MadS is a 2024 French horror film directed by David Moreau, and the cast includes Milton Riche, Laurie Pavy, Lewkowski Yovel and Lucille Guillaume.
MadS is a relentless, adrenaline fueled horror film that will grip you from the opening shot.
The movie starts with a haunting painting of someone screaming, setting the tone for the chaos to follow, and what begins as a seemingly typical night spirals into madness when Romain (Riche), borrows his father’s pristine Mustang for a night out.
While driving, he accidentally drops a lit joint on the leather seat and pulls over in frustration, and that’s when a panicked, bandaged woman suddenly jumps into his car.
Director David Moreau doesn’t give you any time to settle or figure things out here, as the story plunges forward in one unbroken take, immersing you in the frantic, disorienting experience of its characters.
As Romain tries to help the mysterious woman, the situation takes a dark turn as she stabs herself, as we witness Romain struggling to process what’s happening while trying to avoid both authorities and the wrath of his father.
The film transitions to Romain’s girlfriend, Anais (Pavy), picking him up for a night out with their friends, and despite his attempts to act normal and enjoy the party, strange symptoms begin to emerge.
MadS uses a unique approach to tell its story, as it was all apparently filmed in a single-take, and this gives the film an unrelenting pace and a sense of immediacy, and this helps you stay locked in the moment, heightening the sense of urgency and drawing you deeper into the unfolding drama, with each scene seamlessly flows into the next, creating an almost breathless experience that mimics the feeling of being trapped in the moment, much like the characters themselves.
Laurie Pavy is particular brilliant as Anais, as she brings a raw vulnerability to her character, conveying disbelief, fear, and eventual resignation as the situation spirals out of control, helping to make the horror feel deeply personal, and her emotional switches and ability to navigate these emotions creates a character who feels fully realized, and through her, the horror becomes something much more than just external threats.
Unlike many zombie films, MadS doesn’t focus on large scale destruction or societal collapse, but instead, it zeroes in on a small group of characters navigating an outbreak on an intimate, ground-level scale, and rather than showing the collapse of entire cities or mass panic, MadS keeps the story tightly centered on the characters’ immediate experiences, highlighting their interactions, struggles, and evolving relationships as they face an increasingly dire situation.
This approach gives the film a naturalistic feel, and the gradual onset of the characters physical changes is great to watch, and the film cleverly plays with your expectations, as it doesn’t give us the usual zombie film spectacle but instead offers a more intimate, psychological experience, making the outbreak really feel like a personal, existential crisis.
The tension lies not only in the physical transformation but in the emotional and psychological toll it takes on the characters, and their fear isn’t just about becoming infected, but about losing themselves, becoming something else entirely, and facing the reality that there’s no escaping their fate.
Visually, MadS is also stunning, and the cinematography amplifies the intensity of the story, using the camera to create a sense of urgency and discomfort, and the film's aesthetic is dark and atmospheric, perfectly complementing the chaotic nature of the narrative.
Whether it's through tight, claustrophobic shots that trap the characters in their escalating nightmare or wide, open frames that highlight the isolation and despair they face, the visual storytelling is very well crafted.
Overall, MadS is an intense, visually gripping horror experience that's chaotic, suspenseful, and full of surprises that I highly recommend you watch.
It's bold, it's chaotic and you won't want to look away. [Mads on IMDB] [Where to watch MadS]
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