6/7/2010
Back in the late 1950s and early 60’s one of the biggest film movements in the history of cinema started with the French new wave. A group of innovative and creative filmmakers like Godard, Truffaut, Rohmer and many others that changed the way films can be made. Now in the present, the French seem to have done it again with horror. “High Tension”, “Frontier(s)”, “Inside” and “Martyrs” are all extremely brutal, unrelenting journeys into the deepest depths of depravity. All are extremely well made and make the horror world stand up and take notice.
I will review all four of these films in the coming weeks with the first one being “Frontier(s). This film starts out in Paris as political protests and riots consume the city. A group of young activists (three guys, one girl) gets in over there heads. After a robbery, they get into a shootout with the police and take down an officer. They split up as one of these guys is also shot. They head for the country and plan to eventually hideout in Amsterdam. The rest of the story is a mix of “Hostel” and Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. This movie is a prime example of what is now called “torture porn”. It’s an orgy of gore, sadism and downright nastiness that for a horror fanatic like myself eat it up like a cannibal to a human liver.
This is not a cheap movie that was haphazardly slapped together. Writer/director Xavier Gens has crafted a multi-layered story with political and social commentary. The group of young radicals, who also happen to be Muslim, stop off at a hostel in the French countryside only to find it being run by a group and murderous cannibal, who are lead by a former Nazi. I know it sounds a little like a cheap B movie but Gens pulls it off. I’m not saying this movie is not without its flaws, but it is still a very intense ride.
The DVD leaves a little something to be desired as there are no special features of any kind, just the film. Yes, it is subtitled, but hey get over it. Don’t limit yourself, add Frontier(s) to your Netflix Queue today!