Marianne

Wow! I've known for a while that the French can make great drama and thrillers, but here they come with a horror series and they knock it out of the park yet again! There's an option for both subtitles and dubbing, and the dubbing works quite well, if you're like me and can't stare avidly at the screen at all times. I absolutely LOVED Marianne! The acting was great, the setting and buildup just right and executed correctly. The twists were really good and that ending means we need a season two! We NEED IT.

It seems like years that I was frightened by a horror. Half way thru episode one and I am watching with my hands over my eyes. If you like being scared don't miss this.

Netflix promises a lot, but not always delivers. They did deliver, though, with "Marianne", an eight-episode French series that will fix your need for all things Stephen King and Conjuring-related.

The story's premise is as formulaic as can be in the horror genre, especially inspired by S. King's novels: Emma, a thirty-something French horror writer, has decided to put an end to a series of books that tell the story of Lizzie Lark, her heroine, who battles an evil witch called (you guessed it) Marianne. Emma has had enough of this character and wants to move on with her life, and, maybe, write something else, something more "serious" (she is a French novelist, after all). Little did she expect a former school friend, Caro, to show up at one of her book signing events, and scare her into returning back to her hometown, which she had left 15 years before, after a terrible tragedy.

The cast is solid, the characters interesting, diverse and well-developed. Some moments are genuinely scary. The pacing may at times be a problem, and the series slows down in the middle, but nothing too problematic. The script is clever and culminates in an extremely promising cliffhanger that will certainly leave you wanting for a second series.

The thing which gets you hooked up at one place! This New French series is top notch! Hold your breath for jump scares!

It started out great and there are a few good moments throughout but as it went on it got more nonsensical. The comedy sprinkled throughout was funny but unfortunately took away from the creepiness. Lots of hommage to horror movies (even anime) which was interesting but it got to the point where it was distracting. It was way overhyped on social media and it feels disappointing that it did not deliver to the degree that was advertised.