Half Spirit: Voice of the Spider

Running time: 90 mins

In a world brimming with cinematic pabulum, Half Spirit: Voice of the Spider acts as a stunningly effective purgative. After seeing this film, all memories of: hackneyed stories, unnecessary sequels, film-as-marketing-tool and direct-to-video dreck will have been sandblasted away. But - be forewarned - there is a price to pay. Half Spirit is not for the faint of heart. But if you're fascinated by the blind leap into the void, then you've come to the right place. The film opens and closes with the same image: the camera gliding lovingly down the length of an examiner's table in a morgue. On the table lies an emaciated female body. This is how we meet the title character and narrator, Half Spirit. The story told in between these macabre bookends is equally thrilling and exhilarating, like the most terrifying roller coaster ride you've ever been on. And, as on that roller coaster ride, there are times when you just have to hold on and have faith. Story-lines don't develop, they erupt, then fantastically intertwine, then zoom ahead. The action swirls about in a dingy corner of Paris, then bursts forth into the countryside. Urban, angst-ridden psychodrama becomes twisted road movie. Our troop of murderers, maniacs and all-around misanthropes suddenly find themselves careening toward Russia in search of a Dr. Stangelovian grail. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World was nothing like this. Henri Barges directs with Godardian flair and lots of nihilistic style. Let's call it Breathless meets Death Race 2000 and leave it at that. (In French with English subtitles.) --John Porter