7 Days

This movie is very disturbing, and I am used to violence in movies. In fact, it is not the violence that disturbed me, but rather the very, very tense atmosphere charged with various emotions. It feels so heavy, I am still uneasy, an hour and a half after watching it. Those who have watched Saw or Hostel will find the violence bearable, but this is not a gore movie like these two franchises; it is a psychological film. I believe that knowing these actors very well (not personally) made me biased towards this movie. I am convinced that if the movie would have featured different actors, or perhaps if it wasn't Québécois, I wouldn't be as troubled as I am right now. It is a weird feeling that I cannot really explain.

The movie itself is very well done, technically and artistically. Daniel Grou's direction is near perfect for that kind of movie, expect maybe a few shots which, in my opinion, were unnecessary. The movie has no soundtrack at all; long stills of the character(s) in silence help getting in the mood, help understanding, if that's possible. Which brings me to this point: this is a rather slow movie. It reminds me in many ways of Asian cinema, particularly (some) Japanese movies (maybe Yasujiro Ozu). There is minimal dialogue, but well delivered by the actors and I have to give a mention to Martin Dubreuil, who played Anthony Lemaire. I didn't know him before this movie and he delivers a terribly solid performance here. Claude Legault is also excellent.

All in all, this is a great film. There is one thing I recommend though; do not see this in the theatre, because of the damned food and plastic bags noises. The silences in this movie need to be respected and it is very annoying when you hear someone talk during this movie, even more so because there's no music. Rent it or buy the DVD (Blu-ray?).

This is my first review, I hope it makes sense.

"Does knowing your wife's murderer is behind bars make life any more bearable?"

"7 Days" is a powerful and brutal film about a happily married surgeon who as a result of the rape and murder of his daughter falls into a dark obsession with revenge. WARNING: this movie is VERY graphic and not for the easily offended or people with a weak stomach. "7 Days" deals with a very difficult subject matter and does not hold back.

Claude Legault (Bruno) and Rémy Girard (Hervé) did an incredible job with the acting. Fanny Mallette (Sylvia) also did wonderfully, though I would have liked to have seen more of her throughout the movie. I found myself wondering why the director did not feature more of the mother's struggle. There is one scene in particular that showcases the raw talent Legault and Mallette have. It was a tour de force of brilliant acting.

However, the movie is not without it's faults. One of the more interesting decisions made by the director was to not include a musical soundtrack. This worked I think in favor of the atmosphere but there could have been some fill in music at times. It seemed like the director was trying to fill holes in the story a bit too hard. There were a couple of things that didn't make much sense to do and the ending left a little to be desired.

"7 Days" may not be the cream of the crop of revenge flicks, but it does succeed where others fail. It is such a harrowing subject matter and is shot in such a realistic way that you are forced to have an emotional response, whether you like it or not. There are some powerful visuals that will stay with you for days, possibly months after.

Just finished seeing Les 7 jours du talion and I have to admit that words cannot begin to describe how that movie will affect you. The acting is superb, it is very much a "huis-clos" as we call it in French, a duel of actors in an enclosed space where no one else can see them.

I'm not a fan of torture porn, I've never seen the Saw and Hostel movies as they aren't my cup of tea personally. Warning here that the violence, though rare, is very graphic and realistic. But the characters are very convincing, especially in what they DON'T say aloud. And I agree with the choice not to add a soundtrack to that movie, it would detract from the tension in it.

I know that I normally buy a DVD of a really outstanding movie, but I'll pass on this one, though it is outstanding. It's just that the dark side of human nature does not always bear repeat contemplation.

I base myself on the fact that i've viewed a lot of horror films and psychological thrillers and the like, this is unlike any i have seen although i did watch a trailer on the DVD when it loaded about a little boy thats abducted and killed and the parents the father being a doctor get revenge 'the torture' although i haven't seen said film yet I'm kinda thinking its gonna be the same thing..

I like the fact there is no soundtrack to this film, i really get a sense of the parents pain and I'm pretty sure if someone did that to my daughter i wouldn't be responsible for my actions either.

Its graphic yet moving and the actors played the roles well.. Honestly cannot complain

When police arrest a man for the rape and murder of Dr. Bruno Hamel's 8-year old daughter, the distraught father (a strong performance from Claude Legault) seeks revenge, kidnapping the suspect and subjecting him to a week of unimaginable suffering while the police desperately attempt to track them down.

Revenge is sweet, as the saying goes, but 7 Days challenges this notion: after inflicting untold pain and suffering on his victim, Bruno doesn't feel any better—he is just as empty inside, his grief no less severe than before, his anger unabated. The film questions whether, despite our understandable wish to severely punish the human garbage who commit such evil crimes, revenge might not be the wisest route to take.

Superb performances, tight direction from Daniel Grou, and some truly disturbing imagery make this film hard to ignore, but it is its highly debatable central theme—to torture or not to torture— that makes 7 Days a more powerful viewing experience than many of the 'torture' films that we've had to endure post-Saw.