Martyrs

I recently saw the original 'Martyrs' and absolutely loved it. That French film from 2008 was very close to a horror masterpiece. It was original, disturbing and clever. An absolutely marvelous film. So of course the Americans were going to have a go at remaking it - I'm just surprised it took them so long. Now, there are a number of reasons you might remake a film. You could think there were areas that could have been improved on in an otherwise good film, or you might simply want more people to see such a wonderful story. Whatever your reason is for doing it though, one thing is absolutely crucial - you must maintain the quality. Otherwise you are doing a massive disservice to the original and tarnishing its name. Sadly, that's exactly what the 2015 version of 'Martyrs' has done.

The first 3/4 of the film remain extremely similar to the original, almost feeling like a shot-for-shot remake at times. During this phase the movie isn't actually half bad. The same intensity isn't quite there and the acting is step down, but it could be considered a passable film up to that point. Then the final 1/4 begins and it all starts to unravel. This was always going to be the segment that determined how good this film was going to be, because it was the segment that made the original what it was. Everything that made the original ending great was basically removed and replaced with inferior ideas. I would've preferred to see zero creativity used and simply a shot-for-shot, word-for-word remake created, simply because people who see this instead of the original are going to get a bad taste in their mouth, when they should have exactly the opposite.

This remake of 'Martyrs' never dares to be great, and that it why it isn't. Whether they were afraid American audiences wouldn't be able to handle the gruesome violence and ambiguity of the original I'm not sure, but if that was the case it makes zero sense because the only people who are going to see a film like this are the ones that can handle it. It's a terrible shame this movie was ever made. If it's not too late and you haven't seen either version yet, I implore you to choose the French original. It'll be the wisest decision you ever make.

The original Martyrs is one of my favorite horror movies of all time. I'd even rank it up there with The Exorcist, another film that pushed the envelope and was ahead of its time. Unfortunately, because of the original's cult status, a remake was inevitable. Does it do the original any justice? I can't say that it does. And I honestly feel bad for the directors. They were simply set up for failure. If you are curious about the remake, watch it. I'd read the bad reviews, but I still had to see how it held up to the original. Just too bad it doesn't at all. I will say the acting and score were decent. Again, not as good as the original, but good nonetheless. If you've never seen the original or remake, please watch the original first. Yes, you will have to read subtitles, but I'm gonna assume most of you have a third grade education and can read.

The original film is one of my favorite horror movies, so I went in with very low expectations. I was very nervous to watch a remake, especially of a film that was so brutal, heart wrenching, and yet beautiful at the same time. Even though I had low expectations, I was still disappointed. They changed too much, and it wasn't as beautifully done, or as brutal as I expected. If I had never seen the original I may have actually enjoyed this one more. This is one of those movies is recommended to people that enjoy American horror movies, and don't want to read subtitles. But if you love horror movies, and don't mind reading a little, then this one would be a let down to all of the amazing foreign films out there.

I would have to say that this is not really as good as the original.

There was little character development at the beginning so you don't really get to know these two. I was not a fan of either actresses although I have seen them in other shows/movies and they were decent.

I think most American remakes do not live up to the original. While, this may be a reimagining, it is loosely based on the original. This is another remake that should not have been done.

First off, I'm a big fan of the original French version of Martyrs (2008). This is one of those movies that stays with you long after you have watched it. When I heard of a remake for the American audience, I thought it would be great and would love to see what could be done with it. I went into seeing this movie very excited. It starts off similar to the French version, but seemed to lack a bit of the eerie atmosphere the original had. The characters seemed a bit more likable in this version, so I started to get a bit more excited about it the further it went.

The story then take a left turn and seems very rushed once all of the action starts. The original version is a lot bloodier and contains a lot more violence. This version hints to the violence taking place but never shows whats going on. The ending, which in the original, is the part of the movie that sticks with you, is hinted to, but again, never shown. I recommend that if you do decide to watch this movie, what the original version first. Hey America, if you're going to do a remake, do it properly and don't hack a film to shite!