Le Mangeur d'âmes

After having enjoyed most of their movies I was really excited for this one.

I guess most fellas here on imdb must have liked Inside. I enjoyed Leatherface, Among the Living n Kandisha. In fact I was terrified by the demon in Kandisha n loved the background/origin story of Leatherface.

Found Livid, The Deep House and X is for Xylophone to be okay.

But got a bit disappointed with this movie.

This movie is slow n the twist ain't shocking enuff. They didn't utilise the sleepy town n it's isolated locations properly.

Somehow i found it to be similar to True Detective, Korean movie Memories of Murder n Tall Man. Also the plane thing was predictable in the sense that it has something to do with the movie's plot ending. The side effects plot thing was far fetched.

Sometimes, movies are just appealing because of their story, the cover, the actors, or sometimes it's a mixture of things that you can't quite explain. That is the case for The Soul Eater, or Le Mangeur d'Âmes, for me. I was really curious to see it and was lucky enough to rent it on Prime for 1 euro here in Germany. The movie is adapted from a 2021 novel of the same name and tells the story of a male police captain and a female police commander from out of town investigating a case in a small mountain village where children disappear and gruesome deaths occur. As the title and the cover suggest, there are stories about an evil, malevolent creature said to be responsible for the strange occurrences.

After being introduced to our two lead characters, they arrive at a gruesome crime scene. It's clear that something horrible has happened, and with the great makeup effects and the realistic touch of the whole scenario, my interest was piqued. After that, the movie takes its time, depicting a few more deaths and strange happenings. Multiple characters are introduced, and the mystery deepens as the village's secrets unfold.

If you don't mind the rather slow pacing, the movie will definitely entertain you with its piece-by-piece storytelling and unique narrative, supported by great performances and believable settings throughout. Without spoiling anything, I can say the movie took a direction I didn't expect, creating a unique outcome that people will either love or hate. It felt a little out of place and unexpected, but I thought it was an interesting take that added originality to the story, which I appreciated. The runtime could have been 10-15 minutes shorter, as a few scenes didn't lead anywhere, but that's a minor complaint.

Overall, it's a great and well-produced movie that surprised me with its dark storytelling and gruesome scenes. I would have loved for it to dive deeper into the horror genre, as it leans more towards a mystery-thriller with some crime and horror elements mixed in. Nonetheless, I think it's worth a watch, and I'm curious to see what the directors will do next, as their previous movies were also quite enjoyable. I'd recommend checking them out. I enjoyed this unique French movie more than I anticipated, and if you get the chance, you should give it a try.

[6.2/10]

The Police Captain Franck de Rolan (Paul Hamy) is hitchhiking on the road to reach the small village Roquenoir and a woman gives a ride to him. He is investigating the disappearance of several children in that area and when they reach the address, he learns that she is Inspector Elizabeth Guardiano (Virginie Ledoyen). She drove to the address to investigate the gruesome murder of the local Vassell couple. They meet the local chief of police Marcelin (Francis Renaud) and his two police officers. Franck investigates the white van while Elizabeth searches the house and finds the boy Evan Vasseur (Cameron Bain) hidden in the basement. They call an ambulance to take Evan to the hospital. Franck visits the boy, but the psychiatric Dr. Carole Marbas (Sandrine Bonnaire) does not allow him to see Evan. However, Franck sneaks and interviews the boy that blames The Soul Eater for the death of his parents. Further, he says that he knows all the children that have disappeared, and they are dead. However, Dr. Marbas interrupts Franck. Meanwhile, a Cessna with tourists that crashed in the woods has not been located yet. The coroner concludes that Mr. And Mrs. Vassell awfully killed each other and felt pleasure before dying. Franck also interviews the Vassell's neighbor and learns that they were weirdos and Evan killed her dog. Soon other gruesome deaths happen in Roquenoir and they finally recover the computers. They further investigation that all the victims have connection in the dark web. Meanwhile, a man riding a motorcycle is following them everywhere. What is the mystery of The Soul Eater?

"Le mangeur d'âmes", a.k.a. "The Soul Eater" (2024) is another excellent French thriller, and certainly one of the best recently released. It is amazing how French writers are able to write such complex police story in 108 minutes running time and without the use of CGI. The plot is full of details and the viewer must pay attention to them. The story shows how evil and the lack of humanity of the human race, and what they are capable to do to make money. The end is another plus in this magnificent French thriller. The work of the cast is amazing, highlighting the lead cast with the names of Virginie Ledoyen, Paul Hamy and Sandrine Bonnaire. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): Not Available.

Le Manguer D'ames (The Soul Eater) is probably one of the interesting movies of this year. The story takes place in a spooky little town which is located around a region where, strangely, small children are disappearing. Franck (Paul Hamy) and Elisabeth (Virginie Ledoyen) arrive at this little town where gruesome murders take place. The story is really cool, and it reminds me of the atmosphere of Les Rivieres Pourpes (Crimson Rivers). At the same time, the local folklore and legends remind Der Pass (Pagan Peak). There is a surprising ending, and it is not easy to guess it. I advise everyone to watch this movie. I wish they made a TV series based on this movie. I would definitely watch it. I give 8 over 10.

The movie itself is quite good if you love similar movies. For instance, Long Legs.

First, the script here is good, not the most original but storyline is quite acceptable without big plot holes. Entertaining.

Second, acting here is superb. I think the main actor does a great and real acting masterclass.

Third, settings are perfect for a suspense-horror story. I love the rainy greenery that is shown here.

Fourth, music and camera work again are extremely good. Love the mysterious vibe during the whole thing. To add, gore doesn't look cheap and they didn't use cheap CGI. Good for them.

Anyway, if you're looking for an interesting horror-suspense- a bit gory movie, this one is for you.