Overview: Nathan (Hugo Dillon) and Daniel (Arben Bajraktaraj) are caught in a road accident that kills them both. As they come to grips with their deaths, Nathan confronts his past and the consequences of his actions.

Now trapped in the hellish void of Pandemonium, he encounters tortured souls like Jeanne (Manon Maindivide), a disturbed child; Julia (Ophélia Kolb), a grief-stricken mother; and Norghul (Jean Rousseau), the guide of the great void. Will he find a way to escape the torment that awaits him for eternity? Pandemonium takes the viewer on a chilling journey as three interconnected stories unravel in this macabre exploration of tales depicting fallen souls. From the intricacies of everyday drama to the realms of supernatural intrigue, each narrative weaves a haunting tapestry that blurs the lines between the mortal and the supernatural.

Blu-ray Verdict: After a devastating car accident, several survivors get up from the wreckage only to realize they are involved in an existential crisis over their past indiscretions coming back to haunt them, and after learning of the fates of several others like them must find a way to deal with their situation.

This was a highly cinematic event and one where the initial setup works to pure perfection and at the same time brings about a highly effective use of chilling imagery to figure out what’s going on. Indeed, the whole idea of the characters being stuck in the afterlife with no idea themselves comes about rather well and the moody location offers the kind of intriguing starting point that gets this going on a high note.

As well, with the way the films’ approach to things includes a well-worn treatise on grief and the processing of trauma the way he comes across the other individuals who are stuck there like they are manages to be a highly effective setup that discusses the nature of sin in such a way as to be quite impressive overall.

Beyond that, though, there’s a lot of other good stuff going on throughout, and which is more likely down to the anthology structure present which makes sense only if you follow along throughout, of course. The inclusion in the middle of the film - and with very little warning - and which takes a while to get into (even though it is a one-note setup), may make for some cliched stereotypical set pieces, but man, when they have played out each and every one works (to a point).

Sure, at times, they feel like they take up so much of the running time in the middle of the film, offering up the kind of non-genre guilt trip that these stories are based on, that it feels a little shoehorned in re: the story of the murderous child being rather confusing with where it takes place and how it all comes together with the imaginary friend, but the second story all about the bullied teen works splendidly.

Limited Edition Special Features:
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
Original uncompressed stereo and 5.1 surround French audio
Optional English subtitles
Different Textures, a brand new interview with writer/director Quarxx
Tony The Monster, a brand new interview with writer/director Quarxx and special make-up/FX supervisor Olivier Afonso
Filming A Real Birth, a brand new interview with writer/director Quarxx sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of a birth
Footage from the film’s 2023 premiere in Paris
Making of featurette
Trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dare Creative
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Dare Creative
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Anton Bitel, and a director’s statement and director Q&A

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