Le Dossier Maldoror

So we watched it in French with Nederlands subtitles. I don't understand french and clearly my nederlands is not good enough on these subjects.

I also don't know much of the pedophiles and the police system in Belgium that happened in the 90s.

Is it good film? Not for me.

What it looked like was a film that followed some kind of police officer that was on the case for missing children.

He looks young and shows a good memory when he recalled 21 number plates after an incident with the other police department.

Although he is rather emotional and loses his temper a lot.

All the characters look rather incompetent.

Just hard to follow for me.

I won't add any more to not spoil it for you.

Fabrice du Welz's "Maldoror" is a brutal and unflinching dive into a world of moral decay. The film is a visceral and punishing experience. A relentless sense of dread and a suffocatingly grim atmosphere propel the narrative forward. Du Welz masterfully creates a claustrophobic and unsettling environment.

This is not a conventional horror or thriller. Instead, "Maldoror" functions as a psychological endurance test. It explores the darkest aspects of human nature with a cold, direct gaze. At 155 minutes, the film can feel long. However, its unflinching look at systemic issues and moral ambiguity is compelling. The film avoids simple answers. It meditates on how broken systems can push people toward questionable choices.

Is It Worth Watching? Yes, but with a strong warning. This film is a powerful and disturbing work of art. It is a skillfully crafted thriller for viewers who appreciate challenging, morally complex crime dramas. The heavy subject matter and extreme content demand emotional resilience. It is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Viewing at IFFR (I pet the director's dog)

6.5/10

The second half was pretty good. The lead character seemed better in his role and the camerawork was more suitable. A few moments were a great thrill because of the use of sound, music and different angles. Very well done.

Not too sure about the first part. The camerawork was too messy. Didn't feel like it was a serious movie about child molesters. Felt like a cheap thriller. The wedding felt a little ridiculous and I didn't think the lead character could carry a movie like this. I thought: bad casting, but, luckily, it got better!

Still not sure about the fiction part. Feels like I'm not taking this movie serious because of the partly fictionalized story. I doubt that would be the intention.

Inspired by horrifying crimes of infamous Belgian serial killer and child molester Marc Dutroux, "Maldoror" uses that case as a cornerstone to concoct a wholly fictionalised police procedural around, one that follows a young, hotheaded cop whose obsessive nature regarding the case threatens to destroy not only his career but but his entire life as well.

This film just flew by, even with a runtime two and a half hours I found myself fully engaged all the way through (it could have been longer for all I cared) The entire production as a whole is also a triumph, the grimy locations, disintegrating cityscape, disheveled characters and the ever greyed sky above it all sets an amazing backdrop for the dark and depressing story playing out on the screen.

Additionally the performances from the actors are all equally great, so why not a higher rating for this film?

Well, there's some very obvious script problems plaguing this movie, which along with a basic lack of originality or subtlety in regard to the material, severely compromise its many appealing qualities.

The movie starts off with incredibly momentum only to squander a lot of that goodwill when the second half takes a turn down a slightly more ludicrous path, stocking up on needless melodrama and questionable character attributes along the way, which doesn't really take away the watchability in the here and now, but does leave a bit of a sour taste when the movie is over.

But this is still a great watch for crime fans and while the material may seem dark and to some even distasteful (child abduction, pedophilia) I found it to be handled in a way in which it shouldn't be too difficult for the more mainstream audience members to watch along.

So, if you're able to ignore the aforementioned points of criticism, It's ultimately a very effective thriller that awaits you.

I grew up in Charleroi, along with this story and for a long time, it left me with a sense of disgust.

This film, however, is a fiction 'inspired by the reak events, not a documentary. I appreciated the creative liberties taken with the real story as well as the beautiful depiction of the setting.

Watching it made me realize just how photogenic my childhood city is and how warm ans vibrant its people are.

As for the negative reviews, they likely come from people who lack an understanding of cinematic art or the complexities of this period in our lives.

Maldoror succeeds in capturing both the soul of the city and the emotional depth of its story.