9) The Treatment: A Glimpse Into Madness
The Treatment floored me back in 2014, where I sandwiched it between two more wacky Fantastic Fest screenings. Having just seen a zany zombie flick, or something of that nature, I simply wasn’t ready for this Prisoners-esque story from across the sea. Hans Herbots’ adaptation of Mo Hayder’s novel is one gigantic gut-punch, and a haunting criminal caper with dire implications. It’s memorably disturbing throughout, but one scene in particular sticks out, where the horror of this case takes true form – a simple shot that strikes with paralyzing, evil fury.
[zergpaid]It’s rather simple – there’s a hole, and a character looking through it. They’re trying to spy on a suspected culprit, and just as we learn that hunches are proven correct, the criminal lunges towards the eye-hole, strangely energetic because of their unfortunate circumstance. I know it’s vague, but in that moment, the film’s antagonist shows himself for the individual he is and we experience a complete breakdown in humanity. Said character evolves into a grotesque monster, captured through a small eye-hole which acts as a glimpse into utter madness.