MovieChat Forums > Martyrs (2008) Discussion > The most extreme movie ever filmed?

The most extreme movie ever filmed?

posted 8 years ago by Neon_Genesis_Evangelion
15 replies | jump to latest

I watched around 2000 movies in my life, but none ever disturbed, depressed, shocked and made me uncomfortable on the same level as the french horror Martyrs (2008). It wasn't the graphic violence (compared to some other movies this one wasn't so bad), it was the sheer psychological terror that haunted me for days after I watched the movie. The ending of the movie is imprinted in my mind forever. The only movie in my life I'm sure I will never watch again.

[–] Jonnythec 8 years ago

Ha...I guess you never seen "a Serbian film" before. It makes martyrs look like my little pony. Also the production is top notch. I dare you to delve deeper into shock horror ..if you dare.

[–] Ben-Trousers 8 years ago

But its all style no substance. I don't give two hoots about anyone in A Serbian Film. We care about the girls in Martyrs (I do anyway) which is what makes the film so impactful.

[–] Jonnythec 8 years ago

Hard not to care about the main character who put his past behind him and got duped into doing one more film. Then that film effects everyone he cares about in life.

[–] Ben-Trousers 8 years ago

That's the story but the film does a bad job of getting the audience emotionally invested. Its too over the top. It may be more violent than Martyrs but more violence doesn't mean more disturbing. Less is more, as they say.

[–] Tayte 8 years ago

I found Martyrs much disturbing than Serbian Film. While the Serbian Film was shocking, it didn't stay with me after. May be because that movie never took itself seriously.

I'll agree with the op, I've watched Cannibal Holocaust , Salo, Men behind the Sun among other extreme movies. I've not seen August underground series, Guinea pig ones.. Those might be more extreme but I've heard those are thrash.

[–] taran-rod 8 years ago

"a Serbian film"

Haha, my thought exactly! :P even though ASF is stupid as *beep*.

[–] legnadibrom (6214) a year ago

A Serbian Film is idiotic junk

[–] acelesson (791) a year ago

To me Serbian film isn’t as bad as martyrs.

[–] binek-889-383770 8 years ago

I found this movie quite beautiful.
I did find "Inside" to be more brutal but also a very good movie.
As a dad though, I found the original "Funny Games" to be very difficult to watch and stuck with me for a while.

[–] Hawkensian 8 years ago

I agree, Funny Games is nigh-on unbearable. The family are more developed and their hellish predicament far more realistic.

I even found Rosemary's Baby harder to watch, which has a cult premise that's somewhat similar but far, far more effectively delivered.

http://www.hawkensian.com/

[–] afrodome 8 years ago

Funny Games is the only film that made me feel really sick. Martyrs had this 'forced' sadness and despair added to it, and at times I thought to myself "Ok but why/what's the point".

Funny Games is watching a really terrible situation unfold and you feel helpless because it's almost as if you're in the movie watching these people being tormented and there is nothing you can do to help. It's a work of genius because it makes you think about how we justify our appetite for violence on-screen because it's happening to the 'bay guy'. I cut down on watching a lot of violent movies as a result.

I prefer Inside to Martyrs, because it was straight-up home invasion horror to the core and didn't have any pretentious elements or 'hidden messages' to justify the violence. It reminded me of the original 'Black Christmas': brutal 'wtf' 'omg' 'holy sh^t' slasher.

Martyrs made me feel queasy, like I had just watched a video of somebody being murdered with some classical piano being played. Great in the beginning, but derails in the last half.

[–] Burgershmurger (1360) 5 years ago

Funny Games sucks. The director is an arrogant prick and thinke horror fans are sick. But we all know the violence is fake. So what's so bad about it? Real life is the real horror and horror movies help us cope with our lives and feelings about reality.

[–] ahughes-00250 8 years ago

Watership Down will forever haunt me. How that movie has gotten away this long without an NC-17 / 18 rating is beyond me.

A Serbian Film loses its impact because it deliberately tries to be shocking and, as a result, ends up being a bit boring... it turns itself into one of those movies where you can almost tell what's coming because your mind immediately goes "How are they going to make this scene offensive... oh, yeah..."

To be honest, it's documentaries that tend to affect me more than anything else. Movies I can usually take, no matter how extreme - because it's just a movie, but show me a gut-wrenching documentary and it really gets me.

[–] 666 (112) 8 years ago

how so?

[–] UMAD (655) 9 months ago

well. it may have hunted you because there are satanic cults who do this sick stuff in real life. and also to children