Sometimes I think I am some film sicko. I revel in disgustingly dark and horrible stories put on screen with glee. Show me what wickedness lies in man's heart and what they are capable of. The more sinister, the better, I always say. But then I watched Pascal Plante's Red Rooms and realized I was not built for something this profoundly evil. Red Rooms fills you with immense dread as you closely examine the blackest of souls. A person who has become obsessed with their self-destruction and takes it to malevolent places you didn't think possible. Its eerie and almost alien-like direction makes you almost feel like you shouldn't be watching this as if you are a specter witnessing true psychosis on screen. It is a film that closely examines our online fixation and isolation and how it can spiral uncontrollably and lead us down a path of depravity.
The film follows fashion model Kelly-Anne (Juliette Gariépy), who sits in on the trial of a man being accused of brutally killing and torturing three young girls and streaming it online to the dark web in what is called Red Rooms. Kelly-Anne befriends a super fan of the alleged killer, and we slowly see Kelly-Anne fall down a dark internet rabbit hole of dependence and thrills. What must she do to be satisfied?
Juliette Gariépy's performance is so still, calculated, and unsettling. She completely sells the film and is perfect for this haunting tale. You become entirely lost in a trance, trying to understand what is happening behind her eyes. One scene where she is completely locked in showing her friend the red room footage with such cold persistence had me shaken. A final trial scene and another in a suburban home featuring her may be one of the darkest things I've seen put to screen in some time. This performance sincerely made me unwell, and seeing her slow descent into manic hell was a joy!
Plante's direction here is phenomenal. It's as calculated as its main protagonist. Every scene is perfectly framed, lit, and staged. You can feel the David Fincher clean digital touch all over the film, but it also feels like some freaky 1970s possession horror. Depressing blues color the screen, showing our protagonist from afar or asleep, eventually leading to dark blood reds covering her face as she faces her dark web realities. From the opening introduction into the trial, it is wildly effective as the camera lingers at this elevated height as if we are some evil presence lingering over something we should not be privy to. He does this throughout the film with these wide fish eyes in corners of rooms or placed/following on characters like we are alien beings observing humans at their worst. We are transported to a disturbing world where the air feels heavy and chilling.
Red Rooms seared many scenes into my mind, leaving an indelible mark I doubt I could erase. It's a chilling exploration of the internet's dark underbelly, where true-crime obsession and fandom can lead to cruel and destructive behavior. The film's relevance to our online culture is striking, serving as a cautionary tale for anyone drawn to its web. Shout out to Canada for making the most fucked up film of 2024.
Final Score: 9/10
Written by Kevin J. Pettit