Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘MadS’

10/21/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Milton Riche as Romain in David Moreau’s MADS. (Photo Courtesy of Philip Lozano. A Shudder Release.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘MadS’.

One particular truth about horror that we don’t acknowledge enough, is that it often offers us, catharsis. Which may seem silly to read when one considers that we watch scary stories to get scared, but beyond the gore, beyond the jump scare and any other moments of terror we enjoy, there is real catharsis to be found within this genre. Because it really is a space to confront our fears and process them in a manner where we are safe. For regardless of how hard the story goes or what particular anatomy lesson we receive, we are facing our fears in that moment. We are staring down what unsettles us the most and no harm comes to us. Just a little elevated heart rate and a dab of sweat, and that really does help us to heal.

Which is why it should come as no surprise, that horror is starting to shift gears and explore some very real-world, intimate horrors on a more regular basis. To let us ponder upon the nature and the power of our traumas, our fears of losing people and everything in between. So, we can heal, so we can face those fears at last and that is also why… we are seeing some visceral stories about infection as of late. For we are only a few years removed from a global pandemic, one that scared the living hell out of all of us, and one whose traumas we may not have processed yet. So, why not let horror help us do that, and help us to move forward from that scary time in our lives, and it just so happens… that a brand-new feature on Shudder takes the time to do just that.

A feat that MadS accomplishes by taking us out for a night on the town. Wherein an everyday teenager and his friends find themselves embroiled in some scary moments. For on his way to a party, Romain has quite the scary encounter with a wounded and possibly mentally unwell woman, one that results in some close contact with her, and some terrifying behaviors from her that he tries to dismiss as mental health issues. But sadly, it is more than that. For shortly after being near her, Romain does not feel well, and nor do some of his friends that come into close contact with him, and there’s good reason for that. For that woman happens to be patient zero of a hideous virus that transforms people into violent monsters and now those free from infection must run and hide from the people they once called friends to try and survive an outbreak that no one understands or is ready for.

Luicielle Guillaume and Laurie Pavy as Juila and Anais in David Moreau’s MADS. (Photo Courtesy of Philip Lozano. A Shudder Release.)

Which is… the perfect plot in which to explore, the emotional scars that Covid left us with. Because this story, perfectly replicates those early days of the virus. For just like in our world, information is scarce in this story, the virus moves through means that no one understands and for the most part… no one knows who has it. For there is no grand transformation here into a grey-skinned nightmare. Just moments of surprise and moments of terror, and that too, reflects that difficult era. And by putting all of this on display, the memories of those days flood back and we are faced with that terror of the unknown once more. Where we can in fact, process it, think about it and be reminded that we are safe now, and that makes for an amazing watch, one that is further enhanced by some other amazing moments.

For this story has so much more to offer than just reflection and healing. It is at its core, a zombie horror film, one that showcases the opening hours of the outbreak and that leads… to some stunning moments of terror. The kind where we watch everyday people just transform into the violent monsters these creatures are, and oddly… lament their actions to an extent. Which is unique in its own right. Plus, we’d be remiss to not point out that one of the reasons this film is so impactful with its scares and its commentary on days gone by, is the sheer fact that it plays out in real time. Because the movie is shot a la Rope, so it looks like a continuous take. Which truly makes it feel as though we are trapped in this nightmare.

Which gives rise to an innovative and stunning horror feature. One that really does take you by surprise from beginning to end. Because you simply don’t know what to expect here. You’re confused, nervous, worried, as we were so long ago, and you’re simply at the mercy of this story and that’s brilliant to say the least. Since it really does provide us with a visceral and raw horror feature, one that truly does allow for us to process the horror we endured a few years ago, while giving us a rough and tumble zombie story that holds nothing back when it comes to the scares, including the gore. Since writer/director David Moreau knows how to integrate that perfectly into this magnificent feature. One that truly teaches us… we are simply passengers in this life, and the sooner we realize to control what we can control, the better prepared we will be for moments akin to this, where the world asserts its power over us.

Watch ‘MadS’

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