Released in 2006, Ils (Them English title) is one of those non-descript movies that easily gets passed over on the DVD rental racks, largely because it's a foreign film that doesn't carry much in the way of marketing fanfare, all of which is too bad because it's among the very best of the horror/thriller genre.
It tells the story of French couple Clementine and Lucas, who move to Bucharest, Romania, where Clementine has landed a job as a French teacher at a Romanian school.
Taking up residence in a remote villa outside the city, the couple are awakened in the middle of the night by what at first appears to be thieves trying to steal their car, only to discover that it's not the car they're after, but themselves.
Directors David Moreau and Xavier Palud handle things with the experience of film veterans, even though their resumes prior to Ils were thin. The viewer as much in the dark about the siege on the house as Clementine and Lucas, and the revelations that come to light as the night plays out come as much of shock to the viewer as they do to the protagonists.
If it's tension you like, Ils goes straight for the jugular and doesn't let go.
