REVIEW

INSIDE (2007)
Directed by: Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury
Written by: Alexandre Bustillo


Horror films are meant to scare you....right?  Occasionally they are political or socially relevant in nature.  A great example of this is Dawn of the Dead.  These are most often my favorite kinds of horror films.  Occasionally a film comes along that not only scares the shit out of me but makes me really think.  One of the best examples I can think of is INSIDE (aka A I'interieur), a 2007 French horror film that packs quite a whollop of not only scares but tons of social commentary. 

First let's give you a little plot, which is quite simple.  Expectant mother Sarah is home alone on Christmas Eve awaiting her appointment to induce labor the following day.  Depressed and brooding from having lost her husband in a car accident months before she has taken to her bed mostly and has very little social contact with friends and family, including her mother who later meets a horrifying fate. 

All ready for bed Sarah hears a knock on the door.  Upon answering it a mysterious woman asks to use her phone.  Sarah denies her and is rather suspicious of this woman particularly after the woman insists on coming inside.  Sarah refuses and contacts the police who agree to stop by.  When he police arrive the woman has vanished leaving Sarah with the discomfort that she may return so they agree to check in on her periodically.

Once Sarah is in bed the strange woman enters the house, sneaks into Sarah's bedroom and attempts to cut Sarah's stomach with scissors.  Sarah fends off her attacker long enough to make it to the bathroom where.....you guessed it...she goes into labor.  A few accidental deaths and TONS of gore later we are left with an ending that will never be erased from my mind. 

The commentary lies in the notion of the attacker trying to steal Sarah's baby.  Could this be an allegory for abortion?  Perhaps a social "fuck you" to lawmakers who insist on telling a woman what she can and can't do with her body?  As we all know...only one man can tell a woman what to do with her body and that was Bob Fosse.

 

Bring it bitch.....I will flat out Heather Langenkamp your ass.

SO....what did I think?  LET'S DO SOME CATEGORICAL SURVEYING:


ACTING:
Incredibly strong here for a horror flick.  You genuinely feel Sarah's fear throughout the film.  The piece is largely Sarah and her attacker so the burden of carrying the picture lies with them and they both knock it out of the park.

GORE:
Tons.....it gets downright disgusting....and all gore in this movie IS necessary.

DIRECTION:
The French have been popping out fantastic horror for a number of years now and this ranks as my favorite.  The colors and lenses used in this film really do add to its visceral nature.  This film is relentless in its violence and action.  Once it starts it never lets up.

SCARE FACTOR:
If you are pregnant or will ever be pregnant in any way.....don't watch this movie.  The end.

OVERALL:
I highly, and I mean HIGHLY recommend this movie.  Personally I think it's the underdog, being overshadowed by High Tension and Martyrs but in my opinion this is the better film.  The only issue I have with it is that it can tend to be poorly lit at times forcing the viewer to squint here and there....but that is completely random and infrequent.

Here is a link for the trailer.  CHECK IT OUT BIG GAY FOLLOWERS!  Until next time....I gotta show to do!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVGswuX42x0