Review of Calvaire (2005) by Ryan R — 30 Jul 2009

Calvaire is an offbeat slow moving creeper of a movie with an intense style of camera work which is very well done. The subject matter of this sub genre survialist opus has some very bizarre elements that a horror film does not possess and therefore I wouldn't necessarily classify it as a "scary" or "spooky horror movie", its more of a thriller in my eyes with a penchant for pigs!?

The camera style reminds me a lot of fellow controversial french (but non-belgium?) filmmaker Gaspar Noe and his attention to spinning, rotating and other unconvential angular carnage, but not quite as intense. Subject matter in Calvaire obviously dips into Texas Chainsaw Massacre territory (the rotating table scene with Marc, Bartel and Bruno) and slightly Sam Peckinpah's Strawdogs (the whole siege of Bartels Inn with the shotgun blasts etc).

I do love some of the camerawork very much in this and I feel it makes the film rise above mediocrity. Along with some disturbing subject matter we also get a slight dose of dark humor and the conclusion is very bizarre and underdone but realistic. We never see Marc's character act heroic nor does he violently get back at his tormentors, events just happen and he's thrown into the mix most of the time as the victim. If your a gung ho viewer then look elsewhere because some overweight Steven Seagal wannabe ain't gonna be crack'in limbs in this one, for that purpose alone I enjoyed this film.

Honourable mentions in Calvaire are roles by Gaspar Noe's regular go to actor Philippe Nahon and a brief rather lusty performance by once sex kitten now very aging Brigitte Lahaie as a nurse. Make sure to pay attention to the very eerily done but laughable dance at the town pub with that creepy piano music! Bizarre shit indeed.