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Sep 02, 2024 By Scott Howard Photography by Nemesis Films Web Exclusive

An unflinching, voyeuristic exploration of spectacle, self-isolation, and dark obsession combines to create a disconcerting and unforgettable horror experience. The opening minutes of Red Rooms feature a tracking shot of a French-Canadian courtroom proceeding, the first day of a trial for an unspeakably gruesome crime. The beginning of the movie and its judicial setting are a strong misdirect for what turns out to be a character-focused story. The feature lingers on media obsession with serial killers and the darkness it brings about in seemingly normal people.

The panning viewpoint of a member of the jury metaphorically places its main character, Kelly-Anne (Juliette Gariepy), on trial for her increasingly unhinged acts as she dives beyond the dark web into the internet’s “red rooms” in pursuit of her fascination with accused serial killer, Chevalier Ludovic (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos). Kelly-Anne is a successful model and enigmatic loner who excels at computer literacy while presenting a casual interest in Canada’s trial of the century. “I was just curious,” she tells the reporters asking why she watched the trial, and surprisingly leaves her apartment that evening to go sleep outside the courthouse. Our protagonist bides her time in the courtroom watching events unfold when she gains an unwilling kinship with Ludovic fanatic, Clementine (Laurie Babin).

Conversely, Clementine is clearly naive and in need of a reality check. Her confidence, naivete, and intense leaps in logic sting like an exposed nerve. Clementine wears her heart on her sleeve revealing a desperate need to connect with the aloof Kelly-Anne. Kelly-Anne has the means to continue her grim hobby while Clementine sacrifices everything, functioning on the bare minimum to quench her compassionate thirst for Chevalier. Linking the two women trapped in a cycle of self-destruction makes moments where Kelly’s mask slips more disturbing as she opens up gradually to her new “friend.”

Gariepy commands every moment during the movie’s run time, capturing the audience’s grim fascination with what she might do next. She possesses an ability to be endearing and yet utterly repulsive in her worst moments. Playing opposite, Babin embodies Clementine with a wide-eyed fascination of a world she is lost in. Clem is a woman out of her depth and when the time comes to embrace the darkness, spurred on by Kelly-Anne, she responds in a surprising way. An honorable mention goes to Elizabeth Locus as Francine Beaulieu, the only visible parent of one of the victims.

Pascal Palante directs the film with lingering frames, stretching the scenes with unnatural attention to detail and targeted silence to make a disquieting vision. Music plays a small role in the most pivotal moments acting as an auditory exclamation point. Palante carefully acknowledges the grisly subject matter, showing just enough to communicate the seriousness of the situation without the need to indulge in gorey visuals. He leaves character actions purposefully ambiguous, allowing the viewers to search the darkest corners of their minds for revelations they may never truly find and the film may be better for it.

Red Rooms implicates its audience as detached voyeurs when events unravel the world of the characters, gripping the mind from start to finish and leaving a yawning void of questions long after its credits have rolled. Why do we do these abhorrent things to each other? When is the line crossed from fascination to infatuation? Who is the true villain in all of this madness? As unsettled as the mind will be at its conclusion, Red Rooms begs a second watch to appreciate the efforts of its principal cast and potentially uncover a few mysteries we are unlikely to find. (nemesisfilms.com/films/red-rooms/)

Author rating: 7.5/10