By Christopher Kennedy
Released in 2006, “Them (ils)” is a superb French thriller with excellent atmosphere, understated acting and perfect pacing. Based loosely on an actual event, the film features Olivia Bonamy as Clementine, who teaches French to Romanian students, and Michael Cohen as Lucas, a writer and Clementine’s beau. The couple retires for a lazy evening at their isolated country house, and terror soon ensues.
Director David Moreau relies less on gore and other standard thriller techniques, and more on building tension by degrees, letting the viewer see and feel the film from the couple’s perspective. The result is a short ““ 77 minutes ““ but extremely suspenseful ride, culminating in an unexpected climax that stays with the viewer for days. Highly recommended for viewing on Halloween.
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