DVD Release
Sheitan is quite the movie; it’s a strange mixture of black comedy and heartstopping terror. Move over Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers because Sheitan’s Joseph is far more menacing! He reminds me of one of those hobos you think is harmless until you roll him over to check his pockets for lose change and he leaps for your throat screaming incoherently. Not…like I ever did that or anything…but…yeah so moving along.
Three “chav” friends decide to get shitfaced in a club and check out the honeys when one of them, Bart (Olivier Bartélémy), starts a fight and receives a bottle to the forehead. Bart and his two friends Thai (Nico Le Phat Tan) and Ladj (Ladj Ly) leave the club with bartender Yasmine (Leila Bekhti) and a girl they met inside named Eve (Roxanne Mesquida of Fat Girl).
With nowhere to go they all agree to head out to the country to stay at Eve’s house. After some lengthy driving they’re forced to stop for a large group of goats in the middle of the road. Silly goat kicking shenanigans ensue and the group encounters the oafish, though slightly intimidating, Joseph (Vincent Cassel). Eve makes the introductions and tells the group that Joseph is the caretaker of her home.
Once they arrive Bart finds it harder to acclimate to Joseph and the strange ways of some of the locals. Is Jospeh purposely trying to scare bart?
During their Christmas Eve festivities the topic of religion comes up and Joseph relays the story of a deal struck between a young man and Sheitan (Satan). The young man asks to become invincible and the Devil grants this request. Naturally, what would any man do once he was invincible? That’s right; he goes in and gives his sister a healthy dose of trouser snake like never before! The next day the young man discovers his sister pregnant and the Devil notifies him that the child is to be his and the young man is to deliver the baby a special gift upon the night of its birth. Strange holiday story wouldn’t ya say?
As the night draws to a close everybody head off in their own directions hoping for comfort in the arms and beds of one another but Joseph is now a man determined. Why is he collecting bits and pieces of clothing and hair from Bart? Why is his mysterious wife using them to create a doll?
Sheitan is going to make you think baby! It’s going to turn your world upside down and right side up! Just when you think this film can’t turn up the tension it goes up one more notch. I kid you not midway through this film I had knots in my stomach because you could just feel the insanity and creepy hatred.
Those of you that wish Sheitan to be supernatural will find your supernatural aspects and those of you that just want a good old fashioned “scream and chase” are going to get that too! Need a little black comedy to please that evil heart of yours? It’s in here as well! This is one of those movies that defy categorization. I can tell you one thing though…Sheitan is one helluva ride.
Everything about this film was well done from the acting right down to the set design. A lot of heart and soul went into the creation of this movie and it shows.
Just so all of you know I haven’t lost my sleazy touch…Leila Bekhti is an incredible hottie! This girl could scorch my ass hair just bumping into me! Hell, Roxanne Mesquida ain’t all that bad either! Her threesome with Bart and Thai nearly had me in tears!
Sheitan is sadistic and sexy; a tense, nerve-wracking ordeal that easily places this film up there Aja’s Haute Tension, Du Welz’s Calvaire and Valette’s Maléfique. If the French keep coming with films like this there may be hope for the genre yet!
After sitting watching this film I was kind of numb, yet strangely satisfied. I wasn’t at all sure what kind of rating this deserved because I just wasn’t sure what I thought of the film myself but after an incredible nautical battle on the toilet and an ice cold Bass Ale I think many will find my star rating fair. Give the film a try and be prepared for a harrowing journey through slutty townies, retards and Satanism the likes of which will fill your night with glee.
