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.
The perspective shifts between Romain, Anais, and their friend Julia (Guillaume) help create a layered narrative, almost like the story is being passed from one character to the next.
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.
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.
This approach gives the film a naturalistic feel, and the gradual onset of the characters physical changes is chilling, and the film cleverly plays with your expectations.
Overall, MadS is an intense, visually gripping horror experience that's chaotic, suspenseful, and full of surprises that I highly recommend you watch. [Mads on IMDB] [Where to watch MadS]
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