If Maléfique is to believed, the French penal system is in need of some serious reform, the prison in this film seeing four men confined to a single, filthy, rat-infested cell, with white collar criminals forced to live alongside convicted murderers, sexual deviants and the criminally insane. Businessman Carrère (Gérald Laroche), whose wife has framed him for fraud, finds himself sharing with three such cell-mates: body-building transsexual Marcus (Clovis Cornillac), wife-murderer Lasalle (Philippe Laudenbach) and compulsive eater and all-round nut-job Pâquerette (Dimitri Rataud), who consumed his baby sister. When this unlikely collection of characters find an old journal hidden behind a loose brick in the cell wall, and read the strange supernatural phrases contained within, they discover a possible means of escape—but at what cost?
Thematically, Maléfique borrows heavily from the Evil Dead series, Clive Barker's Hellraiser movies and the world of H.P. Lovecraft, with just a touch of Vincent Natali's cult sci-fi Cube for good measure; but although many elements will undoubtedly seem rather familiar to avid horror fans, the actual execution is about as original as it gets, director Eric Valette delivering arresting imagery, unpredictable WTF moments, and inventive special effects guaranteed to dumbfound, disgust and delight fans of the twisted and bizarre. While I can't say that I found this film as impeccable as many seem to have—I struggle with the basic set-up in which a non-violent criminal is incarcerated with the criminally insane—I have to admire the movie for going the extra mile to continually surprise the viewer.
Thematically, Maléfique borrows heavily from the Evil Dead series, Clive Barker's Hellraiser movies and the world of H.P. Lovecraft, with just a touch of Vincent Natali's cult sci-fi Cube for good measure; but although many elements will undoubtedly seem rather familiar to avid horror fans, the actual execution is about as original as it gets, director Eric Valette delivering arresting imagery, unpredictable WTF moments, and inventive special effects guaranteed to dumbfound, disgust and delight fans of the twisted and bizarre. While I can't say that I found this film as impeccable as many seem to have—I struggle with the basic set-up in which a non-violent criminal is incarcerated with the criminally insane—I have to admire the movie for going the extra mile to continually surprise the viewer.