Comments on: Film review: Martyrs

By: Horror Reanimated… the home of Bloody Books » The Dark Playground: Fear - Issue 2

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:25:05 +0000

[...] I do hold out great hopes for the Hellraiser remake, seeing as it’s gone to the director of Martyrs, Pascal Laugier). But it’s nice to be able to comment upon them knowing what’s gone [...]

By: Fear - Issue 2 : {THE GREAT WHITE SPACE}

Fear - Issue 2 : {THE GREAT WHITE SPACE} — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:05:28 +0000

By: themadblonde

themadblonde — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:18:50 +0000

Hey, I remembered to come back. Eventually.

I did see part of “Descent.” Things, particularly images, tend to stick in my brain in extremely unhealthy ways, so I’m a bit of a coward & beg my husband “vet” a lot of films for me. He told me that I was NOT to watch the entire movie, but did show me a few scenes from it. Even from what I saw, & certainly from what he saw, we agreed that it was definitely of the “salivating” school. I can see something being more controversial, but if it’s more deliberate in its violence than that, I have no use for it.

By: Mathew F. Riley

Mathew F. Riley — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:38:03 +0000

Yes, in a way such an approach does attempt to justify why stories like ‘Martyrs’ are told, and films like this made, and it’s how they get away with making them I suppose. For me, it’s not a movie that I’d enjoy on that level – or any movie come to that – I didn’t get the impression they were trying to titillate the viewer if I’m honest – however unfortunately I expect there are people out there who will probably enjoy it for absolutely the wrong reasons.

There are definite horror elements to ‘Martyrs’ that are just downright terrifying – the haunting of one of the main characters for example – albeit an extremely violent and physical haunting – and very similar to the action in ‘The Descent’ (if you’ve seen that film), but these elements are less controversial because they’re two-sided, rather than the torture depicted in ‘Martyrs’.

Mathew

By: themadblonde

themadblonde — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:19:59 +0000

Never seen it, WOULD never see it, but… doesn’t giving the torture a purpose attempt to justify SHOWING it? That’s the excuse Hollywood has given for years for showing violence, particularly toward women. “No, really, we’re not trying to titilate with this. It’s just illustrating how much danger she’s in.” Uh-huh.

I will try to remember to check back in case you have a response, but I honestly have the memory of a seive these days.