VINCENT MUST DIE
Starring: Karim Leklou and Vimala Pons
Director: Stéphan Castang
This film has been reviewed by Nick and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival.
NICK
The premise of Vincent Must Die had my attention because of the different directions it could go. Would it be horror? Comedy? Drama? Romance? The answer is a little bit of everything. Following Vincent (Karim Leklou), an unsuspecting man navigating his way through a world trying to kill him, makes for a fun time (especially when children are involved). Unfortunately, it feels like director Stéphan Castang didn’t know how to end the film as it lands a little flat. I enjoyed it, but I’d love to see an English remake with a little more money behind it and a revamped ending.
QUENTIN
As simple as Vincent Must Die’s premise is, it could have been a great action horror movie like Mayhem. However, it plays things too slowly to be truly engaging (think a far less creepy and less good It Follows). It certainly starts strong enough, but it eventually turns into a potentially doomed romance tale, which kills the momentum. Also, and maybe I’m being nitpicky, but it never explains its own rules, so the viewers are often as confused as Vincent (Karim Leklou). Maybe that’s the point? Either way, there is a good movie here somewhere, but this version of it lost me about midway through.