‘MADS’ Review – A One-Take Frenzy of Bloodshed
From writer and director David Mureau (Them), MADS is a French one-take horror film that blurs the line between a hallucinogenic nightmare and a terrifying reality. Romain (Milton Riche) is celebrating his birthday by picking up a new drug from his dealer before commencing with a night of partying. He drives out of town to reach his dealer in his father’s red Mustang convertible.
As he heads back to town, he pulls over after the ash from his blunt nearly sets the car interior on fire. A strange woman (Sasha Rudakova) suddenly gets into the car. Covered in bandages and unable to speak, it’s not long before the woman is suddenly covered in blood and likely dead. Romain begins to feel strange as he contemplates how to get the blood out of his father’s car.
Anais (Laurie Pavy) is meeting up with Romain to party. She’s sleeping with him, but their relationship is somewhat secret and it’s hinted that she’s cheating. After arriving at a house party, Anais meets up with Julia (Lucille Guillaume) to sample the new drug Romain picked up. Something happens at the party that causes a rift between Anais, Julia, and Romain. Romain soon disappears from the party and Anais looks for him, but also begins to feel different.
The narrative in MADS changes three times during the film. The perspective alters when somebody dies or begins to chase what is likely to be a meal composed of human flesh. The three characters introduced are all connected in a semi-obvious way, but they become impossibly intertwined like an unbreakable chain tangled in something horrific.
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While watching the film, you’ll notice that MADS is mostly about a virus transmitted by blood. Romain, Anais, and Julia all ingest blood at some point during the film. Interestingly enough, all three of them are the only ones seen taking this new drug as well. The film showcases the virus like it is what is genuinely occurring in the film, but the argument can be made that this may be happening because of a new drug that results in the user having the worst trip imaginable.
Setting the theory that the film is just a bad trip for three users aside, MADS represents an outbreak that the government already knows about. The woman who gets into Romain’s car should be considered patient zero and the next 88 minutes shows a town succumbing to this animalistic virus.
Bright lights make the infected stronger as they develop a feline-like eye shine. As the virus mutates, they become rabid and bloodthirsty, attacking anything that moves while making raspy yelps that are no longer a distinguishable language. They tend to eventually not feel pain and are difficult to kill. The only thing that stops them is unloading entire magazines of ammunition directly to the head.
Early on in the film, like as early as Romain arrives back home with a dead woman in his car, the government seems to have already known about the outbreak. Much of the film is devoted to running away and avoiding people in glorified hazmat suits with automatic rifles. The contaminated storyline unfolds simultaneously as the drama escalates amongst Romain, Anais, and Julia.
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Laughing in the film represents how much the virus has mutated with the infected individual. Once they start laughing hysterically and uncontrollably they are no longer themselves. Laurie Pavy’s performance as Anais is so impressive. She juggles being this uncontrollable monster and being scared that she’ll never go back to how she used to be so incredibly well. Her portrayal is heartbreaking and she’s the nastiest character in the film. The “I’m gonna eat your face” sequence is an all-timer.
The film is filled with so much desperation and hopelessness. Romain seems trapped by his relationship with Anais and whatever is happening to him; he wants to party and have a good time. Anais wants to feel like Romain still thinks she’s beautiful and Julia is just trying to get home. The scooter sequence alone never pans away from the two people riding, but there’s nowhere to go as the virus takes them. There’s also an elevator scene with someone trapped inside as they listen to people get torn apart which is executed so well.
MADS is a bleak horror film that embraces what could be the end of the world as we know it. The performances are strong, the story is riveting, and the one-take presentation makes the film feel like it was made hurriedly like guerrilla filmmaking drenched in blood.
MADS is a gnarly and infectious thriller that is massively intense and effective. With a blistering soundtrack that dances around a symphony of guttural snarls, MADS dives head-first into despair and showcases a delirious outbreak in the most intense way imaginable.
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MADS (2024), Shudder
PROS
- A fresh take on an infected apocalypse
- Solid performances
- Holds your attention throughout
CONS
- Camera work is dizzying at times
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