Maybe not horror, but not far from it. It Takes place in the countryside, and the scheme involving children made me think about the Spanish movies, "horror" Spanish film, I mean. It is efficient, tense, pretty well made for a fisrt long length movie destined to theater release. Good drama, because I saw it mainly as a drama, with some gothic influence; something that some people could call horror. Inspired from legends, inner fears and the presence of children help much in this matter. Fabrice du Welz's style could also have inspired this feature. Without being totally gloomy, it is not a fairy tale either. It glues you to your seat till the end. It is too bad, though, that things remain unexplained. But maybe that contributes to the charm of this film.
3 Reviews
Finally something good from France!
nicolailaros4 May 2022
At first, let me just introduce this review by saying that I'm definitely not fond of French cinema, especially because NOTHING ELSE than (mostly) stupid comedies and putrid dramas of the "how Lola's last broken relationship ended in cries and despair" kind are produced under the hype brand mark "Qualité Française" for a couple of years now (30 years almost: WOW!). That's LIFE folks, but for sure NOT why I'm going to see a MOVIE in a movie theatre. For sure not, I love to be ENTERTAINED/EXPERIENCE something else, and even if it's just an allegory of our own reality!
Whatsoever, sometimes movies as Haute Tension, Calvaire, Le Pacte des Loups, Doberman, 36.15 Code Père-Noël, Baxter etc... makes me keep faith in the fact that French Genre-Cinema (as they did it so well 'til the 80'!) is still alive and may, from time to time, generously offer people like me a little Treat!
And here comes now Ogre from promising director Arnaud Malherbe. As a matter of fact, as soon as the movie begins, it's already noticeable that the audience is going to experience something else.
Indeed, Pénélope Pouriat (Director of Photography) did a great job, using marvellously well the beautiful contrasts nature offers and describing in very gloomy and adequate tones the landscapes in which the story is going to take place.
Actress Ana Girardot and young Giovanni Pucci are perfectly well portraying as Mother and son, both just going to live in a small rural village lost somewhere in the middle of nowhere: As a matter of fact, she is a teacher and has been assigned to work there. But other reasons are driving her away from her/their former lifestyle... They soon meet the only Doctor there, a good looking & seducing but also odd/dark/independant character which Chloé falls in love with. What are his secrets? And Why is a child missing since a couple of days? What is really going on in this strange dying village? And what kind of menace does little Jules fearing when night comes? Or is the village simply cursed and the bogeyman waitin' in the dark?
Arnaud Malherbe wrote a very engaging, believable horror-fairy-tale with psychological undertone and depicts perfectly well as much as accurately what life looks like in these places time seems to have forgotten by now.
But what counts most for me: this movie stays still a true (...) horror-fantasy movie WITH A CREATURE and assume it's real identity until the end, something that The Swarm (La Nuée) wasn't sadly able to do (lack of faith and courage? French film-politics? Who knows...).
So, yes: Finally, finally, something good from France. Thank you Arnaud Malherbe! Go and check this one out, you won't regret it. Official Selection Gérarmer 2022.
Whatsoever, sometimes movies as Haute Tension, Calvaire, Le Pacte des Loups, Doberman, 36.15 Code Père-Noël, Baxter etc... makes me keep faith in the fact that French Genre-Cinema (as they did it so well 'til the 80'!) is still alive and may, from time to time, generously offer people like me a little Treat!
And here comes now Ogre from promising director Arnaud Malherbe. As a matter of fact, as soon as the movie begins, it's already noticeable that the audience is going to experience something else.
Indeed, Pénélope Pouriat (Director of Photography) did a great job, using marvellously well the beautiful contrasts nature offers and describing in very gloomy and adequate tones the landscapes in which the story is going to take place.
Actress Ana Girardot and young Giovanni Pucci are perfectly well portraying as Mother and son, both just going to live in a small rural village lost somewhere in the middle of nowhere: As a matter of fact, she is a teacher and has been assigned to work there. But other reasons are driving her away from her/their former lifestyle... They soon meet the only Doctor there, a good looking & seducing but also odd/dark/independant character which Chloé falls in love with. What are his secrets? And Why is a child missing since a couple of days? What is really going on in this strange dying village? And what kind of menace does little Jules fearing when night comes? Or is the village simply cursed and the bogeyman waitin' in the dark?
Arnaud Malherbe wrote a very engaging, believable horror-fairy-tale with psychological undertone and depicts perfectly well as much as accurately what life looks like in these places time seems to have forgotten by now.
But what counts most for me: this movie stays still a true (...) horror-fantasy movie WITH A CREATURE and assume it's real identity until the end, something that The Swarm (La Nuée) wasn't sadly able to do (lack of faith and courage? French film-politics? Who knows...).
So, yes: Finally, finally, something good from France. Thank you Arnaud Malherbe! Go and check this one out, you won't regret it. Official Selection Gérarmer 2022.
It's him (or is it?)
kosmasp16 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
No pun intended and if you have seen the movie, you understand what I mean. But I will delve more into what I mean later on. I will keep it vague until I tell you otherwise. The movie is quite the slow burn - and I was expecting that it would not do great rating wise. I am still surprised it is that low. Yes I am known for rating higher at times than others ... but I do think the movie deserves way more than it has at the moment (not even a 6).
The drama is one thing, but the horror elements are the other thing - meaning you have to dig both parts. When I say horror, there are some minor vivid images that depict ... well the end result of what violence does to someone or something (not sure how you categorize animals, no offense intended).
And now onto more specifics: the movie has a mother and a son. We never (really) learn why the father is not in the picture anymore. And that is important, because it plays a role in what you may think of the boy. And his potential role in driving men away. I am not a fan that the comic book reading can be seen as a force that may drive the craziness of the boy.
Because either there is a monster (or more than one) or there is only what the boy imagines. And the movie holds everything vague - you will be the judge of what you think is true. No definitive answer is given ... and I like that. As you can tell by my score to of course.
The drama is one thing, but the horror elements are the other thing - meaning you have to dig both parts. When I say horror, there are some minor vivid images that depict ... well the end result of what violence does to someone or something (not sure how you categorize animals, no offense intended).
And now onto more specifics: the movie has a mother and a son. We never (really) learn why the father is not in the picture anymore. And that is important, because it plays a role in what you may think of the boy. And his potential role in driving men away. I am not a fan that the comic book reading can be seen as a force that may drive the craziness of the boy.
Because either there is a monster (or more than one) or there is only what the boy imagines. And the movie holds everything vague - you will be the judge of what you think is true. No definitive answer is given ... and I like that. As you can tell by my score to of course.
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