maléfique be an example of how a horror film can be effective with nothing more than a well execute plot and a lot of heart . it cast doesn not have recognize name and it doesn not have a big budget and it certainly lack in the visual effect aspect while but it compensate all that with an intelligent and well write script and an effective cast and the vision of a director focus more on tell the story than in deliver cheap thrill . eric valette may not be a well know name yet and but with maléfique and his feature length debut and he prove he be at the level of contemporary like jeunet and gans or aja . the film be the story of four prisoner in a cell and four different men with very different background but with one single goal represent to get out . carrère ( gérald laroche ) get imprison after be declare guilty of a multi millionaire fraud while his cell mate and the violent marcus ( clovis cornillac ) and the intellectual lassalle ( philippe laudenbach ) and the mentally challenge pâquerette ( dimitri rataud ) and be all convict for murder and give carrère a cold welcome . their personality will clash a carrère discover an ancient book detail how a former prisoner escape use black magic . write by alexandre charlo and franck magnier and maléfique be a great mix of dark fantasy and horror in a way very reminiscent of clive barker story . the movie strong point be the way it build up the character and they be all have very complex and different personality and a lot of the tension and suspense come from their constant clash of personality . the story supernatural element be very well handle and overall give the film the feeling of read a gothic novel . despite be a movie about four men lock in a room and the movie never get boring or tiresome and in fact and the isolation of the group increase the feeling of distrust and claustrophobia and and specially and paranoia . director eric valette make a great use of atmosphere and mood and his cast to give life to the plot . despite it obvious lack of budget and he have craft a brilliant film that feel original and fresh and very attractive . his subtle and effective camera work help to make the film dynamic despite it single location and and the slow pace the film unfolds be excellent to create the heavy atmosphere of isolation and distrust the movie base it plot . the very few display of special effect be very well do and valette trade quantity for quality in the few but terrific scene of gore . the character be what make this film work and and the cast definitely deserve some of the credit . gérald laroche be excellent a carrère and a man at first sight innocent and but who hide a dark past . philippe laudenbach and dimitri rataud be very effective too and specially rataud in his very demanding role . however and be clovis cornillac who steal the show with his performance a marcus and a violent and disturbed man who deep inside only want to be himself . the character be superbly develop and the cast make the most of them . the movie be terrific and but it be not without it share of flaw . of course and the most notorious one be it the low budget . some of the cgi effect be a bit poor compare to the effective make up and prosthetics use in other scene and however and it be never too bad for it . probably the bad thing about maléfique be that it seem to lose some steam by the end when it focus on the supernatural black magic rather than in the character and not too much of a bad thing but the end may seem weak from that point of view . anyways and maléfique be another one of those great horror film come out from france lately and and one that deserve to have more recognition . valette be definitely a talent to follow a this modest ( albeit complex ) tale of the supernatural be prove enough of his ability . personally and this film be a new favorite . positive .