Martyrs

after watching this film i was left absolutely speechless and with a feeling i really dont know how to describe,never has a film had this effect on me,the way the film is directed is second to none,the director almost drags you into the hell the women in the film endure.this film unlike your hostels has a point to the extreme violence,you can feel the pain and suffering the women go through but then at the end,you can feel a weird sense of relief for them.to understand what im saying you have to buy this film,in my opinion,the greatest horror film of all time

First things first, 'Martyrs' is NOT a film for everybody. I really think you should consider this before either buying it or watching it. It doesn't glamorise or make violence look lustful like the 'Saw' and 'Hostel' franchises do. This film may even be tough for avid horror fans.

'Martyrs' is a story of love and hope that is just not there, a tale of believing when there's no point, it's not pleasant or fun, yet it may be 2009's most intelligent release yet.

Pascal Laugier, director of 'House of Voices' (2004) decides to leap over any barriers that could come within the audience loving his characters and feeling every second of agony they endure. To be honest, I'm surprised the BBFC let this one pass into the United Kingdom without any cuts made.

I'm not going to say anything about what happens in this film because the element of surprise and shock is this film's crutch; all I can say is please watch it.

European cinema (discounting the UK) has always been the holding place of sensational features and directors. The French have made a horror film that the Brits or the Americans could never beat, The Swedish have just released 'Let The Right One In', a vampire film about falling in love, The Germans gave birth to horror during the Expressionist era and the Spanish released 'The Orphanage' last year, which I think was the best horror film of 2008.

But coming back onto the point, 'Martyrs' is thought-provoking, stylish and just extraordinary. I've never felt so immersed in a horror film in my life. This is not your average slasher, nor your average torture-porn flick; this is something else, a film with no category or genre.
It's an arthouse film that defines anything that's put in its way.

It's a masterpiece.

Undoubtably One Of The Best Films I Have Ever Seen, Especially Horror Films. Puts Texas Chainsaw And The Hills Have Eyes To Shame Easily. This Film Completely Messes With Your Head With It's Unexpected Plot Bringing The ''Realistic'' Element Into The Film Adding An Additional Level Of unease While Watching The Film. Will Be A Film That You Won't Soon Forget. A Must Watch!!! People Enjoying This Should Also Watch ''Inside'' Another French Horror, ''Frontiers'' And ''Switchblade Romance''. European Horror Films Have Taken Over The Worlds Best Horror Films Hands Down.

I'm not really one for horror films. I can deal with gore, but anything that makes me jump or is to do with spirits, I get freaked out. This film however, is quite possibly one of the best films I have ever seen! Mainly because I haven't stopped thinking about it since I watched it about 5 months ago. It's brilliantly acted, brilliantly directed, and the storyline is unique and daring! Yes, it is very disturbing and at times difficult to watch, but if you can try and see passed that and focus on the plot it is an amazing film! I love films that make you think, are different and daring. This film definately encompasses all that. And I love the fact that it has subtitles! Makes it all that bit more special.

Good on the French!

This is the best film i've seen in a long while. The subject matter is dark and disturbing yet intriguing and totally believable.
This is not popcorn 'torture porn'. In my eyes, torture porn is excessively gory, gratuitous and mostly pointless. It is torture for the sake of torture. This movie however is completely the opposite. The violence is brutally realistic and you genuinely feel for the charcters involved. In torture porn the torture and death is stylistic and often humourous. This is really harrowing and often too real for comfort.
This is a brave film and unashamed of what it is. The musical score is kept to an absolute minimum which all adds to the realism. The acting is so good that you often forget that this isn't real.
This is a horror film that actually horrifies. It is thought provoking and stays with you long after the credits have rolled. As perfect a film as I have ever seen. A true masterpiece.