À l'intérieur (2007)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Alexandre Bustillo
Julien Maury

Writer:

Alexandre Bustillo (writer)

Release Date:

13 June 2007 (France)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Four months after the death of her husband, a woman on the brink of motherhood is tormented in her home by a strange woman who wants her unborn baby.

Plot Keywords:

Night | Baby | Christmas Eve | Death | Hospital

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Béatrice Dalle	...	La femme
Alysson Paradis	...	Sarah
Nathalie Roussel	...	Louise
François-Régis Marchasson	...	Jean-Pierre
Jean-Baptiste Tabourin	...	Matthieu
Dominique Frot	...	L'infirmière
Claude Lulé	...	Le médecin
Hyam Zeytoun	...	Policière municipale
Tahar Rahim	...	Policier municipal 1
Emmanuel Guez	...	Policier municipal 2
Ludovic Berthillot	...	Policier BAC
Emmanuel Lanzi	...	Policier BAC 2
Nicolas Duvauchelle	...	Policier BAC 3
Aymen Saïdi	...	Abdel

Also Known As:

Inside (USA) (festival title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence, gruesome and disturbing content, and language.

Runtime:

83 min | USA:75 min (R-rated cut)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX | DTS-ES

Certification:

France:-16 | USA:R (cut) | USA:NC-17 (orginal rating) | Japan:R-18 | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) (cut) | Finland:K-18 (self applied) | Argentina:18 | Mexico:C

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

La Fabrique de Films

Trivia:

In the scene where the three policemen come check on Sarah, you can see to the left end of the screen the house number, it's 666.

Trades in getting under your skin for over-the-top shocks...

I am actually sorry I can't give this film a higher score. There are moments so strong and deeply shocking (and one genuinely disturbing and unforeseeable moment) but those are drowned out by so many over-the-top (albeit extremely well done) acts of violence. The set-up is simple but effective in terms of suspense. For those who may complain that they need more back story to sympathize or care about the lead I can understand that. However for this viewer it was enough that she was pregnant and seemed reasonably nice (and distraught over the misfortune that begins a movie which helps buy more sympathy). If nothing else my heart was with the little baby in the belly. Plus the actress does well with her thinly written part. The set-up begins in an understated way that leaves you tense and on guard. Very well done so far. Once the action of the plot begins it still is on the right track. Then the violence begins. One act of over-the-top violence after another. This viewer is a fan of over-the-top violence but it depends on the film. Something like this where the premise is disturbing enough already would have gained more from drawing out the suspense and slowly building up the violence. By the time the film reaches its conclusion we've been so numbed and accustomed to the relentless violence that the end does not pack nearly as much punch as it could have and the deaths kind of blur into one another. The movie no longer becomes about a pregnant woman in peril. Over halfway in it feels more like a gore fest, preferring instead to go for well crafted shocks instead of hitting you with just a few but heavy acts of violence. To put it simply it blows its wad way too early. However there are moments here and there that emerge from amongst the splatter fest that point to two directors with great potential (I won't spoil). Beatrice Dalle is great as usual. A nameless character that could have become just another stock killer in the hands of the wrong actress feels alive in Dalle's hands while still retaining an air of mystery. I recommend it...but reluctantly. I recommend it for sure to the gorehounds (for the record this reviewer is not opposed to gore considering that Argento is adored by this reviewer for example). Also very much recommend it to Dalle fans (which this reviewer loves as well). But for those who are neither of the above I recommend it for a strong beginning and for a dulled but nonetheless strong ending and for two or three great moments in the between.

P.S. The few CGI effects were terrible and should have been cut out altogether.