Martyrs (2008 film)

The reputation of “Martyrs” as one of the most disturbing films ever made precedes and dominates the conversation surrounding it, and while I’ve no problem listing films I find more unsettling (“Angst”, “Hereditary”, “Oldboy”, “Requiem for a Dream”), there’s no denying the imagery and themes presented here are far beyond what can be reasonably asked for most audiences. That said, I found the treatment of survivor’s guilt, cycles of abuse, and its overall deconstruction of revenge fantasy to have considerable power, and while it takes a dip in quality with its third act, its final twist renders it downright haunting.

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