"Megalomaniac" is one of the most disturbing and powerful horror films I've seen in a while. This French-language Belgium production fits comfortably in the European Extreme horror film genre -- like "Martyrs" and "Frontier(s)" among others. You'll feel like you were punched in the gut after you're done watching it. And although it's not for everyone, it's one of the best horror films of 2023.

As the film begins, we are told the story of "The Butcher," who killed 15 women over the course of six months. We then fast forward to meet his two grown children, Felix and Martha. They live in the family home, and Martha works as a janitor, where she is treated awfully, to support them. Felix appears to be continuing his father's work, and Martha seems to know about it. She also appears to be trying to get help for her clear mental issues by having a social worker visit her occasionally.

Martha's treatment at work becomes truly horrible, and we think that we are going to see her embrace the madness that runs through her family and lash out. But "Megalomaniac" is far too clever for that. Martha's descent into madness is far more horrifying than we could ever expect and you will never get me to spoil what happens, other than to say it becomes one of the most disturbing and nihilistic films I've seen in a long time. And the movie becomes even more powerful when every now and then, it hints that things may not be completely as they seem... but never takes any shortcuts or gives easy answers.

The acting is absolutely spectacular. Eline Schumacher as Martha and Benjamin Ramon as Felix command the screen every time they are on it. The film doesn't shy away from graphic violence but also doesn't revel in it and that makes it even more intense. And intense it is, "Megalomaniac" does not let up for the entirety of its running time, there is not a single light moment or laugh in it.

To be honest, I am a little surprised this film actually got a wide, mainstream release. You will feel this movie as you watch it and after it's done. It will generate long discussions, including what the title refers to. It's a pleasure to give a rave review and hopefully get it some more viewers, so if you're a fan of these types of intense horror films "Megalomaniac" is recommended without reservation.

Directed and written by Karim Ouelhaj, it's about Martha (Eline Schumacher) and Félix (Benjamin Ramon), the children of the Butcher of Mons, a notorious Belgian serial killer from the 1990s. Martha lives a normal life while her brother has taken over the work of his father. But when she's harassed and violently attacked at work, she finds herself in the same twisted mind of her father and brother.

Unable to get back at her accuser at work, Martha soon takes a woman hostage and chains her up, belittling the woman for her looks. Then, Felix joins her, pulling her further into his darkness. All of the pent-up hatred that she has for herself, all the pain and trauma of growing up the daughter of a killer, it all comes out as she attacks her victim.

Just let me warn you now: this is a dark watch, one that will upset nearly everyone who watches it and it doesn't have the release valve of the slasher. It's unrelenting blackness, a way too normal world filled with broken people perpetuating the cycle of abuse, violence and pain. I don't usually give out trigger warnings, but trigger warning for everything.

Trying to adjust to everyday life, a woman and her brother who are the children of an infamous serial killer manage to find themselves forced into exploring the same barbarian means of their father when society causes them to revert to his old methods of torture and depravity to deal with their problems.

This was a generally fine if somewhat one-note piece. What works out for this one is purely the film's excess that comes off far more than simply gore, bloodshed, and depravity for the sake of it. Wallowing openly in the brutal antics dealt to the victims of the rampage including being bashed with hammers, sliced with knives or much worse, the rape of several victims, or even going through her psychological breakdown employed here serves to generate an oppressive feeling of brutality and madness that is all the better due to the squeamish effects-work during these scenes. That has a lot to do with the effectiveness of the story here as well due to the two-pronged setup that's employed. The first feature, about the lives of the two children living together under the shadow of their father who's an infamous, uncaught serial killer in the community, gives this a distinct relationship that's explored rather well. Her living under his domineering touch while trying to adjust to normality in the company of others is a nice bent that manages to provide a great insight into her meek and fragile exterior that contrasts loudly with his brutish and maniacal serial killing ways. Moreover, that mindset gets brought into play with the gradual extent of her descent into madness that echoes the same trajectory of their father. Realizing that he's attempting to replicate the same type of vicious killing spree against her desire for normality, the snap and eventual recognition that she's become something similar through the antics of those around her due to the sexual assaults and torment she receives makes it feel all the more earned which helps to sell it even more. Aided along by the nightmarish visions of past victims running around the house that take on a supernatural bent, this has a lot to like overall. There's not much to hold it down as it's mainly hurt by the aforementioned one-note setup. That is how the film spends the middle part of its running time engaging in the same type of stereotypical treatment of most serial killer films by not doing much differently with the idea of the emotional build-up to the killing. Rather than doing something new, going back to the familiar well sexual abuse and fractured family relationships are at the heart of everything and it's not that impressive so it leaves long stretches of time where very little is interesting. It's not a huge negative but this does bring it down somewhat.

Rated Unrated/R: Extreme Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Nudity, and Rape.