MadS reminds me of the joys of finding undiscovered independent horror movies. Although it’s gained some steam within the genre’s diehard community, MadS still feels as though it’s being underappreciated. Because for a film as muddy and down-to-Earth as this one is technically, it’s a thrill ride about as absurd as anything you’ll see in 2024.
And a lot of that praise goes towards director David Moreau. MadS only has a few noticeably cuts, instead utilizing long, meandering sequences to slowly build tension and mystery. I usually don’t love movies that use the long take as a gimmick, but MadS executes it in a way that doesn’t make it obvious or cliche. It never calls too much attention to its own editing, instead letting you realize it on your own time.
MadS begins by focusing on Romain (Milton Riche) following a night out on the town. He’s looking to score a hit of the latest, new drug from his dealer. On his way back home, he encounters an escaped, injured woman that turns his night from eventful to dangerously surreal.
I was reminded of a few crazy, electric movies that take place over a short, contained amount of time while watching MadS. It has the same kinetic energy as Gaspar Noé‘s Climax, which also indulges in heavy drug usage and the innate feeling of being invincible by unassuming 20-somethings. It uses the same single-shot framing device to similar results. It’s not quite as flashy as Climax, but it still has its moments of flare and violence that’ll satisfy horror sickos.
I’m not sure if MadS is the best horror movie of 2024, but it’s one of the better deep finds for me thus far in the year. I’ve criticized Shudder time and time again for its diminishing quality of releases these last few years, but MadS is a refreshing gonzo horror movie that finds success in the insanity.
Score: 7/10
- Cast: Lucille Guillaume, Laurie Pavy, Milton Riche, Yovel Lewkowski
- Crew: David Moreau, Philip Lozano, Nathaniel Méchaly
- Genre: Horror, Thriller
- Runtime: 86 minutes
- Rated: TV-MA
- Release Date: October 18, 2024
- Read about MadS (2024) on Wikipedia and IMDb
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