Watch Calvaire
- NR
- 2004
- 1 hr 38 min
-
6.1 (14,048)
Calvaire is a 2004 psychological horror film from Belgium directed by Fabrice Du Welz. It stars Laurent Lucas as Marc Stevens, a struggling singer who gets lost while on tour in the Ardennes Forest of Belgium. What starts as just a simple case of bad luck quickly turns into a surreal and nightmarish experience for Marc as he becomes trapped and tormented by the bizarre and often terrifying locals he encounters in this rural area.
The film opens with Marc Stevens, a middle-aged entertainer who performs in small venues, driving through the countryside in his van with his dog, Scooby. He is en route to a performance at a Christmas dinner in a remote village but gets lost and stranded on the side of the road after his van breaks down. He seeks help from a nearby inn where he meets Bartel, the innkeeper (played by Jackie Berroyer), who offers to help him fix his van. Bartel is a friendly man, but his strange and unsettling behavior begins to make Marc feel uneasy. Marc decides to leave and try to find help elsewhere, but his van breaks down again not far into his journey.
As Marc wanders the countryside, he meets various bizarre characters, each more sinister than the next. He encounters a mentally unstable woman, a mother and daughter duo running an isolated bar, a friendly huntsman with a penchant for dressing up as a woman, and a group of villagers who perform a bizarre Christmas pageant that quickly turns violent. To make matters worse, he is pursued by a terrifying group of villagers who become convinced that he is the reincarnation of a beloved resident of the town who recently passed away.
Throughout the film, tension builds as Marc's situation becomes more and more surreal and hopeless. Laurent Lucas does an excellent job portraying Marc's descent into madness as he faces the psychological and physical torture imposed on him by the inhabitants of this remote village.
The film is reminiscent of horror classics like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Wicker Man, using the remote and insular setting to create a sense of foreboding and a strange, almost dreamlike atmosphere. The cinematography is stunning and plays a key role in building a sense of unease as Marc's situation becomes increasingly dire.
Calvaire is not for the faint of heart, as it features graphic violence and disturbing imagery that may be unsettling for some viewers. However, it is a truly unique and haunting film that is sure to stick with viewers long after the credits roll.
Overall, Calvaire is a beautifully shot and chilling psychological horror film that delves deep into the darker corners of the human psyche. It is a must-see for horror fans who enjoy unsettling, surreal tales that leave them questioning their own perceptions of reality.
Calvaire is a 2004 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1 and a MetaScore of 52.