[ILS (Them)]
Plot:Lucas and Clémentine, a thirtysomething couple living in an isolated house in the suburbs of Bucharest...come to realize one night -- through a string of terrifying events that they are not alone.

Cast: Olivia Bonamy Michael Cohen

My Thoughts:Scary.

Review:The French had made their mark in horror with "High Tension" back in 2005, which despite it's throw-you-for-a-loop ending was a very effective horror film. Now comes David Moreau & Xavier Palud's "Them", which just makes the mark alot more noticeable. The film starts off with some unseen assailants making short work of a mother and her daughter on a lonely stretch of road in a rainstorm, and moves on from there to a man named Lucas and his wife Clementine, who reside in a mansion in the Bucharest burbs. When night falls, strange noises begin to eminate from downstairs, leading the couple to believe that "someone" is in their home.

Moreau and Palud, although I don't know much about them as directors seeing as how this is the first I'm seeing of their work, I gather from "Them"...that both are very good at leading the viewer where they want them to go. "Them" plays on the fear that most people would usually have, living in an old gothicesque mansion in the middle of nowhere. Imagine if you woke up one night, and there were people in your large home. People who you couldn't see, didn't know, and meant you harm. Worst of all though, the key phrase being "people", as in more than one. That's the reoccuring theme in this film, which works so well because it's just two ordinary people who have this terrifying situation thurst upon them out of nowhere.

The darkened mansion is a perfect setting for this tale because of it's layout and overall size, it works well to add psychological scares and terror to the films overall core and makes it very atmospheric. Palud and Moreau also make sure not to give up a look at their antagonists too early in the movie, not letting us even see them until very late in the picture. The film follows the usual patterns of the "home invaders" or "home intrusion" horror film scenario, where the villains attack the couple whenever and wherever they can. Which isn't much considering the characters spend most of the film locked upstairs trying to figure out their next move.

But these particular villains spend more time messing with the heads of their prey, and the way this film is written...you can tell the bad guys are enjoying the torment of their victims and that they aren't the type of villains who are just there to cut them down and move on to the next person or people. This is evident in the first two deaths of the movie, as well as the films centerpiece attack on Clementine and Lucas. The bad guys themselves are very quick footed and the only glimpses we get of them inside the mansion are silhouettes, shadows, and brief shots of their darkened faces.

Another thing that makes them quite scary as horror films villains is that they seem to be carrying noisemakers of sorts, which they use to further mentally psyche out their targets. "Them" contaisns ome very suspensful scenes and the picture uses the dark night setting to it's advantage with many scenes in the attic, outside in the woods, and outside on the road coming to be the most intense parts of the movie. Eventually as the film nears it's climax the bad guys are finally revealed and while some may sneer and be angered by who they turn out to be, for me...finding out who was behind the attacks and the killings made the movie even more terrifying from many standpoints. Palud and Moreau also manage to put together a very exciting climax which contains many intense sequences including one at the very end which is sure to keep anyone watching on the edge of their seat, biting their nails, or all of the above. "Them" is another gem from the land of french toast and wine, and should definitely be a lesson to Hollywood about how films with little to no blood and gore can definitely work with the proper effort put forth.

Positives:Very atmospheric, great directing, good performances by the male and female leads. Alot of suspense and intense scenes. Great ending.

Negatives:Nothing major.

Overall:Great horror film.





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