David O'ConnellFrontiere(s)
September 25th 2009 05:46
Playing like a French update of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with a malicious neo-Nazi angle thrown in for good measure, Xavier Gens’ Hollywood calling card is by turns relentless, numbing and blissfully gory. Though filled with the depressing failings of most Hollywood genre offerings – detestable, uninteresting characters who more often than not bring about their own demise through sheer stupidity – Frontiere(s) at least has the audacity to push the visceral quota to a level that will have squeamish audiences reaching for their pails.
Set in a not too distant future, a team of criminals complete a robbery amidst the chaos of rioting civilians. Society seems to be crumbling under the weight of right-wing extremists and this motley crew agrees to meet up in the countryside to divide their cash. First however, a traumatized Yasmine (Karina Testa) needs to drop off her gunshot brother at a hospital. Wanted by authorities she can hardly hang around and flees with ex-boyfriend Alex (Aurelien Wiik) in the wake of their associates, Tom (David Saracino) and Farid (Chems Dahmani) who’ve chosen a remote location for their stopover.
And what a Very Bad Choice it is. For this out-of-the-way hostel and a near-by abandoned mine are actually the lairs of a twisted, flesh-devouring family of bile-spewing neo-Nazis. With a withered father (Jean-Pierre Jorris) as their overlord and a couple of sexually uninhibited daughters used as bait, this group loves nothing more than to prise the flesh off their victims. By replenishing the family stock they hope to purify their offspring’s blood. Yes, it’s all demented and disturbing, but fairly arbitrary because this is ultimately a film about letting the blood run free.
Gens’ film is admirably unrestrained in its unremitting assault on the senses, typically employing the kinetic, fit-inducing, rapid-editing style of modern films with every technological tool at a director's disposal. It's flashy, glossy, rarely static and thoroughly drenched in red. Though it’s no loss to humanity to see a bunch of idiots being picked off one by one, there’s perverse glee, at least, in watching something that genuinely tries pushing the boundaries of taste.
As in other recent Gallic horror films, it’s a female who bears the brunt of the violent barrage, needing to exert a physicality usually reserved for male equivalents. Testa is a worthy successor to someone like Cecile De France in Haute Tension (2003), needing to descend to a primal level whilst providing a similar grunt and kamikaze defensive reflex to survive.
Gens saves a couple of tasty morsels for the last 15 minutes; one involves a circular saw, the other a scene that might have been filched from David Cronenberg’s Scanners (1981). There’s mutant offspring lurking underground, a ridiculously high percentage of bullets that miss their mark, and effective use of Farid’s video camera to pry into the darkness, recalling Cloverfield.
Overall, it doesn’t carve out any fresh terrain amidst the slew of grisly horror films emanating from Europe in recent times, but Frontiere(s) is still superior to your stock American genre entry, its technical proficiency a major asset. As well as all that gore. Yes, if you’ve a taste for this stuff that you don’t always admit to or a strong stomach you never knew existed, you’re in for a treat.
Set in a not too distant future, a team of criminals complete a robbery amidst the chaos of rioting civilians. Society seems to be crumbling under the weight of right-wing extremists and this motley crew agrees to meet up in the countryside to divide their cash. First however, a traumatized Yasmine (Karina Testa) needs to drop off her gunshot brother at a hospital. Wanted by authorities she can hardly hang around and flees with ex-boyfriend Alex (Aurelien Wiik) in the wake of their associates, Tom (David Saracino) and Farid (Chems Dahmani) who’ve chosen a remote location for their stopover.
And what a Very Bad Choice it is. For this out-of-the-way hostel and a near-by abandoned mine are actually the lairs of a twisted, flesh-devouring family of bile-spewing neo-Nazis. With a withered father (Jean-Pierre Jorris) as their overlord and a couple of sexually uninhibited daughters used as bait, this group loves nothing more than to prise the flesh off their victims. By replenishing the family stock they hope to purify their offspring’s blood. Yes, it’s all demented and disturbing, but fairly arbitrary because this is ultimately a film about letting the blood run free.
Gens’ film is admirably unrestrained in its unremitting assault on the senses, typically employing the kinetic, fit-inducing, rapid-editing style of modern films with every technological tool at a director's disposal. It's flashy, glossy, rarely static and thoroughly drenched in red. Though it’s no loss to humanity to see a bunch of idiots being picked off one by one, there’s perverse glee, at least, in watching something that genuinely tries pushing the boundaries of taste.
As in other recent Gallic horror films, it’s a female who bears the brunt of the violent barrage, needing to exert a physicality usually reserved for male equivalents. Testa is a worthy successor to someone like Cecile De France in Haute Tension (2003), needing to descend to a primal level whilst providing a similar grunt and kamikaze defensive reflex to survive.
Gens saves a couple of tasty morsels for the last 15 minutes; one involves a circular saw, the other a scene that might have been filched from David Cronenberg’s Scanners (1981). There’s mutant offspring lurking underground, a ridiculously high percentage of bullets that miss their mark, and effective use of Farid’s video camera to pry into the darkness, recalling Cloverfield.
Overall, it doesn’t carve out any fresh terrain amidst the slew of grisly horror films emanating from Europe in recent times, but Frontiere(s) is still superior to your stock American genre entry, its technical proficiency a major asset. As well as all that gore. Yes, if you’ve a taste for this stuff that you don’t always admit to or a strong stomach you never knew existed, you’re in for a treat.
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Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
I just find I'm much more willing to forgive horror films their failings, always have been. There's certain people you'd never recommend something like this to, but personally I lap it up!!
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I was disappointed by Haute Tension. I liked the first half, but then it I found it absurd and overwrought in the second half, and rather silly too. I thought his remake of The Hills Have Eyes was more enjoyable as a whole, but I think I'm in the minority there.
Have you seen Martyrs yet?
I really enjoyed Frontiere(s) though. I agree that it's not wholly original, but the style and conviction, acting and production values were excellently handled.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
This one is already in my netflix queue care of Bryn's recommendation and many others. Sounds like it still has enough to make it non essential horror viewing.
I'm a sucker for this type of exploitative affair so I was already sold at psycho nazi's euro style.
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Haven't seen Martyrs yet but hoping to do so when it's released on DVD in the next week or so I think? What's it like? I hear it's the most confronting of the lot, though I haven't seen Inside yet either. I actually had a chance to see Martyrs at MIFF but just couldn't fit it into my schedule, and was left with the consolation of seeing Eden Lake instead.
JD, you're as thoroughly disturbed as the rest of us........you'll enjoy it, no doubt!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Martyrs is excellent, but not as confronting as I was expecting. Inside is more visceral and disturbing. Both would've been great to have seen on the big screen.
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile