Review of Martyrs (2008) by Joshuah Alberto G — 29 Jan 2010

I see what ya did thar...

I have to confess that, even as I was fully aware of it, I showed moments of genuine interest at the end of this film. As the heinous torturers were waiting for their payoff, I found myself waiting for it too. Which, I suppose, makes me complicit in the unspeakable violence. And perhaps that's the biggest punch in the gut, even after all the haymakers that come before it.

Is the payoff worth it? Hell no. In fact, you could argue that there's no payoff to speak of. Which, in case you somehow had any doubts left by that point, makes all the horrific acts utterly senseless.

So I give the director credit for that much. The ending was interesting enough to make me think. But it merely cements the obvious after briefly teasing a different message.

I don't need this film to tell me that the violence isn't worth it. And you don't need me to tell you that this film isn't worth it.

Save yourself the nightmares and psychological scarring.