Horror Movie Review: Else (2024)

Directed by Thibault Emin, who co-wrote the story with Alice Butaud and Emma Sandona, Else is film that stays with you, even if I’m not entirely sure why. It’s experimental; blending surrealism, romance and body horror, but doing it in a way that feels quite static. If you’re looking for an eventful film, you’ve come to the wrong place. Yet, it’s so arresting, it’s impossible to forget.

Matthieu Sampeur stars as Anx, a young man who meets Edith Proust’s Cass at a party and quickly falls for her even though she is the complete opposite of him. He is a introvert, happy to stay inside most of the time, and she is a extrovert. Someone who can barely stay still long enough to get to know anyone. Yet, she likes Anx, and they start seeing each other.

They’re cute and easy to root for, especially when they’re forced to face a global pandemic together. A mysterious and terrifying disease is spreading across the world, and it causes people to merge with what is around them.

How insane is that? It’s an idea that promises so much, and goodness, does the film deliver. Offering up some incredible imagery, enhanced by stunning lighting and colour. The film is not above criticism, as you will read soon enough, but from a visual perspective, it can’t be faulted. Especially as there are some really creative designs that will amaze as much as they will horrify.

As the disease takes hold and a global lockdown, Cass ends up moving in with Anx, and the pair are forced to rely on each other to survive as the world changes around them.

Else is a film you’ll struggle to tear your eyes away from, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel. It’s not just the horror that’s on display that makes it so effective, it’s the evolving mood and ever-growing sense of darkness. Something the film makes even more apparent through the use of sound. It’s not quite ‘edge of the seat’ stuff, but it will keep many sitting up straight. Especially as there really isn’t that much relief, at least until the credits start to roll, when you might find yourself letting out a deep sigh.

An important reason as to why it is such a tense experience is because the cast is small, and each person plays their role perfectly. Not just delivering believable performances but fully embracing the body horror aspects too. Sampeur and Proust have amazing chemistry and deliver emotional scenes with impressive authenticity. There are a few other characters, but they’re mostly there to move certain plot points forward. The focus is on Anx and Cass and the film is all the better for it.

Hopefully you can tell that I really liked the film, but it does have a few issues that might make it a harder sell for others. The most obvious being the fact that it is a slow burn experience and if you’re the type of person who needs action, you’re going to find yourself unenthused by it. Likewise, if you’re the type of person who craves answers, you’re going to come away unhappy as Else has none.

Personally, I didn’t need any. This isn’t a story about a disease; it’s a story about a new couple surviving in a world ravaged by it. That’s why I fell in love with it.