Oranges sanguines

I recently watched the French film 🇫🇷 Bloody Oranges (2021) on Shudder. The storyline weaves together three distinct narratives: an elderly couple hoping to win a dance contest to pay off their debts, a man evading tax fraud charges, and a young woman seeking revenge after being raped. As these stories unfold, they become interconnected in a strange and unsettling universe.

Directed by Jean-Christophe Meurisse (One of Us), the film stars Alexandre Steiger (The French Dispatch), Christophe Paou (Stranger by the Lake), Lilith Grasmug (Thunder), Denis Podalydès (The Conquest), and Anthony Paliotti (To the Ends of the World).

While the film is well-shot with clean cinematography and solid horror elements, I found myself only invested in one of the three storylines. The plot involving the finance guy and the elderly couple felt average and failed to capture my interest. On the other hand, the storyline focused on the young woman seeking revenge, along with the man with a green couch and a pig 🐖 in his house, was much more compelling. I couldn't help but wish the entire film had centered around this narrative. There's also some horror nudity sprinkled throughout. The torture scenes were intense, though some parts felt predictable.

In conclusion, Bloody Oranges is interesting enough to keep your attention, but it doesn't quite stand out in the genre. I'd score it a 5.5-6/10 and only recommend it if you're looking for something a bit different.