‘Raw: Limited Edition’ Blu-ray Review
Stars: Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Nait Oufella, Laurent Lucas, Joana Preiss, Bouli Lanners, Marion Vernoux, Thomas Mustin, Marouan Iddoub, Jean-Louis Sbille | Written and Directed by Julia Ducournau
When Raw was first released it was one of those movies that caught people’s attention based on the fact people felt sickened from watching it, even walked out of the movie theatres instead of watching it to the end. For those who could stomach it though, they found an experience that may be Raw, but is also a very good movie. This of course makes it perfect for a Second Sight Blu-ray re-release.
Raised as a strict vegetarian Justine’s (Garance Mirillier) beliefs are tested when she goes to veterinarian school. When forced to eat meat, this awakens a new hunger in her that she did not expect, which opens up a whole new world to her. This wakes her up to secrets only her sister Alexia (Ella Rumpf) has been holding.
Raw is a film that looks at awakenings, and the strength of family. Justine’s realisation that she has a taste for human flesh not only tests her place in society, but also her place in her family. Secrets are revealed to her about life, sexuality, and the people around her. One of the most powerful relationships she has is the relationship with her sister Alexia, who is a domineering force in Justine’s life and pushes her into giving in to the hunger that she too holds. The difference between the two is where Alexia enjoys where hungers, Justine finds it hard to convert to the new way of life and the hunger for not only raw meat, but human meat too.
The performances of Mirillier and Rumpf are what makes this movie. The relationship of the sisters feels real, they have a love for each other that will not be broken, even when Alexia does things that test that relationship to it’s fullest.
The Second Sight bBlu-ray release is full of special features, including two commentaries that are enjoyable to listen to and full of trivia about how the film is made. There are also documentaries, interviews and deleted scenes included to fill out what is a very good release for a movie that deserves all the love that Second Sight have given it.
It is fair to say that you do need to have a strong stomach for Raw, but that is to be expected by a film that never looks away from the world which we are pulled into. There are scenes connected to the veterinarian school, as well as the cannibalism that will test your stomach, but in the end it is worth it, as long as you can handle it.
One thing this release of Raw shows is that the movie has not lost any of it’s impact, and that includes the experience for people who have already seen the movie. It’s a bravely made movie that examines our place in society in an extreme way, and never holds back in telling the story that it wants to tell.
***** 5/5
The Raw: Limited Edition Blu-ray is out now from Second Sight.
______