Les Revenants (2004)
Directed by Robin Campillo

Film Review

One of the most talked about French films of 2004 was this latter-day zombie film which is less a conventional horror film and more a subtle allegory on how society responds to a sudden influx of outsiders (i.e. immigrants). It was the first film to be directed by Robin Campillo, who had previously distinguished himself as an editor on such films as Laurent Cantet's Ressources humaines (1999) and L'Emploi du temps (2001).

Whilst its subject is pure fantasy, Les Revenants is an original and thoughtful piece of cinema which provides a sobering reflection on the nature of grief and how a fearful society treats minority groups and outsiders.  The film impresses with its intense brooding atmosphere and some haunting cinematography but its impact is weakened by its lethargic pacing and the fact that virtually every single character - normal human and zombie alike - is played in the same dull, inexpressive manner.  The reaction shown by the bereaved relatives when a deceased loved one suddenly returns is not what you might expect - overall, there's a lack of emotional realism when merely emphasises the fantastic nature of the plot. Even with such obvious shortcomings, Les Revenants impresses with its singular poetry and is a strangely compelling piece. The film spawned a critically acclaimed television series, which began broadcasting on the French channel Canal+ in 2012.

Film Synopsis

The dead have returned.  All over the world, millions of men, women and children who died within the last ten years have risen from their graves.  They wander, dazed and silent, into public places, as the world watches on in amazement.  Then, suddenly, the dead stop coming.  The problem now is what to do with all these newly resurrected people.  How will their friends and families cope with being reunited with someone they thought they had lost forever?  Will it be possible to re-integrate them back into society?  Mankind faces one of its biggest challenges - learning how to live with the dead...