The Soul Eater Review: Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury have been synonymous with heart-stopping horror for over a decade, delivering unforgettable cinematic experiences with films like Inside, Livid, and Among the Living. Their latest venture, The Soul Eater, maintains their reputation for intense, gut-wrenching cinema. While it diverges from their typical horror-heavy approach, it integrates unsettling folkloric elements into a procedural thriller. Although not as extreme as Longlegs or Megalomaniac, it still leaves a profound impact, leaving viewers emotionally unsettled by the credits.
The Soul Eater (2024)
- Thriller, Crime
- Release Date: April 24, 2024
- Directors: Julien Maury, Alexandre Bustillo
- Cast: Virginia Ledoyen, Paul Hamy, Sandrine Bonnaire, Malik Zidi, Manu Lanzi, Christophe Favre, Jérémy Margallé, Francis Renaud
- Runtime: 108 Minutes
- Main Genre: Thriller
- Writers: Julien Maury, Alexandre Bustillo, Alexis Laipsker
What Is ‘The Soul Eater’ About?
The story unfolds with two investigators who find themselves at odds in the isolated French mountain town of Roquenoir. Commander Elizabeth Guardiano (Virginie Ledoyen) and Captain Franck De Rolan (Paul Hamy) clash initially, each pursuing their own leads. As the seemingly quiet town reveals darker secrets, their rivalry subsides in favor of collaboration. The town’s legend of “The Soul Eater” adds a layer of supernatural mystery, suggesting a horned entity could be preying on Roquenoir’s young residents.
Bustillo and Maury take a more straightforward approach with The Soul Eater, moving away from the fable-like quality of Livid. The film’s tone resembles The Snowman in its atmospheric suspense but is more effective, and it also shares some similarities with The Treatment and Kill List. This film marks a shift to a more grounded style, exploring everyday horrors rather than their usual gory extremities. Bustillo and Maury demonstrate their ability to deliver compelling genre thrills without relying on their typical shock tactics.
The Soul Eater’s Impactful Violence
Despite its restrained approach, the film still delivers significant shock through its depiction of violence. Guardiano and De Rolan confront crime scenes marred with blood and grotesque mutilations. The brutal imagery effectively underscores the severity of Roquenoir’s threat, making the violence against the town’s residents feel particularly horrifying. The film evokes comparisons to Seven with its graphic portrayal of crime, juxtaposed against the eerie tranquility of Roquenoir, showcasing Bustillo and Maury’s knack for creating tension.
‘The Soul Eater’ Can Get a Little Lost
However, The Soul Eater occasionally gets bogged down by its complex plot involving enigmatic totems and sinister imagery. Early visions of the “Soul Eater” may come across as mere shock tactics, obscuring the narrative. This ambiguity occasionally disrupts the procedural flow, and while there is a religious undertone to the town’s actions, the third act’s revelation, though chilling, feels somewhat coincidental. Although the technical aspects of the film are well-executed, the screenplay by Annelyse Batrel and Ludovic Lefebvre, based on Alexis Laipsker’s novel, occasionally loses focus in its suspense-driven storytelling.
Overall, The Soul Eater is a solid addition to the horror procedural genre. Bustillo and Maury, while working with a script from another writer, infuse their trademark dread into the film. With strong performances from Virginie Ledoyen and Paul Hamy, the movie anchors its unsettling atmosphere in a seemingly ordinary town besieged by tragedy. The film may not align with Bustillo and Maury’s usual extreme style, but it showcases their versatility and ability to craft tension even outside their comfort zone.
