This came to my notice via the usual routes but I was apprehensive about it after learning that it contains gory content. I thought that it would be some variant of a torture porn film and I detest those. While the initial premise appears to bear this out it turned out to be a complete subversion and this is a far more original and effective film than I gave it credit for.

Justine arrives at the veterinary school where her elder sister Alexia is also a student. She is assigned a gay male roommate Adrien and despite her early misgivings they help each other survive the harsh hazing rituals imposed by the seniors. One event has them being forced to eat a small piece of raw meat. A lifelong vegetarian, Justine refuses but is pressured by her sister to go along with it. Later that night her skin breaks out with itchy sores that appear to be an allergic reaction to consuming animal protein. Afterwards she seems to develop a craving for meat which shames her so much that she tries to hide it. When Alexia helps her with her first bikini waxing session, they accidentally cut off one of Alexia’s fingers with a pair of scissors. Alexia faints out of shock and Justine picks up the severed finger to preserve it and keep out of the way of the dog. However as the blood drips onto her, she finds herself licking at it and soon starts eating it. Alexia wakes up just in time to see her doing it as well.

As I noted, this film starts with all the usual bad tropes: beautiful, young white female in a vulnerable situation; masked men breaking into her room at night; unsympathetic authority figures and so on; seeing her being splashed with blood as a sick prank etc. But it deliberately does so only to subvert them. Beginning with clues such as her increasing need for raw meat, her lack of hesitation or revulsion when they are required to cut up an animal carcass in class until our initial fear for her morphs into fear of her. Far from being the prey, she is the predator of the story and the process of director Julia Ducournau leading us to this conclusion is masterful. As my notes, there is something inherently terrifying about cannibalism and to watch the character hunger so much for human flesh is doubly scary.

I have my frustrations with this film such as how Justine doesn’t ever freak out over the radical changes to her dietary habits. Then again, the film is smart about showing that Adrien is indeed freaking out and confused about why she is so calm about it. Then there’s how Justine and Alexia keep avoiding talking to each other about her finger. But I suppose that’s dramatic license to make the final revelations more powerful. Once you figure out the premise it isn’t difficult to guess how the rest of the film will fall into place but the concept is so original and the execution so perfectly handled that you’re kept on the edge of your seat just the same. This film does indeed have plenty of gore and blood but the horror comes not from the graphic imagery but the mindset of the characters, another triumph.

Once again, not many horror movies are actually scary these days, but this one absolutely is. Not only is it horrifying to watch but the imagery it conjures up will stay in your mind for a long time afterwards.