Masz na imie Justine

This movie definitely needs to be seen by more people.

You are caught off guard by its plot especially if you haven't read its summary. It begins as a wonderful romantic movie where you are really rooting for the couple. But before you know it, the nightmare begins. The shocking turn of events and the sheer torture leaves the viewer helpless and utterly in horror. Now this is a movie which is so plausible, the events seem so real like it has happened to someone before.

If you haven't already seen it, I suggest you definitely watch it tonight!

This movie has to be based on the 2002 Lilya 4-Ever Russian movie. This movie is nearly the same as Lilya 4-Ever. However, that does not break this movie. Just how Cannibal Ferox was inspired by Cannibal Holocaust, this was clearly based inspired on Lilya 4-Ever. Now, this movie is only 1 hour and 30 minutes, at times it felt like it was 2 hours long. I wish there was more depth given to Justine. What makes Lilya 4-Ever so good, is that our main heroes both have tight, well written depth. Justine, barely has any depth, and we right get into her being a prostitute. My problem with this movie primarily after she escaped from the old building, she became a prostitute again, and then killed her ex boyfriend. I think that could of been written a bit better.

Anyway, this movie i not bad. The acting is fine for the most part, the effects look pretty realistic, there's zero happy moments it's just a pitch-black dark sinister movie, and it does it's job well. I can only say for negatives is that the movie does drag at times, and after sometime, when they left the building where she was being isolated, i got kinda bored afterwards, because she is free now kind of. If you enjoyed Lilya 4-Ever or Apartment 407, you'll probably enjoy this too. Personally i liked it, but it really does drag at times.

Similar in tone to Lukas Moodysson's Lilja 4-Ever, Masz Na Imie Justine is another study of human trafficking, and the effects this horror has on the soul. Anna Cieslak gives a strong performance as the fated Mariola, a young Polish girl, who's leaves her home looking for a brighter future, but ends up being delivered into the hands of devils.

Cieslak's performance is the strongest part of the movie. As a film it's competently realised, but also feels a little vacuous, although that same feeling works well alongside Cieslak's character, whom understandably is losing her self to the tortures she is forced into.

As with Lilja 4-Ever, Masz Na Imie Justine is an important film, that warns us of the evil that man can inflict, and it is a horror that is sadly all too real.

The film has many messages to convey. Besides that, it stretches the viewer's ability to empathize with the central character. It tests the viewer's sense of humanity, sense of justice, and his/her levels of tolerance. The viewer is tortured, is made to think beyond his comfortable life, his family, his friends etc. and is forced to think and feel for girls like 'Justine', girls who are forced to forego their self-identities to live under the identity of 'Justine'. Justine symbolizes the millions of innocent girls born free, born to live normal lives but are kidnapped, trafficked, blackmailed and forced into prostitution. Such girls gradually lose the sense of self, lose the sense of identity, sense of being human and begin to believe that they deserve it, that this is what their destiny is, this is what they are made of. How is it justified? Why should such a thing happen to anyone? Is there an escape? Where is hope? Who am I? What am I? If I escape, who will I be? Though the film may not offer answers to these questions, but through the character of Pauline it raises these questions in an effectual manner in the viewer's hearts, making 'Your Name Is Justine' an unforgettable experience.