Sheitan

In terms of plot, writer-director Kim Chapiron's Gallic gorefest is basically a standard-issue horror movie revolving around three horny guys—one white, one black, one Asian—lured by a gorgeous girl to an out-of-the-way house, where they encounter a madman with murderous intentions (played by Vincent Cassel, sporting a set of prominent false teeth). But the film is made more unsavory than usual by a penchant for the ugly and the sadistic, as well as a plot thread involving a prodigiously pregnant woman (which—given the Christmas Eve setting, dismissive talk about religion, and repeated references to the devil—will strike some viewers as more than a bit blasphemous). All of the characters, including the trio of prospective victims, are utterly repulsive, and while the level of sex and violence is no greater than that found in similar fare, the jittery in-your-face camerawork makes it all worse. A reminder that trash is no less trashy simply because it's in French, Sheitan is not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a half-hour featurette in which Cassel, who also produced, talks in near-hysterical tones about the making of the film. Bottom line: an unimpressive extras package for an unimpressive film.] (F. Swietek)