I've been casually following what I can only describe as a bit of a new trend lately with regards to European horror film imports and the level of visibility that they've been getting over and above standard Hollywood blockbuster films, specific to the horror genre.

Off the top of my head, EDEN LAKE, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, INSIDE, and MARTYRS are all recently released foreign films that seem to have garnered as much attention, if not more, than Western films like the remakes of LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and FRIDAY THE 13th.

I've been watching this with interest for some time now, because these European films bring a level of seriousness to the subject matter that Western horror films have been lacking for a very long time.

In terms of these deadly serious imports, I might point to WOLF CREEK as an early prototype. WOLF CREEK is essentially a paint-by-numbers slasher film, except its message is as bleak as it could possibly be. There is no humor, or ray of light or hope, or sense of fun, whatsoever. That's what all these import films share - a very dark world view, and a film philosophy that seems more connected to art than commercialism. They're sending a message, rather than appealing to a crowd.

But I want to talk about MARTYRS, specifically, because out of the five films mentioned above, this is the first time I think the elements have really gelled properly in terms of the trend. It's a film that has been done right. Once I finished watching it, I finally realized why this new breed of film is about to overtake the hockey mask imagery and teen douche bag elements we've all come to love and define when standardizing the Western-produced "horror film".

If you're not familiar with the subject matter, MARTYRS is, at its core, about a girl taking revenge on people who tortured her. The film itself is deceptively simple almost to the point of clich?. While it does have the familiar plotting of a rape/revenge storyline, it's actually more of a puzzle film. Think of a stripped-down and ultraviolent DONNIE DARKO, or more accurately (but less well-known), THE VANISHING.

Despite the inherent complexities of a puzzle film, MARTYRS is so simple and bare bones (two characters, essentially, and two settings, basically) that it could be a stage play. It wouldn't surprise me if it started out as one at some point in the creation process, either. The twist ending doesn't come across as a twist at all, which speaks to the strength of the script writing in general.

Don't get me wrong, MARTYRS is also one of the most unapologetically violent films I've ever seen. If anyone can remember SHALLOW GRAVE from the early 1990s in terms of its more physical scenes, that's about the right intensity for this film, except MARTYRS stays cranked for its entire running time. Indeed, the rumors about the film concluding in a thirty minute torture scene are correct, although I've often questioned the criticism surrounding this aspect, since it's incredibly key to the entire movie's outcome.

MARTYRS is a fascinating film that it mixes some very basic French philosophy and religion into its major theme, which elevates the whole movie to another level. This aspect isn't particularly intellectual, and you don't need to be a doctor to understand it, but its mere presence seems to confuse most critics. I've read reviews, online and off, that either consider this film to be pretentious torture-porn, or some sort of evolution of the standard torture-porn model.

But I don't want to descend into a "torture-porn" argument because it's dull. (Despite the chants of SAW SUCKS or whatever, you all still managed to watch the entire franchise, somehow.)

And both assumptions are wrong anyway, and founded, I think, on the familiar ideas of what a horror movie should entail. MARTYRS is ninety minutes of violence, sure. But it's ninety minutes of smart violence. Anyone who has made it through the film can't say it's an exercise in pointless gore. Our love of categorizing movies into safe compartments with clear labels makes a review of this film as "horror" like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

If MARTYRS didn't pick up its early reputation as a horror film, but rather, an independent art film like it's supposed to be, I'm curious if the reaction by its critics would be in the same vein. That said, it is horror, I think. But it's founded in storytelling technique and backed by existentialism. This makes it hit far harder than any popcorn film should, despite being dressed as such.

MARTYRS is an almost perfect blend of straightforward "template" narrative and higher concept film - which is almost unheard of in general mainstream horror movies. It's not perfect, obviously. I found the theme a little thin actually, but it's the first film I've watched where I can safely say that it manages to walk that fine line with remarkable precision, and it's hopefully a harbinger of better things to come.

Rumor has it that MARTYRS is already being remade for Western audiences, and I do hope they keep everything intact. Still, I suspect you should seek out the original if you're planning on watching it. Because the basis of the film's themes sits in real philosophical concepts, the titillation factor is quite removed from the movie's more... physical elements. Only the most depraved will actually enjoy this film under the classic definition of the term, and that's not good mainstream business, I don't think. However, it's a must-see, especially if one's horror film interests extend beyond hockey masks and Wes Craven remakes.

Needless to say, I'm quite excited that this movie is being treated as a horror film (although one could argue it is not) and that it is being remade. It could trigger a new wave of films that won't go the route of the forlorn J-Horror craze of the early 2000s, or maybe it won't do anything. Still, one can hope we're finally pulling away from the 'PG-13-horror-movie-for-children' model that horror films have been rutting with since the 1990s.

Thanks goodness for the internet. Filmmakers and audiences and critics, especially in the West, need to come to the realization that having a teenage girl date a centuries-old vampire does not make it horror. The horror lies in the philosophical and intellectual subtexts behind a centuries-old vampire dating a teenage girl - which is, admittedly, something that you can't take your date to watch on Friday night and most people don't even consider on a day-to-day basis (rightly so - but, you're welcome.)

Nobody ever mistakes Count Chocula cereal as a serious effort towards furthering the horror genre, and it always blows my mind at the misconceptions we have regarding horror film. MARTYRS should probably be recognized as breaking new ground, and I do predict a change, despite the naysayers that decry these remarkably bleak films that seem to be steadily gaining steam.
Highly recommended - obviously, especially if you're a purist. But, yeah, it's not a date movie, and it exists to make you feel bad.