Review: Martyrs

Dir. Pascal Laugier (2008)

The first thing you should know is that there are two Martyrs films, both have the same title and one is a remake. The original came out in 2008 and the remake in 2015. I’m reviewing the original 2008 film because the remake isn’t even worth discussing. Seriously, avoid it at all costs. Not only does it MAJORLY spoil the original movie in its very trailer but it also misses the entire point of the original movie. It’s a poorly made, cynical, cash-grab, slap-in-the-face to the original.

Should you see Martyrs? Short answer. No. Absolutely not. Not in a million years.

Long answer: Martyrs is, in my view, one of the greatest works of horror film-making ever to be put to screen. It’s also nihilistic, depressing, exhausting, emotionally draining, and repulsive in every possible way. There are going to be minor spoilers in this review, as majorly spoiling this movie would be a crime almost as brutal as the act of watching it.

Our story begins when a kidnapped and tortured young girl escapes her captors. She makes it her life goal to find them again, dragging other people into her quest. Yet there’s something amiss, is she really mentally all there anymore? Is she hunting for them or are they hunting for her? Why did they do this to her in the first place? What is the terrifying shape that stalks our heroes?

Martyrs is two separate movies in practice and, boy, you’ll know when it’s shifting gears. The narrative absolutely keeps the audience on its toes, before pivoting to punish them for even watching. Again, and again, and again, and again, and again. It’s calculated, it’s beautiful, it’s horrible. There’s a lesson it’s trying to impart and it is an ugly one.

The characters are all interesting, well-developed, and somewhat likable. The story is well-written. The photography is beautiful. The effects are convincing. All the pieces are there, polished, shining, ready to hurt you. This isn’t a movie you can watch, detached, and laugh when you get too nervous. No. Martyrs gets under your skin and condemns the viewer for even participating, I cannot stress this enough and I will not give specifics as to why.

Martyrs is a hard movie. Martyrs is a punishing movie. Martyrs is not worth watching, but that’s kind of the point. Martyrs is a masterpiece. I recommend this movie to no living person.

By way of second opinions Rotten-tomatoes gives Martyrs a 53% out of 100, though it should be noted that many of the listed reviews are from people who admit to walking out of the film in their review. I don’t blame them. Art can be too much sometimes and that’s OK.

-Josh Evans