Just a few years ago the words
“Japanese” and
“horror” muttered in the same breath would make every fan jump
with anticipated joy. All of that is yesterday´s news as the trend word of the day is “French,” and as soon as you have seen
Xavier Gens’ FRONTIER(S), his best work so far, you’ll understand why. It’s too bad that fils like this get only a release on DVD in most countries (because of the subtitles and violence), for a film like this could change most everything.
FRONTIER(S) is the next
HAUTE TENSION (aka SWITCHBLADE ROMANCE) and for those of you who weren´t overwhelmed by Alexandre Aja’s film…
FRONTIER(S) hacks it to pieces. Yes, it’s that good.
FRONTIER(S) is a thoroughly gripping, extremely violent, and yet thought provoking horror-thriller with political undertones.
Xavier Gens takes inspirations from pretty much every classic horror film one can think of. But before I get to the best part of the film, the bloody gore, it has to be said that the
screenplay is the main reason for this film being so phenomenal. I am not a fan of violence in film for its own sake - when it’s only being done to shock the audience –, therefore I am happy to report that
FRONTIER(S) carries a heavy social commentary that gives meaning to everything that happens. The film was made as a warning against a rightwing take-over on France.
The film opens with a group of young rebels/robbers on the run from the police. They live in a world where the government is failing and chaos has erupted in the streets of Paris. The heroine, Yasmina(
Karina Testa), is thinking about getting an abortion because no kid should have to grow up in “this kind of world.” The right to have an abortion has been revoked and she refuses to accept this new order. The group is separated as one of their friends is shot; three of them drive to the hospital while the other two head off to the country. They find a small hotel close to the border and decide to wait there for the others. The fun instantly begins.
Enter the Von Geisler family, who treat these two unsuspecting victims like Gods. The suspense is imminent as we know from the start what they’re in for - death. The family consists of three sisters (two hot, one deformed), three brothers and the father; they are one by one introduced throughout the film. After a short erotic interlude with the hot sisters the two young men are soon fighting for their lives. That´s what I call a “huge opening,” only it never stops from this point on.
The next duo arrives, and things progress much quicker. While Yasmina’s ex, Alex (
Aurelien Wiik), hits the restroom we get to know the father of the family (
Jean-Pierre Jorris, frighteningly convincing) who is said to be “extremely strict” by the deformed daughter (who is very afraid of him). His entrance is a daunting moment (one of the highlights of the film), as we instantly understand that he is a die-hard Nazi (he seems to have been in the SS) - the undisputed head of the household. As he works the room he sings an old Nazi tune that will send shivers down your spine. On the way to the restroom Alex goes exploring and discovers a man hanging upside down, hooked by his ankles (think
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE). He runs to fetch Yasmina, but before you know it they're both chained by their necks to a wall in an old stable, surrounded by pigs. After Yasmina gets away, the father cuts both of Alex’s Achilles tendons to prevent his escape. It´s a bloodbath from here on out.
Remarkable about
Gens’ story is that characters aren’t just there to die. In a typical slasher film character are introduced, then the stalker kills them and finito. In FRONTIER(S) every character returns in one way or another and is essential to the storyline. In addition, the film carries a thought-provoking social commentary about raising a kid in a horrible world. When you're rooting for the main character’s baby to die before it’s born, you know you’re watching something heavy.
Quite simply
FRONTIER(S) is a
tour de force of terror; one long and horrible nightmare. The film is full of colorful characters, and when one of them is killed it actually has an emotional impact (or is that just from how insanely brutal they’re killed?) People get beaten with poles, mallets, sledgehammers and axes; one character is boiled alive in a steaming room, while others are tortured, cut up and served as a dinner - and that´s just the ‘heroes’. The Nazi degenerates fare even worse! There is so much blood and gore in this film you’re going to think you’ve stumbled upon the lake at the end of
THE DESCENT again, only this time it’s in a house in France!
Having watched the film a few times I am convinced that
FRONTIER(S) deserves the highest score. There is hardly a flaw to be found as the film comes close to perfection and will be remembered as one of the best genre films of all time.
A must-see for everyone who liked
HAUTE TENSION,
INSIDE or
MARTYRS.