As a horror enthusiast with a penchant for French cinema and a keen eye for the nuances of genre tropes, I found David Moreau’s MadS to be a gripping, if somewhat predictable, addition to the viral outbreak film canon. Having watched countless movies that delve into similar themes, I can appreciate the skillful crafting of tension and fear that Moreau masterfully weaves throughout the narrative.
One issue with movies that appear to be shot in a single take is that they frequently focus more on technical aspects rather than storytelling or character development. While films like 1917 and Russian Ark use this technique effectively to immerse us in the horrors of World War I and Russian history respectively, there are also examples where the technique overshadows narrative and character, such as Gaspar Noé’s controversial film Irréversible and Silent House, where the cinematography and horror atmosphere take precedence over Elizabeth Olsen’s performance.
Between these two extremes lies the film MadS (comprising of five takes edited together), directed by David Moreau, who is known for creating movies that have more runtime than plot. This was evident in his 2006 suspense film Ils (Them in French) and his reinterpretation of M. Night Shyamalan’s young adult story, Seuls (Alone in French). The same can be said about MadS. In this film, Moreau aligns his distinctive style with a genre—the viral outbreak horror/thriller—that seems to be losing its freshness.
In this scenario, Moreau skillfully instills a sense of impending doom and rapid pace, making it simpler to overlook the slight plotline and recurring negative aspects typical in his films. Starring a dedicated trio of lead actors, MadS serves as an unsettling mini-meltdown, intensifying our post-pandemic unease about the precarious balance between humanity and the apocalypse it seems destined for.
Single-Take Style Adds Mystery and Dread
One advantage of filming MadS in a single take is that the close-up perspective ensures we’re only privy to what our protagonist knows, which enhances the sense of mystery and fear. Since there are merely three significant characters, Moreau – who also scripted the movie – can strategically release vital details in tense, suspenseful instalments, even if these details prove as unremarkable as in other thrillers.
The initial hint of what’s about to unfold happens as 18-year-old Romain (Milton Riche), behind the wheel of his borrowed Mustang, feels the rush of his birthday and a new type of drug. A chaotic woman, bandaged extensively and appearing to be a victim of a gruesome experiment, suddenly leaps into his car while it’s parked. In a state of panic, Romain drives her to the hospital, where she deliberately wounds herself repeatedly, covering him in blood. Soon after, he starts bleeding from his nose and becomes disoriented at a nighttime party filled with people dancing wildly.
A Viral Outbreak or a Bad Drug Trip?
It appears that French horror filmmakers often draw inspiration from club culture or drug use among French youth for their gruesome portrayals of violence. Therefore, it’s not surprising that Moreau presents the characters in his film – Romain, Anais (played by Laurie Pavy), and her friend Julia (Lucille Guillaume) – as being under the influence of a powerful, red-colored stimulant, suggesting they are merely experiencing a bad trip. However, given the current trend in zombie films, this interpretation might not be as entertaining as considering MadS as a straightforward viral outbreak movie, much like how Ils adhered to the home invasion thriller genre.
Despite creating enough peculiar rhythms and misleading instances, Moreau manages to insert unexpected moments, even a touch of humor. For instance, when Romain, with his increasing facial twitches and glowing eyes growing more menacing, pedals home on a bike to investigate who has burglarized his house, the call to the home security company is met with unusually calm hold music, a clever tactic to momentarily alleviate tension. Generally speaking, Moreau persistently escalates the suspense, with effective assistance from the rich sound design and Nathaniel Méchaly’s driving score that deeply imprints the escalating horror in our minds.
Three Chapters, Three Increasingly Horrific Stories
Moreau strategically structures the movie into approximately three sections, with each character taking turns to be the main focus. The shifting perspectives offers valuable insights into how the virus affects people and potential global experiences, which is beneficial since we don’t want to solely see Romain wandering around town in shock for too long.
It’s clear that MadS becomes particularly energized when he steps aside for Anais, which in turn sets Pavy off as she dashes, shrieks, panics, and even laughs hysterically through her French neighborhood as the virus spreads. In the climactic third chapter, Anais transfers the storytelling to Julia during a shocking moment where a progressively disturbed Anais clings to Julia’s scooter, covering her with blood.
In this scenario, filmmaker Philip Lozano proves to be the standout performer, skillfully orchestrating the action and immersing viewers into each character’s journey, all while managing to avoid the shaky camera work akin to the disturbance level of ‘Cloverfield’. This level of immersion helps soften the perception that the narrative may not offer much depth. Interestingly, ‘Ils’, too, had a slim plot, and it was just 74 minutes long. However, unlike his previous works, ‘MadS’ frequently creates an unsettling atmosphere that only post-Covid films can achieve. It capitalizes on our contemporary apprehensions about powerlessness in the face of persistent, often unseen, dangers, and it underscores every teen’s eventual understanding that today’s world is not just one big party.
As a passionate movie lover, I’m thrilled to share that the captivating film “MadS,” produced by Les Enfants Terribles, is set to grace our screens starting this Friday, October 18. You can catch it streaming on Shudder!
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2024-10-16 02:02