The Top 10 New French Extremism Films of All-Time
The so-called New French Extremity, also known as New French Extremism, is a term describing a disturbing collection of recent (90s and newer) movies made by French filmmakers. These films tend to be intensely violent and prone to showing explicit sexual behavior. Main characters are often put in extremely dangerous situations.
While the term itself was initially intended as a pejorative, it has since been co-opted widely by many film fans. Some even say this is a beginning of a whole European Extremity movement.
10. Them (2006)
Olivia Bonamy and Michaël Cohen in Them.
Them follows a French couple living in Romania who soon find themselves in trouble. Olivia Bonamy stars as Clémentine and Michaël Cohen stars as her lover, Lucas. Filled with mysterious atmosphere, an unknown source of danger, and a creepy setting in a remote house outside the city, Them is a film that makes the viewer increasingly uncomfortable as it nears its ending.
- currently ranked #7274 of all-time
- ranked 3675 times by 256 users
- wins 46% of matchups
9. With a Friend Like Harry… (2000)
Sergi López and Laurent Lucas in With a Friend Like Harry….
With a Friend Like Harry… is a movie about what happens when obsession from an unexpected source interacts with a middle-class couple. Michel (Laurent Lucas) and Claire (Mathilde Seigner) travel with their children across country, and during a stop Michel encounters Harry, played by Sergi López. Harry recognizes Michel from high school, and joins them without further ado. From that point, everything turns to a black humor that is quite unsettling.
- currently ranked #6462 of all-time
- ranked 1972 times by 151 users
- wins 49% of matchups
- 4 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
8. Calvaire (2004)
Jackie Berroyer in the foreground in Calvaire.
Another film starring Laurent Lucas, Calvaire is a very strange flick which depicts a small-time singer’s struggle after his car breaks down in the woods. Later events show some particularly unpleasant scenes focused on the main character’s suffering. Weird characters from the town doing their infamous dance cause the viewer to wonder what the movie is really about. Philippe Nahon has a minor role as one of the townsmen.
- currently ranked #6139 of all-time
- ranked 2451 times by 256 users
- wins 41% of matchups
- 2 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
7. I Stand Alone (1998)
Philippe Nahon in I Stand Alone.
Directed by Gaspar Noé and starring Philippe Nahon as the nameless butcher, I Stand Alone is a follow-up to the movie Carne. It shows the main character’s miserable life, his hatred of his environment, and his feelings towards his mute daughter. Narrated by the butcher himself, I Stand Alone shows modern society from a very unusual point of view.
- currently ranked #5819 of all-time
- ranked 2824 times by 111 users
- wins 51% of matchups
- 6 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
6. Frontier(s) (2007)
Jean-Pierre Jorris and Estelle Lefébure in Frontier(s).
Inspired by films like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and the real-life 2002 French presidential election, Frontiers(s) follows a group of robbers fleeing Paris overwhelmed by riots. Seeking a hideout, they find an inn that instead of solace becomes a nightmare. Filled with violence and cruelty, Frontier(s) was described on some posters as a film “not for normal people”.
- currently ranked #4580 of all-time
- ranked 5544 times by 394 users
- wins 46% of matchups
- 10 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
5. Inside (2007)
Béatrice Dalle in Inside.
Another film from the list dealing with obsession, unexpected threats, and home invasion, Inside is a bloody horror that involves scissors, a vengeful woman, and some very unlucky people – including the main character, a young widow played by Alysson Paradis (sister of Vanessa Paradis). A fine performance by Béatrice Dalle will leave many quite shocked.
- currently ranked #2399 of all-time
- ranked 6322 times by 420 users
- wins 58% of matchups
- 9 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
4. Martyrs (2008)
Mylène Jampanoï in Martyrs.
Directed by Pascal Laugier, Martyrs is a movie that leaves you very uncomfortable after watching. Shocking from beginning to end, it shows two young girls, Lucie and Anna who become friends after one of them escapes some mysterious people who abuse her. Dealing with guilt and bad memories, she sets out to end her suffering once and for all. As you may guess, there is more for viewers to experience. Very powerful and very graphic, Martyrs deals with topics like cruelty, revenge, and even religious beliefs brilliantly.
- currently ranked #2098 of all-time
- ranked 10,999 times by 702 users
- wins 57% of matchups
- 29 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 3 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
3. High Tension (2003)
Philippe Nahon in High Tension.
Yet another film with Philippe Nahon, High Tension (also known as Switchblade Romance in the UK) is a tale of two friends targeted by a serial killer. It has been criticized by some because of its plot and lack of depth of its characters, but its shock value is quite satisfying for horror fans, and the French nighttime countryside setting makes the film unforgettable.
- currently ranked #1903 of all-time
- ranked 21949 times by 2192 users
- wins 41% of matchups
- 32 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 2 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
2. Enter the Void (2009)
Cyril Roy in Enter the Void.
The newest film on this list, and the second film here directed by Gaspar Noé, Enter the Void differs from the rest mainly because it is not in a spoken French language. Instead, the story takes place in Tokyo, Japan, and the characters are mostly American and Japanese. A young American drug dealer living in Japan named Oscar goes with his friend Alex to a club called The Void while Alex explains the meaning of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. What happens next is the true realization of the title. Quite original, and shown from Oscar’s unique perspective, Enter the Void is a fascinating experience.
- currently ranked #1811 of all-time
- ranked 12673 times by 617 users
- wins 53% of matchups
- 52 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 4 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
1. Irreversible (2002)
Albert Dupontel and Vincent Cassel in Irreversible.
Our number one is probably the most well-known film on the list. It’s also the third film directed by Gaspar Noé which appears here. It even has a cameo by Philippe Nahon, who reprises his role as the butcher from movies Carne and I Stand Alone. It shows mostly the events of a night in Paris when two men are drawn into a chaotic search for a person who raped and beat up their mutual female friend. Mostly because of the subject matter, eerie music, setting (one of which is a gay BDSM club called The Rectum), and convincing performances of Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci, Irreversible is a movie that makes people wonder how far they should go when the situation gets tense and if it’s really worth trying.
- currently ranked #1426 of all-time
- ranked 25601 times by 2379 users
- wins 39% of matchups
- 65 users have it ranked in their personal Top 20
- 2 users have it ranked as their #1 film of all-time
Have you seen any of these films? Are there any other New French Extremism movies worth noticing? Please let us know in the comments!
I am a huge fan of Gaspar Noe, and his films are the only ones on this list I’ve seen. I think Irreversible is the weakest of the three, mostly because it dances across the line between “legitimately disturbing” and “audience abuse” a few too many times. Enter the Void is easily his most ambitious film, and despite being a bit padded it is excellent. But I Stand Alone is without question my favorite of the three… it’s an irresponsible film about a terrible person being horrible, intoxicating due to just how far it commits to its premise. The twist ending is what really makes it a stunner.
Irreversible is amazing!