Stay away from this movie! - Martyrs (2008) Discussion

[–] ra75 10 years ago

I agree. The very last thing that was done to her still haunts me.

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Martyrs is a polarizing film to say the least, but normally when a movie has that kind of effect and impact on the viewers, it's because some elements of the film were actually quite well made. I was very much disturbed by that movie when I first saw it, and thought the almost dialogue-free sequence of beatings was overlong and just unnecessary, beside the fact that I didn't really get the ending, but I still considered the movie to be very well made. Now that I have seen it a few times, I have to say the movie got more interesting and more "justified" each time, to the extent that I now consider this movie one of the most daring, challenging, interesting and original horror movies of the last decade at least. This movie is completely unique, for better or worse (for better in my opinion), and even though I really have to be "in the mood" to watch it again, it occupies an important place in my DVD/BLU-RAY collection.

Another similar movie in that sense, which is perhaps not a horror movie per se but very much as uncompromising as Martyrs, is A Serbian Film; that movie disturbed me just as much as Martyrs (and Salo from Pasolini for sure) but was also still very well made in my opinion, and somehow original as well. Those movies are not for every one for sure, but I wouldn't tell people to stay away from them...only approach them with caution. The only type of movies I might say to stay away from are, in my opinion, very poor movies, which are often sequels to so called big blockbusters movies (I would tell people to stay away from Bad Boys 2 and Transformers 2 for sure, or crappy low-budget horror movies like Live Feed for example).

Bill Foster: I'm the bad guy?...How did that happen?

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[–] falseprophet616 9 years ago

How did the justification increase for you on multiple viewings?

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[–] Milkyway123 9 years ago

by ma_marcil

normally when a movie has that kind of effect and impact on the viewers, it's because some elements of the film were actually quite well made.

Or because it is emotionally manipulative (which it was). If a drama movie can be emotionally manipulative with music and sappy story, why couldn't and wouldn't a film like this be? Because it's so dark and "real"? Please!

Now that I have seen it a few times, I have to say the movie got more interesting and more "justified" each time, to the extent that I now consider this movie one of the most daring, challenging, interesting and original horror movies of the last decade at least.

Congratulations . You've forced yourself to "see" the greatness.

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[–] ma_marcil 9 years ago

Well I guess we can agree to disagree on the movie, Milkyway123. For the record, I think every movie is, at various degrees, manipulative in some way or another. Even without so called sappy story or music, with almost every movie the viewer is driven to feel certain things and that's because the director wanted it this way. Ok, Martyrs was not your cup of tea, I understand that, but it was manipulative in a negative way for you, not for me.

As for the question of "forcing myself to see the greatness", well perhaps your opinion never changed about a movie for you, but for me I have changed my opinions on some movies many times and I think it is a very positive thing. The perception I might have on a certain movie might very well change depending on my mood and where I am in my life, and I have witnessed that with many people. My dad, for example, did not really like Goodfellas when he first saw it. Upon a second viewing with me, however, the movie grew on him and today he really likes it. Even famous movie directors like Steven Spielberg, for example, has expressed a change of opinion for the movie The Shining, saying that he did not like it the first time he saw it, but after multiple viewings, it has become one of his favorite movies, and he is still discovering some things in the movie that he did not notice before. Now, I am not saying Martyrs is on the same level of The Shining, but for me it is definitely the type of movie that you might appreciate differently upon a second viewing.

Bill Foster: I'm the bad guy?...How did that happen?

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[–] meatcleaver666-11-195635 10 years ago

this movie was awesome loved watching her get skinned alive bravo

ur about to become maggot food

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[–] nystromo 10 years ago

I watch many films with Horror Films being a favorite genre....I had read so very much about this film and knew at some time I would watch it. I watched half of the film and simply could not finish it. I read all the responses to this thread and understand each and every response. I wish I could finish it because I want to know the outcome and (hopfully) be able to understand the story's arc to the full extent. What I concluded instead was that the film was not for me. It was very, very effective, nightmarish, and truly original what I did endure. Though I like to be scared, I usually don't sit down to 'endure' a film - therefore, once again, I turned it off - it was not for me. I understand why the film is highly regarded. I have seen few, if any, films like it, that operate in such a ferocious, horrific plot line. There is an energy and opportunity this film takes that others don't. That makes this film, on some level, worth appreciating as polarizing art capable of eliciting such broad emotions on both sides of the fence. I am okay on being on the other side of the fence that doesn't celebrate, nor champion this film. At the same time, I find no need to decry it for being offensive. I think the arguments many people put forth on this thread speak for this. Be thankful we have a world where we can discuss ideas that are beautiful, ugly, kind, horrific, saintly and transcendant. Martyrs, "Spaceballs" it is not.

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[–] servicenone 10 years ago

This film is deliberately discomforting. Although I wouldn't categorize it as horror movie but rather a religious movie.

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[–] Soodinum 10 years ago

Well darn ... now you gone made me want to watch it.

'Then' and 'than' are completely different words and have completely different meanings.

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[–] lazarus-syndrome 10 years ago

*SPOILER*

It's not crap, it's goddamn dark art and it's supposed to make you feel this way. Nothing ironic about this movie. It's purpose is to destroy you slowly from the inside by shocking you with the human insanity of trying to cheat death or in that case the curiosity of afterlife. It leaves you empty inside, hopeless and like your soul has been molested or even raped. There is no crappy hippster message behind it. It's pure independant horror at its finest and it's only gonna be understood by a small selected audience. You're obviously not one of them. Your bad taste in dark art shouldn't be the reason to tell something like you did.

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[–] reko-716-854614 10 years ago

To me, it's not totally crap. Antichrist is.

I think this movie tell about to "receive" and/or to "let it go".
At first Anna crying all the times after she was captured. It seems that she was asking herself "why ? why ? why it happened to me ?" and she was reigned by her fear.

Anna remember her conversation with Lucie when Lucie ask : how do you stop being scared ? Anna answered her : "Let yourself go, I think".

IMO, soon after Anna remember her own "thinking" to let yourself go, she applied that to herself. It showed later on how her respond when she is being feed and tortured. She reigned her fear and not scared anymore.

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[–] memelordgmj 9 years ago

I'd like to think that the group represent every religion on earth. Torturing and forcing people to horrible things because maybe their god might exist.

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