Raw is a French-Belgian horror-drama film directed by Julia Ducournau, who made her directorial debut with the movie. The film follows Justine (Garance Marillier), a vegetarian student who enters a veterinary school where she is forced to confront her primal urges when she is pressured by her peers to eat meat. As Justine gives in to her cravings, she starts experiencing a transformation that takes her down a dark path.
The movie kicks off with Justine leaving home to attend the veterinary school where her sister Alexia (Ella Rumpf) is already a student. The school's stringent hazing rituals lead Justine to a disturbing incident where she is forced to eat raw meat. This experience sets off something within Justine that she cannot control. She starts to crave meat, and to her horror, she realizes that it is human flesh that she desires.
As Justine begins to indulge in her new desire, she starts experiencing bizarre and horrific rituals that the students carry out in secret. Her transformation is not just physical but psychological, and her newfound hunger brings her closer to the animalistic urges that she tries to suppress. She becomes more violent, erratic and primal, which puts her relationships with her classmates and sister under strain.
The movie is more than just a gore-fest; it digs into the many themes like puberty, sexual awakening, and cannibalism. The film has a hypnotic quality that comes from its striking visuals, foreboding score, and masterful direction. Ducournau's direction injects the film with a sense of dread from the opening scene. The movie's most unsettling scenes are done with impeccable pacing, and the cinematography is a beauty to behold, often tense and uncomfortable but still undeniably captivating.
Raw gives a fresh spin on the coming of age genre, portraying a unique experience of transformation that is neither supernatural nor unreal. It creates an intense sense of discomfort as it peels back the layers of the human psyche to examine the forbidden desires and appetites that lurk beneath the white-collared façade of modern civilization. Raw is not just a horror movie; it is a study on the human condition that shows how some of our deepest, darkest desires can get the better of us.
The performances in Raw are exceptional. Garance Marillier portrayed the role of Justine with immense skill and nuance, capturing the character's gradual descent into madness. The supporting cast is also remarkable, with each playing their parts with haunting realism. The dynamic between Justine and her sister Alexia is crucial to the film's narrative, and the two actresses shared excellent chemistry.
Overall, Raw is a rare horror film that transcends the genre and explores the human condition with ruthless honesty. It does not rely on cheap scare tactics or jump scares, but delivers a film that is visceral, shocking, and emotionally engaging. It is not for the faint-hearted, but those who can stomach the horrors that the movie has to offer are in for a unique and unforgettable experience.
Raw: The Movie is a 2012 drama with a runtime of 53 minutes.
