One of the most talked-about premieres at Fantastic Fest this year was the wonderfully chaotic “MadS,” a film I summed up for those listening as George A. Romero’s “Run, Lola, Run.” It’s a one-shot wonder that, like Tykwer’s beloved film, unfolds over about 90 minutes of one crazy night. But, like so many Romeros, it’s also about the bloody end of the world. (And features wonderfully spasmodic physical movements from its infected characters that are clearly inspired by a legacy of brain-eaters.) David Moreau, the writer of 2006’s fantastic “Ils” (aka “Them”), wants to captivate you to the screen with his directorial debut, leaving aside the era of high horror to embrace something more akin to chaotic horror. It doesn’t always have to “mean something.” Sometimes, you just want to enjoy the roller coaster.
“MadS” opens with a young man named Romain (Milton Riche) in his dealer’s shop, testing out a new product he’s taking his girlfriend and her clan out for a night of partying. On the way back to town, he drops a cigarette and stops to assess the damage to Dad’s car when a bandaged and mutilated woman jumps into the passenger seat. She refuses to leave, even when she can’t speak — she plays a sinister recording that makes it sound like she’s been subjected to experiments at a nearby facility, from which she’s escaped. He drives off, and things get ugly. Very badly Almost immediately, as she begins to stab herself, smearing blood all over our poor driver, to say her night is ruined would be an understatement.
Once again, “MadS” is shot in one continuous take, and one of my favorite sections unfolds when Romain drives up to his house, parks in the garage with a body in the passenger seat, and goes inside to wash off the blood. Moreau does a fantastic job of making his scene feel organic and unpredictable. We can feel Romain’s WTF wheels turning in his brain, trying to figure out what to do next, especially with Dad coming home tomorrow, and things change substantially when he gets back in the car to find his new friend gone. Almost hysterically, he heads out on the town anyway with his girlfriend Anais (Lucille Guillaume), even though he’s clearly feeling increasingly unwell. There’s no stopping the party.
The party is almost over for everyone, but once again Moreau keeps his fluid camera moving through the carnage in a way that’s less performative than most single-take films. It’s not about showing off as much as it is about forcing perspective. We can’t cut to the other angle to see what’s really going on or jump across town to see a character who’s been left behind. We’re not given the freedom to cut away. We’re too busy running. The forced point of view gives “MadS” an energy it wouldn’t otherwise have, heightening the confusion by locking us in on one character at a time, almost racing to keep up with its terrified characters. It makes “MadS” feel different than most of the films that inspired it, a fresh take on a concept we’ve seen before.
“MadS” is terrifyingly bleak — about halfway through, when Romain hands over the spotlight to the phenomenal Lucille Guillaume, I realized everyone was doomed. And yet, there are moments of sharp, wicked humor in the gory pace. Horror fans are always looking for new ways to tell some of the most timeless stories, and I think they’ll go nuts for it. We’ve seen so many stories about the end of the world. We’ve never seen one like this.
This review was submitted from the world premiere at Fantastic Fest. It premieres on Shudder on October 18.He.