‘Summer Scars’ Is Too Ambitious for Its Own Good

Summer season Scars (Nos Cérémonies) opens with two younger brothers enjoying a recreation of rooster. They dash furiously throughout a big cliff overlooking the ocean in Southwest France. The eldest brother Tony (Gregory Lu), taunts Noé (Benjamin Lu) to run sooner. The lighthearted recreation ends abruptly within the subsequent spherical. Tony fails to interrupt his acceleration and skids ahead, tumbling down the facet of the rock. When a frightened Noé reaches the underside of the cliff, he finds his older brother’s physique sprawled out with blood pouring from his head. Weeping and pleading with Tony to stick with him, Noé kisses his brother in what the viewers assumes is a remaining farewell. 

Nonetheless, we quickly be taught that that is solely the start of Simon Rieth’s haunting and, at occasions, alarming debut characteristic. Tony has survived the autumn, seemingly unscathed. The next sequences present Tony and Noé consuming cereal and watching TV as their mother and father’ vicious screams echo from the ground above them. Later, we see the pair huddled within the backseat of their mom’s automotive surrounded by containers, Tony’s physique trembles in anguish as his childhood sweetheart Cassandra appears to be like on from her window in despair. The brothers received’t return to the island for one other decade. 

One thing sinister is on the middle of ‘Summer Scars’

Following the near-20 minute prologue, the viewers is jolted ahead in time 10 years. After we see Tony and Noé (portrayed now by Simon Baur and Raymond Baur, respectively) once more, they’re adults. They’ve come again to the Royan area to bury their father. The pair are nonetheless as shut as they had been as youngsters. Nonetheless, they couldn’t be extra completely different. Tony is assured and wanting to lose himself within the heat physique of any obtainable younger lady. In distinction, Noé is quieter and extra reserved. Returning to their childhood dwelling and their father’s loss of life impacts the brothers otherwise, particularly once they reconnect with Cassandra (now portrayed by Maïra Villena), who’s engaged on the island for the summer season. 

Although the film feels comparatively simple, there’s something sinister amiss. The viewers is requested to lean into a large twist to know what comes subsequent within the narrative. Nonetheless, even for those who droop your disbelief, it takes lots of buy-ins to simply accept what’s taking place between Tony and Noé.

We by no means actually be taught a lot about Tony or Noé

With a lot give attention to the state of affairs between the pair, there’s little else identified in regards to the brothers. The forgotten years of their childhood are by no means addressed, nor will we ever find out how they’ve been in a position to hold their twisted secret hidden for so lengthy. Furthermore, the movie’s long-winded sequences, typically void of dialogue, are extra uncomfortable than haunting. The story might have definitely used a tighter edit or even perhaps labored higher as a brief movie.

‘Summer Scars’ has a spiraling tone

Summer season Scars is massively bold. It bends area, time, realism, and components of horror collectively. Nonetheless, it’s not wholly profitable. The violence and gore within the movie are surprising and horrific. They happen so typically that the shock worth wears off shortly. As a substitute, they really feel extraordinarily grotesque and overdone. Since we by no means get to know Tony and Noé effectively, the ending has minimal emotional influence. 

Summer season Scars appears like many movies wrapped into one. With a spiraling tone that by no means actually permits the viewers to settle into the story, regardless of the fascinating idea, suspending perception turns into a near-impossible feat and the story by no means solely comes collectively. 

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