Mike Flanagan Loves This Incredibly Shocking, Free-to-Stream Horror Movie: “It’s gore with a point”
Mike Flanagan’s cinematic output is very much my cup of tea. The Hush director counts a lot of my favorite films among his favorites. So, I’m likely predisposed to connecting with the content he creates on that basis. I recently happened upon a recommendation from the director where he sings the praises of a film I also enjoy quite a bit. I’m talking about Pascal Laugier’s surreal mediation on obsession and indecent acts of torture, Martyrs.
In a recent exchange with THR, the outlet asked Flanagan to name a film that scared him. He initially called out Lake Mungo. It’s a great choice, for sure. However, the creator of The Haunting of Hill House proceeded to offer up another picture (also from 2008) that left a lasting impact. “There are others, like this French film Martyrs,” Flanagan said. “There’s a lot of gore, but it’s gore with a point. I generally don’t love splatter.”
You know, I tend to agree with Mike Flanagan on that point. I am not typically a fan of viscera for the sake of viscera. But Martyrs does have a method to its madness. At least, in my humble opinion. The film speaks to the extremes to which people will go to answer the age-old question: What happens when we die?
If you’ve yet to experience Martyrs, you can scope the flick on Tubi as of the publication of this post. However, remember that the film will not be for everyone. The repeated depictions of brutal violence against young women have raised more than a few eyebrows and are more disturbing than some might care to witness.
Given the intense nature of the subject matter, the advertising breaks on Tubi may be a welcome distraction when taking in Martyrs. Sitting through the picture from end to end is pretty intense, to put it mildly.
Pascal Laugier’s Martyrs plays out like this:
The 2008 film follows a pair of young women, each of whom survived brutal abuse as children. The pair embark on a bloody quest for revenge, only to plunge themselves into a living hell of depravity.
That’s all we have for you at present. But be sure to keep an eye out for more cinematic recommendations from the likes of Mike Flanagan as we unearth them. Additionally, follow @DreadCentral on Twitter ( X) so you never miss one of our exciting updates.
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