|
 rench
horror has been enjoying somewhat of a revival
over the last few years, with films such as "High
Tension" and "In
My Skin" enjoying international success.
"Malefique" is another such slice of
full blooded Gallic genre cinema which, though
made back in 2002 is finally seeing the light of
day. Rather than taking its cue from the vapid,
teen-friendly horrors which still dominate
Hollywood
's version of horror, "Malefique" is a
distinctly adult affair, cruelly playing with the
viewer's imagination to produce an atmosphere of
dark wonder and dread.
The film takes place in a
grimy prison cell, whose newest inhabitant is
Carrere (Gerald Laroche), a crooked businessman
convicted of fraud and betrayed by his wife. His
fellow inmates are Marcus (Clovis Cornillac), a
psychotic drag queen, Daisy (Dimitri Rataud), a
mentally retarded cannibal, and Lasalle (Philippe
Laudenbach, also seen in the recent "Arsene
Lupin" adaptation), a quiet, intellectual
elderly man who killed his wife and who now works
in the prison library. The four seem to be offered
a chance at escape when they discover a book of
ancient black magic which belonged to a murderer
who disappeared from the same room many years ago.
Each for their own reasons, the prisoners try to
unlock the secrets of the book, whose dark
mysteries and seductive promises are not what they
seem, and which instead unleashes evil forces and
bloody mayhem.
Although
"Malefique" is set almost entirely in
one room, debut director Eric Valette never allows
things to get boring, and actually uses this
restriction to his advantage, shooting the
location for maximum claustrophobia and giving the
viewer the unpleasant sensation of being trapped
along with the characters. The film has a grimy,
shadowy feel influenced by the works of H.P.
Lovecraft, which makes for a very creepy and
unsettling atmosphere. The plot moves along at a
fair pace, with well-timed revelations, and
Valette makes the brave move of not simply spoon
feeding the viewer answers or explanations for the
increasingly bizarre events.
Although the film as a whole
is coherent, there are several leaps in plot which
do require imagination and effort to properly
comprehend or even follow, making it at times feel
like a black-hearted and surreal riddle. This
again serves well to generate sympathy, not so
much for the selfish and unlikable characters
themselves, but rather with their situation, as
they try to work out the true nature of the book's
powers. Though there is little effort to explore
the minds of the characters, their pettiness and
desperation are all too clear, and so is their
very palpable drive to escape. As such, the film
is without an obvious or heroic protagonist, or
indeed any hope or positive reflection on the
human condition.
Yet "Malefique" is
gripping, in a bleak, nihilistic fashion, with a
feeling of doom constantly hanging over the
proceedings. The special effects are used
sparingly and skilfully, and make the film's dark
magic a thing of wonder and genuine threat rather
than mere cheap thrills. Similarly, although there
is a fair amount of gore involved, with some
imaginative and brutal death scenes, it is never
used gratuitously, and as such has considerable
impact and shock.
In fact, the only real
problem with "Malefique" comes with the
final act, which feels more like a sick joke than
a rewarding conclusion. While undoubtedly fitting,
the ending nevertheless feels abrupt, and somehow
cheapens the viewer's efforts to unravel the
film's myriad complexities. Although this may
provide a key to improve future viewings, the
initial feeling is certainly one of
disappointment.
Despite this,
"Malefique" is certainly one of the
better horror films of the last few years, and one
of the few with a semblance of intelligence and
originality. The director plays his cards with a
dreadful cunning, and gives the viewer the
disturbing feeling of direct involvement with the
plot, an achievement which makes the film
harrowing and indeed essential for genre fans. |
