review is a fair one.
The extreme genre certainly isn't for everyone but if you have to watch only one of the latest shock movies - this is the one to see. It is so much more than just shock.
It is the masterpiece of the genre.
I watched this a few years after it came out and to this day it still sits deeply in the back of my mind.
Glad this film is finally getting coverage! What an underrated horror film. Brutal story.
Definitely one of the best horror films I’ve seen. Glad to see the new Hellraiser showed some glimmers of it especially around the end. We don’t often get horror movies that explore layers of pain and it’s transcendental power like this.
The director of martyrs, pascal laugier, was going to do the hellraiser reboot one time. But apparently,, the studio said his vision was too much. Now that, I would,due loved to have happened.
@@cobrakaicyberdon could you imagine how amazing that movie would have been...
@@ThePatank yes. I would have loved to have seen that happen. But "they" [studio heads] were scared of it. I personally think, he would have done it how it should have been done. A hellraiser film, by pascal laugier is a match made in heaven/hell. 🤔🎯🎯🎯
@@ThePatank better than the one we got.
In my opinion, the big question/theme behind Martyrs is extremely simple, and to me in a very genius way.
Without spoiling anything, the film simply asks "how far are we willing to go to learn the meaning of life & what may come after death". A simple question that does truly bring lots of meaning to a very brutal and upsetting film.
More like how willing are you to force someone else to go.
@@InfernusdomniAZ ;^) 😉
I really appreciate your closing point about not bowing to the pressure of watching every “extreme” gratuitously, sadistic violent film. I’ve seen my share and although Martyrs is undoubtedly an important film, I haven’t dared myself to watch it. There are certain headspaces that people who try to appreciate certain kinds of art have to go to in order to understand it. It can be unpleasant and very difficult to unsee. One of the last films I saw in that category was Salo, and while it is undoubtedly a significant film; I never want to see it again.
“Enjoyment is not something what I feel when I watch this movie” - makes me watch it even more
I think this youtuber's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally.
Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made.
You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up people!!!🙄
I “endured” Martyrs when it came out. It’s amazing, brilliant and horrifying. Once was enough. Infuriating ending.
I've seen it twice, and as a lover of quality horror, have been debating whether to 'endure' it once more or pass. Want to show my partner to give her an idea of what my head-space was like, at least symbolically; but I don't think that it would be fair to her, as I would be making her feel very unpleasant emotions partly for the sake of my own catharsis (the last twenty minutes in particular are painful to see).
Either way, Martyrs is one hell of an experience.
@@jeanpaulmichell7243 what did she whisper into the old crone’s ear??
@@niallmartin9063 that's the question, isn't it?
My interpretation is that she told Mademoiselle what lay on the other side, and whatever it was made the old woman hastily off herself. I have no hard take on it, it could have been 'nothing', or some fantastical afterlife with either rewards for Mademoiselle and her group, or some kind of hell, I honestly should rewatch it and look for details but, man I don't feel like going through that just now lol.
@@niallmartin9063 that’s the thing, we don’t know.
@@niallmartin9063 There is a love story at the heart of this tragedy. Anna’s self sacrifice for her deep bond and love for Lucie is what put her in this situation.
I felt that Anna got retribution in the end before her death. As to the ending, my theory is this; Anna tells the old lady that Yes, there is a beautiful afterlife, and it is yours. But with only one contingency, you embrace it now and you cannot tell another living soul. Which is all a ploy for revenge.
I am loving me some stuckman reviews during this spooky season, can't wait to see your movie!
I finished watching the movie martyrs a few minutes ago. I just want to describe the wonderful feeling I'm experiencing right now!
Right now I just want to kiss my family, smile at my neighbors and play with my dog....
It's amazing how such a disturbing film can make us see our real world more beautifully.
I think that's the real importance of movies like this. Martyrs is a masterpiece in all the forms of art!
Requiem for a dream is another movie that gives you those same feels. Seeing the dismal situations can make the mundane beautiful.
If you were bother by this film (Joker), You will never get through Martyrs- Chris Stuckmann in 2019
Chris mentioned, that creator of 'Martyrs' pretty nihilistic guy. As fan of Pascal Laugier, i would recommend his movie 'Ghostland' (2017). It's dark, unsettling, extreme, but have strong optimism and life-affirming values in it's core, makes you feel deep empathy to characters and that there's always light even in the darkest places. Also great Mylene Farmer starring in this movie!
I grew up a Witness also. When I watched Martyrs, I was blown away, because this movie is about curiosity. Especially DARK curiosity. And the ending, to me, was a statement about each one of us and our own dark curiosity. I haven't seen any movie that made me sit and think like this one, especially about how so many atrocities, THAT GOOD PEOPLE ALLOWED, were because of curiosity. And this movie puts you in a distinct position, by putting you through such dark scenes that you don't want to watch, but if you stick it out, it was because YOU were curious. And what kind of person does that ultimately make you? It's important, because this is "Just a movie". But it changed how I view certain things in life now. It's powerful.
It’s not about curiosity though.
@@nickl9317 spoilers: the whole thing was setup by a group curious about the afterlife. The reason to watch all the torture was because we find out about the martyr search, and now we want to know too. The sting at the end is that the head woman in the turban hears what was seen by the martyr, but kills herself before letting anyone else know. Thus robbing the others, and the viewer of having their curiosity satisfied.
I appreciate how your mind interprets things. 👏
Martyrs is genuinely great filmmaking...it's just in the service of some disturbing content. It reminds me of Salo in that regard. There is no shortage of disturbing movies which are poorly done, made by people who don't know what they are doing or care about what they are doing. Something like Martyrs is very rare. It's at the highest levels of art for the gorehounds. And we know who we are.
This movie is so crazy I'm glad you reviewed it. It's one of my favorite horror movie of all time it's in my 10
This is the best movie to break up to. Not watch after a breakup. But to watch it with someone who hasn’t seen it and then breaks up with you. I’ve seen it almost 3 times.
Martrys blew my mind. Yes, it's horrific, but as Stuckmann says there's meaning behind the horror. The ending is surprising and brilliant. Also Mylene Jampanoi has the most captivating eyes!
Martyrs is an excellent, underrated gem. Thank you for highlighting it.
Underrated? It's got a pretty big rep amongst horror fans.
@@Psyteth Agreed that anyone with even a cursory awareness of the horror genre will be hip to it, but Chris has a ton of general movie fans, young and old, who will find out about this movie today, which is pretty great.
My favourite film. The first time I watched it was when it was originally released on DVD, I was having a glass of wine. As the movie progressed, a second glass of wine was most needed. By the time the third act started, I had to pause the film and get outside for some fresh air - not because of the violence and gore, but because of the absolute dismal nihilistic atmosphere. It hits hard. After some fresh air I continued, and boy, oh boy, IT'S EVEN MORE DIRE!!!! The emotional impact this film has every time I watch elevates it to a rare station that almost no other has had on me. My favorite film. And we can talk about the content from here to eternity, but even technically it's an expertly crafted film!
I watched this for the first time two weeks ago, glad you reviewed it, it's definitely right up there in terms of the sickest, and I too looked into ending meanings, it's one of my top horror movies now, along with Babadook and Mama
I literally have the same feelings like Chris did with Martyrs but I have with The Golden Glove. It's about Notorious Serial Killer Fritz Honka and his murders, it's such a depressing, sad, nasty, disturbing and gritty portrait of this man! I personally thought it was a good film even tho I just wish it ended sooner! It was just too depressing for me and just too much at times!
I had the complete opposite reaction to The Exorcist and it's reputation, it actively hurt my first watch. The marketing and legend of The Exorcist during my life was that it was the scariest movie ever made and when I first watched it as a teen my reaction was "that's it?". I thought it was fine but it hardly lived up to it's legendary reputation, even found it kind of goofy at points. It wasn't until I rewatched it years later, knowing what to expect, that I truly appreciated it.
The whole point of the movie is about how we find beauty and meaning in even the bleakest most hopeless situations. That alone proves to me that Laugier is not a nihilist
A masterpiece that stayed with me for months.
My favorite horror movie of all time! It's crazy to think things like that really happens in real life, that's why i liked this movie, it seems very real. Thank you for the review, Chris. From a brazillian fan (so, forgive my english, i am not fluent).
Yess finally I have been waiting for this one. What a breath of fresh air Martyrs was! One of my favorite horrors and it got me into the New French Extremity genre!
It's basically the exact opposite of a breath of fresh air lmao
I still remember scenes from it 10 years later after watching it as a teen. Such a disturbing movie. It sucks you in, it's horrifying but you cannot look away. I wish I had waited to watch it as an adult to understand it better, I don't think I'd be able to watch it twice.
Incredible film.
The end is the best part and makes sense to me. The end takes what's just a messed up film into something more thought-provoking.
How do you interpret the ending?
@@yourmove267 Obviously I'll preface this with the ending is ambiguous so it's what you make of it.
*SPOILERS for anyone else reading*
IMO, I think it's pretty clear she was told that there is nothing after death. That's why she kills herself. She's realised her life's work: all the murder and torture has been for nothing. And that's why she doesn't tell her co-conspirators too. She leaves them with an ignorance is bliss kinda thing.
If instead she was told that the *was* an afterlife, surely she'd tell everyone first? It feels weird to me if she found out it was awesome and she was like "f*ck it, I'll keep it to myself." That's why I don't subscribe to that theory but it's a valid, and just as popular one nevertheless.
@@frenchbaguetteoui just tu add to your opinion about the ending, it could also mean that she felt she deserved to die for what she did. Doing so, without telling them what she found out, could convince them to do the same, as they all deserved to die for what they did.
@@frenchbaguetteoui thanks, now i don’t need to watch this movie. Also, what a lame/obvious message
@@Lucas-cz5to Well the message is open to interpretation and also everything is lame when it's out of context. Go be dumb somewhere else.
could we get a follow up to this video? maybe a spoiler one? would love to see what your thoughts are on the details of the ending and overall themes.
I still cant get this movie out of my head and i watched it years ago... 😵💫
I love what Chris said about not needing to see something because of it’s content. Violence is like nudity, language, drug use, or anything else the MPAA uses to rate something: I’m fine with it as long as there is a narrative purpose for it.
Man the mid to late 2000s really had so many horror gems didn't it? I can easily think of a handful off the top of my head that I loved so much. Midnight meat train, Dread, Books of Blood, (yes all Clive barker adaptations), lake Mungo, VHS 1, triangle, gravedancers, I spit on your grave, drag me to hell, the orphanage, pans labyrinth, a Serbian film, high tension, and I'm not even scratching the surface the list goes on and on. With that being said, was there an alternate ending to Martyrs? Because what I got from the ending was pretty straight forward. SPOILERS 👇👇👇
They tried and tried AND TRIED lol to torture this woman and make her suffer so much so to the point of barely clinging onto life so that they could test her to see if there was anything after life. And in the end, I forget specifically how, but they're about to definitively gather that their efforts as a society are in vain and that it was all for nothing because they found out that no there really is nothing after death (horrible value to take from a work of fiction, but fiction nonetheless), so the head of the organization after discovering this blows her head off because of all the guilt she felt. Either that or because she knew she wouldn't have to endure being judged in the end and that her overall suffering in this life could end without consequence. Am I wrong with this take on the movie?
A Serbian film is not horror, it’s just exploitative
The person goes into the basement because she must assume it's probably her only chance to find proof a certain other person that matters to her a lot was telling the truth about a matter of some consequence to both of them. She has damn good reasons to go.
this is an absolute classic, hard recommend to horror fans.
What a great review! I can relate so much, because I have been scared of this film for years - only, I haven't even seen it yet.
That's why I would love to see you review The Human Centipede. A film, I had the same feeling about until I finally mustered up the courage and watched it the other day. That was such an unsettling experience, because the film was absolutely different from what I expected. Still, it shocked me down to my core. What made it even more disturbing was that it did so for all the reasons I was NOT expecting.I went through all the exact emotions you describe in this review.
You're not meant to enjoy the movie, it's an experience you just don't forget
I think this youtuber's religious upbringing is still torturing him internally.
Martyrs is so good because it's extreme but VERY INTERESTING and well made.
You don't have to put a positive "meaning" in everything you watch, Grow up people!!!🙄
@@pdcdesign9632 or maybe some people just don't want to see extreme gore inflicted on people? lol
@PDC design
You can be religious and watch horror. It’s not exclusive
My brother and I watched this a few days ago. He had heard of it,but I hadn't. And he didn't tell me a thing about it. Honestly I loved the movie even though I was quite disturbed by it.
Yes this and 120 Days of Salo have made me understand how f-ed up the human imagination can be sometimes. After this I immediately watched The Lego Movie to cope
Salo is based on actual events. You think creativity is the darkest we can get?
I’m so glad you finally talked about this movie! I watched this a few years back and it still lingers in my mind to this day
The problem with disturbing films like these is that despite their messages and symbolism having actual purpose and the violence being part of that messaging, the imagery that you see completely overshadows every kind of message you can deliver because that’s all you remember after watching it.
Hit the nail on the head.
I remember being angry when I finished watching this movie, angry that I watched it, and that the person I watched with expected me to be disturbed, they were confused about my reaction. I was just angry at the gross abuse I saw, guess that's better than nightmares.
I think it's with this particular movie when I understood what nihilism truly was, how it affected me and why is not my thing.
I read that the director got out of the dark place that was festering in him when this movie was made, and I'm glad about that.
I remember when I first watch this movie with my friends we where eating Wendys cuz we think “nah it’s not gonna be that bad!” We though we had seen everything and we where proud to be not repulsed by any horror movie and we where capable of seating through anything. So when we put this shit on one by one we all stop eating at certain points during the movie until eventually nobody was eating and we where all “WTF” looking back on the experience it was pretty funny 😂
6:21 100% agree with this assessment. I've seen some really *great* theories about the ending - ALL of them read like AU fanfiction. Narratively, I think it's missing something important in order to either have hidden information OR be truly ambiguous, but as it is, it's not quite either. Fascinating film, though
It’s a fucking masterpiece.
One of my favorite horror movies ever. New French extremity horror is where it is !!!
''Martyrs'' is the most popular one for sure, ''Inside'' is great... I like ''High tension'' too (despite the plot hole)
first time saw this: deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, saw this with two other guys. we talked about it for at least an hour after watching it and then several more times in the following weeks.
second time watching: a month ago with my wife. she had a very similar reaction that we had when I first saw it.
for me though the second time watching it, it really wasn't as bad as I remembered. I watched it this time with a more analytical mind and noticed that they show a lot less than you might realize. the sounds are what make it so much more brutal.
I love the thought provoking topics it tackles. when I tell people about this movie, I am very careful not to recommend it to just anyone because it is a very tough movie to get through, especially the first time.
OEF 10-11 was definetly the most appropriate time to watch something like this, to think of someone else in a more f'd up situation than our own in a way is a bit of cathartic relief.
Dark Horse?
It's a great film and one of the few movies that are REAL Horror , I started watching Horror at age 9 and by the time I was 16 I had seen it all , Horror just didn't shock or Scare me after that and movies like Martyrs actually give you that feeling you got when being a young teen watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the first time.
All the supernatural, Jump Scare , possessed dolls crap does Nothing for me , we need more filmmakers pushing the boundaries.
I don't really get the idea of being confused by the ending.. the old lady was told what it was really like after death and she was either enlightened and happy about it or she was so terrified by what she was told. And she wanted to give up early to get to that afterlife, whatever it is. Without telling her peers what it truly is.
Makes sense enough for me..
I love this film, don't hate the remake either. On our anniversary recently I showed my wife the film and she thought it was great too!
Seen it.Made by a genius
i usually don’t get creeped out or scared of movies,remembee preordering the canadian blu ray back in the day and excited to get this in the mail. popped the blu ray in the drive….took me no lie 3 days to finish this movie it was just to much to take in for one sitting. it’s one of the few films that really sticks to you and you still can recall every single disturbing detail in it years later.it’s a masterpiece for sure but not one you will revist often
It's arguably the best horror movie ever made.
I think it’s one of the most effective horror films ever made and that it’s good, but a lot of people won’t be able to look past the brutality, and that’s okay.