Well, that escalated quickly. I don't believe in nukes, but you probably gotta Blow this city.
Continuing into Ahhctober 2024, I finally get to see the beginning of the zombie (?) outbreak I've been wanting to see. George A. Romero basically did it with his 2007's Diary of the Dead - and despite that not being very well received AND found-footage, to boot, I actually really liked that entry. This would make a great companion piece, a super double feature. (Maybe a fun triple feature with the also-similar Cloverfield from 2008.)
This felt VERY experimental and even though not 100% original as a One-Take Movie, it was enormously effective and very well-thought out. I loved how this moved from character to character, tragedy to escalating situations. You got enough background for each character intro and then onto the next victim. PLUS, it absolutely didn't overstay its welcome with such a short screentime.
The movie begins with a 18yo Birthday Boy all coked up and while on his merrily way to party, he encounters (what I'd assume to be) Patient Zero of some kind of diseased experiment. There we follow him as he slowly becomes Mads with so many around him...and the sad aftermaths.
This was haunting, realistic, terrifying and probably could very well happen. I don't believe in conspiracy theories and yet, how could this not be a real threat to all of us?
We need to celebrate movies like this and creative artists who make 'em. This could NOT have been a huge budget and yet it's a fantastic, memorable and dare I say: an instant classic. Obviously, it's not Hollywood since this is sooo French.
This will be one I'll want to revisit several times. It feels so real, I'm genuinely creeped out. I know this screams sequel and an expanded universe of what this outbreak means/originated from. I honestly don't need it. I am fully satisfied here.
Heck, I even LOVED how they presented the title in the opening. If this doesn't end up on many people's Best of 2024 list, there is no justice.
(Side note: this will be in direct competition with Oddity as my #1 horror movie of 2024. I *may* have to watch these both again just to make my final determination.)
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Final Thoughts: Add this to the latest string of foreign horror films that are WAY low budget (compared to the normal Hollywood blockbuster fare) and outshines them ALL. Including, but not limited to: Godzilla Minus One, Talk to Me and When Evil Lurks, just to name a few. All GREAT movies, none from the Hollywood engines/Producer-Interference and super-low budget. THESE are the movies to cherish.