re:mote voices

Title:Ils
Cast: Olivia Bonamy, Michaël Cohen
Director:David Moreau and Xavier Palud

Them is a thankfully short film. Based on “true” events there is only so much that can be done with the approach that is taken, without getting really silly. A French couple, a teacher and a writer, move to Romania. A refurbishment of a sprawling and remote house. One night they are woken by sound outside. Someone is stealing their car. With all their documentation in the glove compartment they are distraught. But when it becomes clear that there is now someone in the house they are understandably upset. Dark figures run around, and the couple are attacked at every opportunity.

The film actually maintains a pretty solid level of tension. So that the idea of people coming into your house and attacking you for no apparent reason does become something to get quite bothered about. The film stock seems old, giving the film a very 1970’s grainy/cheap feel. Which is on the one hand atmospheric, while on the other feels quite dated. Though the incident that the film is based on happened in 2002, and the film is clearly not supposed to be feel old.

In the end it’s a pretty by the book film. Very little surprising or of particular merit, and very little for the cast to do really. Perhaps of most interest is that the pair who wrote and directed this French film David Moreau and Xavier Palud are working on a remake of the Pang Brother’s original The Eye.