As some other comments have pointed out, "Ils" really doesn't have much of a story to it. A young couple are terrorized by a gang of mysterious, hooded assailants in a country house, that's about all there is to it. But this film takes suspense to whole new levels. It has possibly the scariest opening sequence I've seen in two decades of being a horror movie fan, and I barely breathed throughout the entire first hour. The third act lightens up on the tension a bit (and I mean only a bit), but that's actually a welcome relief... It's nice to feel your heart slow back down to normal levels after being taken on such a ride.
It isn't a horror film that relies on gore or shocks for its frights. Fans of movies like Hostel and Saw probably won't find much to entertain them here; but if you enjoy tight directing that builds layer upon layer of anxiety, then this is for you.
It isn't a horror film that relies on gore or shocks for its frights. Fans of movies like Hostel and Saw probably won't find much to entertain them here; but if you enjoy tight directing that builds layer upon layer of anxiety, then this is for you.