Them (a.k.a. Ils)
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Movie Reviews of Them (a.k.a. Ils)
Movie Review: Another Incisive French Horror Film
Summary: 4 Stars
Them or Ils is a French horror film released in 2006. A quasi-remake came out this year called The Strangers, a film I have not seen but I probably will if only to make the comparison. Them claims to be based on a true story, and whether true or not, any speculation from the audience works to the film's advantage. It follows a woman named Clementine and her husband named Lucas. Clementine is a teacher who recently moved from France to a rural part of Romania. The film opens with a scene that will tell you right off the bat what the film's intentions are but this only serves to heighten the degree to which the film's suspense is a massive success. Clementine and Lucas are disturbed at their quiet and isolated home late in the evening and the disturbances escalate gradually and intensely. Them seems like a 45 minute movie and I mean that as a huge compliment. There hasn't been a more effective thriller in a few years and it's all done with very little violence, at least when compared to some of the other films that make up this recent wave of solid French horror films (i.e. ? l'int?rieur, Haute Tension, and Fronti?re(s)).
The French have always made great films and we've seen transgressive French films surface more and more frequently over the last ten or twenty years (I think of Irreversible and some of Catherine Breillat's work). To see French cinema excel in this particular genre is no surprise and although Them's themes of paranoia and isolation are certainly in tune with this, it notably lacks the shock-factor that the more obviously violent associated films have. It makes up for all of that by serving up top-notch suspense. In fact I'd rather see horror go this route than the gore and splatter-fests that clean-up at American box offices this time a year on an annual basis.
This film makes no direct commentary but there are small voices denouncing Them as an indirect commentary and example of French fears regarding European Union expansion. An interesting angle and critique of a film that may or may not actually even know better. No worries; here in the states and perhaps everywhere else, the film will for the most part serve its purpose of sitting you down and taking you for a ride. The film's ending also hits very hard and it surprised me in a unique way. I'd recommend this over a lot of junk that will no doubt be heavily advertised to the mainstream in the coming weeks.
Movie Review: "so-so"
Summary: 3 Stars
This movie was ok. Especially the very first part of the movie. If the rest of the movie was as suspenseful as the first part I would have given this movie 5 stars. It's the French version of "The Strangers." I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes suspense. You, however, will be disappointed if you watch "High Tension" or "Frontier(s)" first.Movie Review: Yep! Magic people!
Summary: 1 Stars
This movie was completely idiotic.
It is one of a long, long line of offenders which gives the villains superhuman powers of perception and movement when the villains are themselves not superhuman beings. They are, in fact, quite easy to kill--when you can catch one, which is rare because they have such abundant "magical" powers.
Make your villain supernatural--with the attendant powers--or don't. This movie is complete trash. I got suckered into renting it because the back blurb told me it was scarier than Saw and Hostel. That's not hard, since neither of those movies was scary--they just covered up their lack of subtlety with large amounts of gore.
"Them" covers up its lack of plot with large amounts of screaming, blinking lights, and shadow-antics perpetrated by the mysteriously omnipotent killers.
I used to wonder whether amanita muscaria grew in France. Now I know that it grows in abundance, since the writer, the director, the producer, all of the actors, the gaffer, the best boy, the set designer, the costume designer, and all of the makeup artists were obviously feasting on massive amounts of it from the time this piece of trash was conceived until the very end of production.
SPOILER: The killers in this case just turn out to be some ordinary kids who go directly onto a school bus after killing the main characters.
Yep, magic kids!
That's believable!
Avoid this rubbish at all costs.
You have been warned.
Movie Review: THEM!
Summary: 5 Stars
Haven't viewed the DVD yet, waiting for just the right atmosphere. Will give review/critique later.Movie Review: A Night with 'Them' Boys in the Hood.
Summary: 4 Stars
Directed by David Moreau and Xavier Palud, Them (Ils) is a 2006 French horror film in the suspenseful style of Michael Haneke (Cache; Funny Games)). Reportedly based on true events, the film tells the story of a French couple, Clementine and Lucas (played by Olivia Bonamy and Micha?l Cohen), who move to rural Romania only to encounter stange noises in the night and then mysterious hooded intruders in their isolated house. Their phone rings, but the voices on the other end are unintelligible. Soon the couple becomes immersed in a nightmare, and under attack by "THEM" creepy hooded figures. Who are they? What do they have against Clementine and Lucas? The suspense builds gradually over the course of the film's short, 77- minute running time, which makes it easy to forgive this sparse nail biter for its disappointing ending. What the film lacks in American gore, it makes up for in French subtilty.
G. Merritt