They seem to use American horror from the 70's and 80's as a template, but they put their own spin on them and make them seem fresh and usually throw in a ton of gore. FRONTIERE(S) comes of as a French version of HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES which was a Rob Zombieland version of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. It's not hard to see why new directors would want to steal from TCM, it's one of the best horror films ever made (and The Reverends favorite horror film of all time), but there is a fine line between stealing and homage--I don't think FRONTIERE(S) steals anything and for the record, I don't think HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES did either. I would much rather watch either of those two films than the actual remake of TCM from a few years ago.
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Okay, so what is it about? After a heist, a group of 5 twenty-somethings head to the country to hide out. One of the group was shot during the getaway and he's dropped of at a hospital by his sister, Yasmine and her ex-boyfriend, Alex. Meanwhile in another car, 2 guys from the group head to the hideout (they have the money). The plan is to meet Yasmine and Alex there later after the hospital run. The guys shack up at a hostel where they are seduced by two strange women (one looking like a heroin-chic version of Pam Anderson). A cop shows up at their door and the 2 guys make a run for it, but not before a heavy scene involving some digits getting blown off and a scissor stabbing.
A car chase follows which ends with the two buddies upside down in a mine shaft. Battered and bloodied they make their way threw the creepy mine shaft (which leads right back to the hostel--doh!). Yasmine and Alex finally find the hideout and are soon find out that they have stumbled into one freaky-ass joint. The Nazi paraphernalia was a good clue. Yasmine discover that their friends may be dead and that things are not looking to good for them.
Turns out the hostel is run by a scary family of Nazis that inbreed and have a taste for human flesh. They are looking to refresh the family tree with Yasmine--who by the way, is pregnant. Super!
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So the film is pretty heavy, subject wise. There are a handful of old horror film cliches that (as far as I'm concerned) work. Before watching FRONTIERE(S) I hadn't heard much about it other than a review here and there and a Rue Morgue article. After checking out some more reviews and reader board bitch-fests, I realized that this film is causing quite a stir in the horror community (the whiniest community of them all). It seems that horror fans are never fucking satisfied and always find something to bitch about. I don't consider myself a diehard horror fan (at one time I was), but more of a fan of cinema period. Horror is probably my favorite genre, but I accept it for what it is--the junk food of cinema. Debating horror films, to me, is like arguing over the nutritional qualities of a Twinkie. The day a Twinkie becomes health food is the same day horror films will start getting Oscars--it's not gonna happen.
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FRONTIERE(S) has everything I look for in a horror film--Intensity, a good plot (notice I didn't say a believable plot), gore (not a must have, but always a plus), competent actors, it should make me squirm in my seat a little and be unsettling. This movie has all that and then some. It had me on the edge of my seat and I wasn't bored. I don't care if a plot is recycled 10,000 times, if it works it works.
The cast were above average for a horror film. Keep an eye on Karina Testa who plays Yasmine--she's the star and there's no doubt. Aurélien Wiik does a good job as Alex, you go from not liking the guy to feeling sorry for him and that's hard to pull off as an actor. Samuel Le Bihan steals the show as Goetz, looking almost unrecognizable from his character in BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF (which I also highly recommend).
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Where the film suffers is from Xavier Gens music video style directing. I'm not a big fan of jittery camera shots and fast paced editing. Maybe I'm just getting old, but that stuff really annoys me. I do like the gloomy look of the film and the cinematography on it's own is very good.
Overall, FRONTIERE(S) is a good horror flick that reminded me of watching horror films as a kid. It really captures the essence of horror. It's not gonna win over any non-horror fans and it's not the be all end all of French (or any other country) horror. It's just a blood soaked good time (best death by tablesaw scene since CLASS OF 1984!). All I ask for from a horror film is to be entertained and I was.
FRONTIER(S) trailer