Director – David Thouroude
Starring – Abidou M. Bodji
Release Date – 2016
Rating – 2/5
I’m an idiot. I’m not intelligent and never claimed to be. I don’t write reviews because I feel enlightened or because I know I’m very articulate. I write because I enjoy writing. I like watching horror and forgotten films and then sharing my thoughts on them. However, I do come across movies that leave me scratching my head and making me mutter “what the fuck” out loud.
A few months back a friend of mine let me know about a filmmaker who was giving away copies of his experimental arthouse horror film from France. I was extremely curious about the film Le Prince Des Cieux so I searched for the director and discovered that I was actually friends with him on Facebook. I reached out to him and he was kind enough to send a copy my way as long as I promised to take a picture of the film once it arrived. Thanks for sending it my way!
The film does not have a linear story but it is a collection of scenes and imagery featuring a young man portrayed by Abidou M. Bodji as he experiments with drugs, death, and the question of mortality.
I didn’t know what to expect when I was first told about the film. Was it going to be a gore filled film with no story and little entertainment value or was it going to be a beautifully shot film that offers up story? The answer is simple, neither. The film does have some beautiful shots with morbid subject matter but it does lack a story that someone can grab onto.
The acting in this one is non-existent. We follow Abidou as he does random things like jumping fences and putting needles into a mannequin. No real acting or staying in character which is a bit of a disappointment.
The story for this one, like the acting, is not there. The film does dance with the idea of drug use, death, and mortality but does not follow a conventional story that most movie lovers enjoy.
Finally, if you are looking for gore then you will be very upset. The film does lack carnage but has some well shot scenes that show some disturbing imagery. Overall, Le Prince Des Cieux is not my kind of film. Is it bad? No, but not entertaining in a way that I find entertaining. I like imaginative stories and unusual characters with a story you can follow. If you like experimental horror and arthouse films then check it out. If not, skip it.
