Fantasia International Film Festival (FIFF) – It’s best to state this upfront. Megalomaniac is a tough watch, a dark tale about the children of the Butcher of Mons, a notorious and unidentified Belgian serial killer from the 1990s. This is very much a film about abuse, power, and generational trauma. Its scenes are graphic, violent, and raw, while the feature overall is equally moving and disturbing.

Written and directed by Karim Ouelhaj, the film stars Eline Schumacher as Martha and Benjamin Ramon as Felix, who continues his father’s work slaughtering young women. Meanwhile, Martha, a custodian at a factory, is harassed and raped at work, specifically by Luc (Pierre Nisse), while the boss, Jerome (Wim Willaert), is aware of what’s occurring, but does nothing. This film doesn’t hold back in terms of its depictions of violence, be it the killings Felix unleashes on unsuspecting victims or the rape and other forms of torment Martha suffers at work. For some genre fans, this film may be triggering. It worsens when the siblings chain a woman in their home and keep her as a pet while inflicting abuse after abuse upon her.

However, this film isn’t mere torture porn. There’s a lot going on here regarding Ouelhaj’s exploration of family dynamics and violence. The sins of the father were certainly passed down to Felix. Ramon is terrifying in the role, playing a killer utterly lacking emotion. Martha is a more complex character, and once she too starts killing and torturing, she relishes the power. She’s never felt like she’s had any agency in her entire life. The ending especially is blood-soaked and surprising. While Felix doesn’t undergo much change, Martha certainly does. The film raises the question of whether some of her actions are justified, especially in the last 15 minutes, considering what she endured at the beginning of the movie.

The feature is rich in imagery, too, though not all of it works. There are visions of the blood-soaked butcher that the siblings continually see, as well as all-black figures with stark red eyes that sometimes creep throughout the home. It’s unclear what these beings are meant to be. The butcher’s victims, maybe? Sometimes, the imagery is a little too weighty and doesn’t quite make sense within the larger narrative. Most of the shots are dark and gloomy, reinforcing the overall bleak tone. Even the exterior shots often feature inky skies. There’s little to no levity throughout the runtime.

Megalomaniac is a striking film about two siblings continuing their father’s legacy of murder. While it’s never an easy watch, the film is a layered examination of trauma and violence, which elevates it beyond mere shock value. There’s plenty of depth here along with a whole lot of bloodshed.

The film screened at the Fantasia International Film Festival, happening July 14-August 3.

7.5 Out of 10