France was the birthplace of Le mangeur d’âmes (The Soul Eater), which made its North American premiere at the Fantasia Festival, showcasing the chilling talents of Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo. Known for their hyper-violent Inside (2007), the gritty Leatherface (2017), and the unique concept of The Deep House (2021), this writer-director duo adds a completely different style of film to their repertoire.
Commander Elizabeth Guardiano (Virginie Ledoyen; 2000’s The Beach) and Captain Franck de Rolan (Paul Hamy) of the Gendarmerie lead two parallel police investigations: one into the baffling disappearances of several children and the other into a brutally violent crime scene involving a dead couple. As the investigations progress, they intersect, leading the detectives towards the same mysterious and eerie destination. Roquenoir, a once-peaceful town now resembling a ghost town with its secretive and sometimes hostile inhabitants, has become the backdrop for a series of horrifying events, all seemingly linked to an ominous local legend—the “Soul Eater,” a sinister entity said to abduct children after dark. As Guardiano and de Rolan inch closer to the truth, they also sink into a dangerous abyss from which they might not be able to escape.
Maury and Bustillo masterfully create a dark and somber atmosphere that permeates every scene. The tone remains serious throughout the entire tale. The town of Roquenoir, with its quiet streets and looming shadows, becomes a character in itself, shrouding the film in a sinister ambiance. The incredible makeup effects add to this grim setting, transforming gruesome and bizarre deaths into disturbingly realistic spectacles. The violence, though not frequent, is portrayed with graphic and brutal intensity, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.
The film is anchored by Virginie Ledoyen and Paul Hamy, who deliver compelling performances. The characters are well-developed, and despite a bit of a lull midway through the film, this slower pace allows for deeper character exploration. The audience becomes invested in their emotional journeys, intertwining the personal stakes of the characters with the overarching horror-crime narratives. These touching and emotional storylines enrich the film, adding depth to the horrific events unfolding on screen.
One of the film’s most engaging aspects is how it plunges the audience into the same unknown and bizarre questioning as the investigators. As viewers discover the gruesome state of the bodies simultaneously with the detectives, they are left wondering whether the horrors are the work of man or a supernatural force. This constant tension between reality and the paranormal keeps viewers on edge, culminating in a final chapter that is sure to leave them gripping their seats.
The Soul Eater shares a similar vein with another excellent French thriller, Les rivières pourpres (The Crimson Rivers) from 2000. Both films blend reality with the macabre, creating a solid police thriller with moments of intense horror and violence. While some viewers might wish for more frequent scares, the film’s strength lies in its ability to create a chilling and immersive atmosphere, blending emotional depth with gruesome horror.
In The Soul Eater, Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo deliver a solid entry into the horror-police thriller genre. With its dark, somber atmosphere, strong performances, and gruesome, bizarre deaths, the film captures the audience’s imagination and keeps them guessing until the very end. After gaining worldwide recognition for Inside, the writer-director duo has dabbled in various sub-genres of horror before conceiving their latest project, showcasing their vast range of talents in the world of horror—some more successful than others. Fans of both horror and police thrillers will find much to appreciate in this chilling tale of myth and murder, receiving a solid score of 4 eyes out of 5.
