Criminal Lovers
1999 [FRENCH]
Action / Crime / Drama / Horror / Thriller
Plot summary
After a perverted impulse drives them to kill, Alice and her boyfriend, Luc, drag the body into the woods, only to find themselves hopelessly lost – much like the fairy-tale plight of Hansel and Gretel. Starving and with no hope of being found, they chance upon a dilapidated cottage where a hulking man takes them prisoner and proceeds to feed Luc's sexual appetite.
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
Tongue in cheek horror film
Very adult updating of "Hansel and Gretel"
Alice and Luc are in love but Luc is unable to fully consummate their relationship. One day Alice claims she was gang-raped by a bunch of boys led on by one of Luc's schoolmates. Her and Luc plan to kill the boy and dump the body...but things take a disastrous turn.
OK it doesn't SOUND like "Hansel and Gretel" but that does kick in during the second half of the film. The film is disturbing--it contains some extreme violence, cannibalism and in your face sex scenes. I spent most of the film being really sickened but I gave this some space and...slowly...I THINK I understand what it's saying.
EXTREME SPOILER!!! Alice and Luc are kidnapped by a woodsman who locks Alice in the basement and proceeds to sexually seduce Luc. Also it's made clear that Alice lied about being assaulted--they kill someone for no reason at all. Also it's shown that Luc likes having sex with the guy. At the end Alice is punished (killed) for her sins and Luc is led away pleading for the police not to harm the woodsman. This film seems to be about a young man becoming aware of his sexual orientation. Also it shows the hetero relationship in a very negative light while the gay one is shown matter of factly. Is it saying gay is better than straight? As I gay man I find this quite fascinating. END EXTREME SPOILER
This is not for everyone--the extreme violence and sex is going to disturb most viewers--but I found it fascinating. I can truthfully only give it a 7--I can't say I enjoyed the film but it did make me think.







