When violent and gruesome deaths starts plaguing a small mountain village, an old legend about a malevolent creature resurfaces.A film by Julien Maury & Alexandre Bustillo, starring Virginie Ledoyen, Paul Hamy, Francis Renaud, Malik Zidi, Cameron Bain, Lya Lessert, and Sandrine Bonnaire.

In an unnamed French countryside town, during his morning run, Franck de Rolan (Paul Hamy) receives an envelope from Benjamin Cortès (Antoine Levannier), a local police officer who informs him of a new development in an ongoing case. Given that Cortès addresses Franck as ‘capitaine’, it appears they are working together on the investigation.

The term “capitaine de la gendarmerie locale” refers to the rank of Captain within the local gendarmerie, which is a branch of the French law enforcement system. The gendarmerie is a military force responsible for policing rural areas and smaller towns in France, operating under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior.

Franck travels by bus to a stop near the rural town of Roquenoir, where he must hitchhike to reach his destination. He tries to signal to a passing car, hoping for a lift, but the woman driver appears cautious and drives past without stopping. Left with no other option, Franck begins walking along the road towards the town, continuing to hope that another car might give him a ride.

Shortly after driving past Franck, the woman finds herself stuck in traffic due to an accident where a timber has fallen from a truck, blocking the road. On the radio, a reporter is discussing a news story about a small tourist plane that crashed in the Gernon valley near Roquenoir two weeks earlier. The pilot, a man in his 50s, was found dead in the wreckage. The police have been unable to identify the victim.

Franck spots the woman’s car and knocks on her window. He shows his identification card as Capitaine de Rolan from the National Gendarmerie and asks if she can give him a lift to Roquenoir. Feeling suspicious, the woman questions why he isn’t driving an official Gendarmerie vehicle. He explains that he’s not from the area and traveled by bus. He mentions that his colleagues were supposed to pick him up but were likely prevented by the roadblock. Cautious, the woman asks why he isn’t wearing a uniform. He clarifies that he’s an investigator. Reluctantly, she agrees to give him a ride, warning him that she can defend herself if needed. Franck explains that he’s investigating alarming disappearances and requests to be dropped at a specific address.

It turns out that Franck’s destination is the same as the woman’s. He is surprised when Brigadier-Chef Marcelin (Francis Renaud) addresses her as Commander Elizabeth Guardiano (Virginie Ledoyen). Elizabeth introduces Capitaine de Rolan to Marcelin. Marcelin explains that they are sealing off the crime scene, but progress is slow due to staff shortages.

Franck reveals that he is investigating a series of children’s disappearances that might be linked to this crime scene. While Elizabeth goes inside the house, Franck notices a white van that matches the description of the abductor’s vehicle. He hopes this could provide the evidence he needs to solve the case. However, Franck finds nothing useful, except for a strange wooden figurine that he decides to take with him.

“Meanwhile, Elizabeth is horrified by the crime scene inside the house, where the Vasseur couple (Jérémie Margallé & Audrey Golay) appear to have killed each other in a gruesome manner. There are no indications of a third person’s presence — no fingerprints, and all doors were locked from the inside. Elizabeth notices something unusual: the victims show no defensive wounds, as if they made no attempt to protect themselves, which seems deeply unnatural. In the basement, Elizabeth discovers Evan (Cameron Bain), the Vasseur couple’s son, who is in a state of shock. He repeatedly mutters that “Le Mangeur d’âmes” (The Soul Eater) came.

According to local folklore in Roquenoir, legend tells of the Soul Eater (Le Mangeur d’âmes), a mythical creature that dwells deep within the forest. Those who encounter it are said to have their souls devoured, leaving them forever changed. While these victims may return home appearing physically unchanged, they are mere shells of their former selves, their souls stripped away. Under the Soul Eater’s control, these hollow beings are said to commit unspeakable acts.

Directed by French filmmakers Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, LE MANGEUR D’ÂMES is a compelling investigative thriller that intertwines elements of crime and the supernatural. The screenplay, written by Annelyse Batrel and Ludovic Lefebvre, is based on Alexis Laipsker’s 2021 novel of the same name.

Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo are prominent French filmmakers known for their work in the horror genre. Maury and Bustillo frequently collaborate on projects, combining their talents to create films that explore dark themes and psychological horror. Their notable works include: À l’intérieur (2007), Livide (2011), Aux yeux des vivants (2014), Leatherface (2017), Kandisha (2020), and The Deep House (2021).

I always love a good detective story, and LE MANGEUR D’ÂMES masterfully blends psychological thriller with local folklore, filled with unexpected twists and turns and misleading information that makes my imagination run wild with theories about how the narrative might conclude. Is the Soul Eater real and truly exists? What other explanation could there be for this seemingly benevolent force that drives people to kill themselves or those they love, without leaving any trace?

Virginie Ledoyen and Paul Hamy deliver outstanding and believable performances as Commander Guardiano and Franck de Rolan. Although I find Guardiano’s backstory somewhat distracting, she could easily carry the film without it. I’m sure her backstory might have been more meaningful in the original novel, but it adds little to the film adaptation.

The cinematography and soundtrack perfectly build up the atmosphere, which is gloomy and dark, as the story slowly unravels the sinister secrets hidden in the town of Roquenoir. LE MANGEUR D’ÂMES is arguably one of my favorite detective stories.

LE MANGEUR D’ÂMES premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) on 26 January 2024. The film was theatrically released in France on 24 April.