SHEITAN (2006)

DIRECTED BY: KIM CHAPIRON WRITTEN BY: KIM CHAPIRON & CHRISTIAN CHAPIRON CINEMATOGRAPHY BY: ALEX LAMARQUE EDITOR: Benjamin Weill Cast: Vincent Cassel, Roxanne Mesquida, Olivier Bartholemy, Nico le Phat tan, Leila Behkti, Monica Belucci On Christmas Eve, in the Styxx Club in Paris, the troublemaker Bart and his scum friends, Thaï and Ladj, meet the bartender Yasmine and the customer Eve, and after a fight of Bart in the nightclub, Eve invites the group to go to her house in the country. While on the road near the cottage, they are introduced by Eve to the weird shepherd and housekeeper, Joseph, whose wife is pregnant. Joseph feels a sort of attraction for Bart, and during this Christmas night, Joseph discloses his real intentions. This French horror movie plays like a extended episode of TALES FROM THE CRYPT. At first the movie starts off. You think you know where it’s going there is some violence but nowhere near horror violence. We get to know the characters. Not too many are likeable. Then the sexual shenanigans begin. Before finally we get to the horror and what we have been expecting. Unfortunately in the end all of this effort and violence has been for one thing. Which is truly insignificant. I guess that is the final joke. This movie could play as a black comedy more than a horror film. If it had more jokes and wasn’t unsettling. I like how the main character in the group of friends was the character you wished to die the most. He is a jerk that you feel doesn’t deserve his fate especially when it happens during the only tie he is a decent human being. Where as they guy who earlier was the most decent ended up being the coldest. I would have liked to know what happened to a few of the characters. Roxanne MEsquada as usual is excellent as the femme fatale. As sexy as she is dangerous. Why no American filmmaker has discovered and used her in their films is a mystery. Vincent Cassel is almost unrecognizable in his role as the handyman. This is a different type of role for him that is both funny and unsettling. At least he looks like he Is really into his role. Though it borders on camp. Leila bekhti As one of the group. is so beautiful I can’t wait to see her in more films. She is definitely one to watch. Sheitan is really cool because it makes fun with two types of french people. Those who live in the city and the others that live in the far country. So you should know a little bit about France if you want to understand everything about this movie. This film is a very unsettling and disturbing. More than it ever Is scary. In fact there are very few scares GRADE: C