Next Door - Fantasmes sanglants

When this gem came out in 2005 I noticed a review that it was a chiller, a cult one. So I started searching for Naboer, as is the original title. Also noticeable is the fact that it got a rating +18. Never before this movie it was ever given to a movie coming from Norway (in the genre). Here in our region there is a label coming out as Mr Horror bringing out the gems that weren't released and guess what, nr 14 on his list is Naboer. Bought it straight away and watched it immediately. Well, this flick is a beauty. It isn't really a horror movie it's more a psychological one. But it has his gory moments. One of those moments is the scene that has given it the +18. The love scene really get's bloody in some way. I won't spoil the plot but I can tell that some of you out there will have to watch it twice to get it. It's really in the Lynch style, beautifully filmed and really believable actors. Once again a low budget gem. You see, it doesn't have to come from Hollywood to be a good one. Now available here in the Benelux, watch out, it's spoken in the Norwegian language and only has dutch/french subtitles. Normally I don't give that easy a 7/10 but this is the real stuff...

John, who has recently been left by his girlfriend, is lured into his next door neighbors' apartment. Inside he finds two women (who claim to be attractive, but this is debatable), a seduction and some of the most bizarre mind-bending you'll see in a film (Norwegian or otherwise).

For some reason this film is translated as "Next Door" when the word "naboer" means "neighbor", but I guess literal translations aren't the thing. I mean, the movie "Mark of the Devil" is originally in German and means something like "Witches Bleeding, Tortured To Death"... so, hey, I guess Americans can call movies whatever they want.

"An homage to Roman Polanski with nods to David Lynch," says Variety. I don't know enough about Polanski's work to really comment on that, but the Lynch connection is clear. There are many occasions in this film where it is unclear whether the main character is delusional or sane. Although, the difference is this: in a Lynch film, you are left to come up with your own theory, while here the situation is cleared up satisfactorily.

I really enjoyed this movie. It played out really slow, but in such a way that the "Reveal" was well-paced and we were only given enough hints to keep going along while getting hungrier for more (like a carrot on a stick). Any slower and it would have lost me, any faster and it would be a short film.

Personally, I found certain scenes to be highly erotic and incredibly sexy. This might be just me, since the scenes also contain excessive violence. Should violence be sexy? I don't know, but in this case I was rather taken by the presentation. Like "Jenifer" which I just watched, the film blends the disgusting with the beautiful -- with surprising results.

This will not appeal to everyone. The film is certainly "bizarre" and the movie is subtitled, which some will not enjoy. But if you like David Lynch or have a craving for something you're not likely to find in your average film, this is the film for you. (Note: the film is considered "horror" and has horror elements, but I'd sooner put it under "suspense".)

I saw this film yesterday, at the second Reykjavík International Film Festival, and I did not know what to expect. It is the third movie from the Norwegian director Pål Sletaune. In 1998 Variety pronounced him one of the ten most promising directors worldwide. I knew this was a psychological thriller with strong sexual undertone, and that is definitely what it is. Wow!!! I was amazed. This film is a shocker! At this one scene my wife said she almost had to vomit!!! After this scene she had to watch the film through her fingers. The performance of Kristoffer Joner (leading actor) is excellent. This is one of the best films I have seen this year. Not for softies.

The 2005 Norwegian thriller "Naboer" (aka "Neighbours", but somehow got the English title "Next Door") turned out to be a rather enjoyable movie.

I hadn't heard about "Naboer" prior to this late in 2019, when I happened to stumble upon it and took the time to sit down and watch it. I didn't know whom was starring in it, what it was about, or anything aside from knowing it was Norwegian and that it was a thriller.

When I saw that Kristoffer Joner starred in the movie, then I must admit that my expectations to the movie suddenly went from being none to actually having high hopes for the movie. Why? Well, because he is really a good actor and he is great at handling different types of characters.

I will say that I was entertained, thoroughly and properly entertained by what was presented by writer and director Pål Sletaune, not to mention some stellar acting performances put on by Kristoffer Joner, Julia Schacht and Cecilie A. Mosli.

The movie is a type of thriller that definitely will have the audience in an iron grip and have the audience trying to figure out what was going on. And the way that director Pål Sletaune built up the story and the atmosphere was just brilliant, and it worked so fabulously in favor of the movie.

If you find yourself given the chance to sit down and watch "Naboer", then you should definitely do so, because this is a very enjoyable thriller. I am rating it six out of ten stars.

"Naboer" is a truly dark and unsettling psychosexual thriller in the vein of "The Tenant".John's girlfriend has left him and apparently already moved on to a new relationship.Julia Schacht and Cecilie A. Mosli star as neighbors Kim and Anne who live in a large flat next door to John.Invited in on the pretext of moving a large piece of furniture, John soon finds himself pulled into the strange,twisted world of hellish sexuality and violence that exists next door.The atmosphere of "Naboer" is remarkable and truly claustrophobic.Confusion and uncertainty permeate nearly every scene.The sex scene coupled with disgusting beating is strangely arousing.The film has also deeply voyeuristic feel and the scenes of sexual violence are pretty hard-hitting.The main performances are brilliant and the climax is quite surprising."Naboer" is surely not for the easily offended.9 out of 10.