Reviews

When I saw that this title was available to stream on HBO MAX, I wasted no time in sitting down to watch it. I remember seeing the trailer for it well over a year ago and being genuinely excited. Any new high budget film in the horror sub-genre stirs my curiosity, and especially one like this where hardly any details about the plot or story line were revealed in the trailer.

The initial thing that caught my eye about Antlers was the gorgeous landscape around where it was being shot. A sense of isolation was also present in the remote part of Canada where filming took place. Feeling isolated and alone almost always will make a horror movie scarier to the viewer.

Antlers had more type of feel to it than straight up horror which to me was fine. It was not what I was expecting going into the film, but to be fair, I had done no research beforehand. The horror elements do shine through at times, however. There are no jump scares or anything of that nature. But the violence and gory at times are definitely real and remind you this is no PG fairy-tale you are watching. Fantasy horror is not typically my thing, though if anyone can do it right, it sure is Guillermo Del Toro.

The pacing was my favorite aspect of Antlers. Lulls can be a killer to a horror flick, and this was no issue for this film. If nothing else, you will be entertained for 100 minutes. I gave Antlers a 6/10 overall. The acting by both adult leads, Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons (who is always a shoe-in for a great performance) were solid and probably even above expectations for most movies of this genre. Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas), was also surprisingly effective for someone his age. This film further proves that director Scott Cooper will almost make an engaging piece of cinema, and that having Del Toro on your team is never a bad idea.

I have to begin by stating that this film will not be for most people. Dark themes, brutality, nudity, and gore infiltrate nearly every minute of this Pascal Laugier cult-classic. I have seen some of the most disturbing films ever made, ranging from Cannibal Holocaust, to A Serbian Film and The Green Inferno. Certain scenes in this film are on the level of those aforementioned brutal films, just to give you a fair warning into what you will be getting into.

Keeping that in mind, this film is a worthwhile watch for fans of the horror/ thriller genre. Starting with the tone, the darkness that overcomes this film comes swiftly within the first few minutes, and never relents throughout the duration of the movie. There is absolutely no comedy or feel-good aspect to this one. The intensity is almost overwhelming at times.

The acting by the two main actresses, Morjana Alaoui and Mylene Jamponi come off as authentic and raw. You will get drawn in by their believable depictions of feeling terrific pain and loneliness. Neither of them seemed like seasoned actresses, and I feel like that added to the connection we feel with the characters in Martyrs.

Lastly, I want to touch on the some risks they took in Martyrs. Violence, blood, and gore are more than prominent in this film. This can either serve a movie well, or be a movie's shortcoming. I think that distinction can be made if the film is anchored by the violence and gore or if it is not. This is not one of those films that relies on the blood, and I find that more tasteful. The anchor in this Laugier creation is the emotion and connectivity we feel with the two female leads, which is what makes this such a strong movie.

I give Martyrs (2008) an 8/10. This film had that indescribable element of raw emotion and a constant intensity that is appealing when you are in the mood for something like that. Give this one a try if you are feeling brave are okay with reading subtitles.