Selma, a Bosnian 20 - something who lived through the 90s war (and racked with PTSD) goes with her German boyfriend on a pleasant road trip through the same Bosnian woods where her parents were murdered by the Serbs during the ethnic cleansing and which is also littered with landmines from the war. That makes perfect sense. Of course German boy, (a typical weak male character) drives their SUV into a ditch and breaks the axle trying to get it out. Now they are stuck. Then things go downhill from there. They run into a pair of older Serb guys, the enemy in the war. These two guys are living together in a cave with just their AK 47 and some schnapps. Why? Is this a Serbian bromance? Selma is raped by one of the Serbs after her German BFF disappeared into the woods (he does this several times during the movie) . The plot gets worse from there. Alien appearances, flashbacks, dream sequence, more violence, etc. The ending makes no sense whatsoever. Pass on this one.
113 Reviews
Yea ... about that movie.
MetroSkunk5 July 2018
Large Budget - Not a whole lot going on though
WhiskeyCactus31 October 2020
Firstly, let me start with some positives. I thought the theme of the film was interesting, to do with land mines and the Bosnian War, and presumably atrocities and genocidal acts. I have to say before watching it I did not know much about what I was about to watch. I have to say I was mislead to believe it was Horror, but in actual fact it feels more like a Dark Thriller with themes of Horror and War i.e. there was clearly a Deliverance vibe going on at the start, and aside from the creepy looking Guardian Angel that would be about where the horror side of things ends.
The filming style was fun for the first few minutes, but an hour and a half later of revolving cameras, darkness, and behind the head shots it all seemed a bit ridiculous and you wonder how a supposed 2 million euro budget (according to Wikipedia) was used up on just 4 actors, a forest and a great deal of what I can only describe as pointless videography.
Without trying to slate it too much, I found 'Alex' to be fairly unbearable, as an overly dramatic naive young chap who was an insufferable wannabe man-to-the-rescue but simply lacked any strength both physically and of character; Extremely annoying in every way possible. I think 'Selma' was at least interesting and played her role well though unfortunately this leads me on to my next comment about The Story, which overall I can once again only describe as being fairly 'pointless' or insubstantial. There were some interesting psychological moments where it felt like the dread was closing in, but then once the cat was out of the bag there wasn't much left to say. I knew from the moment I saw the car 'stuck' in the road in the very first scene that this movie was not exactly going to win any Oscars. I really am surprised about the budget here and can only presume the directors paid themselves substantial salaries through some questionable laundering function - But seriously, overall it wasn't the worst thing that's ever happened to me, and certainly illuminating in some regards. I think a 5/10 is generous, I'd say more like a 4.5 but I suppose I've rounded up.
One more comment: I saw that 'Maus' according to Wikipedia is an 80s/early 90s graphic novel about a Holocaust survivor, so I suppose that's what would have inspired the name of this movie.
Thank you for reading.
The filming style was fun for the first few minutes, but an hour and a half later of revolving cameras, darkness, and behind the head shots it all seemed a bit ridiculous and you wonder how a supposed 2 million euro budget (according to Wikipedia) was used up on just 4 actors, a forest and a great deal of what I can only describe as pointless videography.
Without trying to slate it too much, I found 'Alex' to be fairly unbearable, as an overly dramatic naive young chap who was an insufferable wannabe man-to-the-rescue but simply lacked any strength both physically and of character; Extremely annoying in every way possible. I think 'Selma' was at least interesting and played her role well though unfortunately this leads me on to my next comment about The Story, which overall I can once again only describe as being fairly 'pointless' or insubstantial. There were some interesting psychological moments where it felt like the dread was closing in, but then once the cat was out of the bag there wasn't much left to say. I knew from the moment I saw the car 'stuck' in the road in the very first scene that this movie was not exactly going to win any Oscars. I really am surprised about the budget here and can only presume the directors paid themselves substantial salaries through some questionable laundering function - But seriously, overall it wasn't the worst thing that's ever happened to me, and certainly illuminating in some regards. I think a 5/10 is generous, I'd say more like a 4.5 but I suppose I've rounded up.
One more comment: I saw that 'Maus' according to Wikipedia is an 80s/early 90s graphic novel about a Holocaust survivor, so I suppose that's what would have inspired the name of this movie.
Thank you for reading.
This film is actually 3 mins long...
rosslittle-278-6572804 March 2020
If you remove the scenes that involve walking, the transitions between scenes where the screen is black and the scenes dominated by the backs of heads... You'll have 3 mins of actual content left. The blackout transitions were so long my TV actually went into standby mode a few times.
A lot.
bloodynose-1345318 July 2019
This movie is certainly a lot of the following:
All in all 90 minutes of wasted time if you ask me.
- waiting for something to happen
- back of heads
- veeery blurry background with important scenes
- black screens
- scenes with spinning camera
- mines
All in all 90 minutes of wasted time if you ask me.
Do you enjoy walking documentaries
stephencritic24 January 2019
Movies budget was primarily spent on HD close ups of sweaty necks. There's also a random alien that appears a few times for no reason. Is the whole movie a dream. Why is it 45 minutes of walking around?. Why was this movie made. A complete waste of money and time on everyone's behalf. Don't watch unless you hate yourself.
Absolutely terrible
sergio_mq13 October 2018
The movie starts with an horrendous slow pace, that goes on throughout 1h30.
Score is bad. Plot is non existent. Violence is extreme with no really intent of backing it up with a convincing story.
Terror? I am terrified about the thought of having lost 1h30 on this absolute disgrace.
Score is bad. Plot is non existent. Violence is extreme with no really intent of backing it up with a convincing story.
Terror? I am terrified about the thought of having lost 1h30 on this absolute disgrace.
Disjointed Trash
zoltronbooth8 July 2018
This movie suffers from constant close ups that fail to create a sense of intensity, retracts its own story elements multiple times, repeats itself constantly, and uses absolute darkness to a hopelessly annoying degree. Any attempt it makes at representing PTSD is downplayed by awful filming and plot confusion. The acting itself is good, though the characters those actors are portraying are all irrational and have no good motivations for why they do half the things they do.
Expect to be confused even if you follow the plot closely, and to hate multiple characters constantly.
Expect to be confused even if you follow the plot closely, and to hate multiple characters constantly.
Was this movie a metaphor?
chrislesmckis12 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Correct me if im wrong, but was this movie a metaphor? There is a lot of tension between bosnia and serbia due to the genocide that happened in the mid 90's. The vibes that im getting from this film is that Selma represents Bosnia (specifically the muslim population of Bosnia), Alex represents western Europe, and the two serbians, Vuk and Milos, obviously represent Serbia. So, early on in the film, Selma begins to have hallucinations of the two Serbian men raping her or aggressively apprehending her, which happened thousands of Muslim Bosnians during the genocide. Then, she witnesses Alex being shot, representing her loved ones being killed. Selma obviously has PTSD of the events that happened in her childhood. The "monster" that is shown later, i feel is just a physical manifestation of herself seeking revenge. Alex, representing western europe, is either constantly intervening but doing absolutely nothing to resolve conflict. I might be giving this film to much depth, but thats how i perceived it.
A compelling premise that misses the mark.
soraprint29 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The Maus is a well-shot, atmospheric thriller/drama, that starts with a compelling premise. Unfortunately the film misses the mark, with an overlong runtime compared to the story itself. It has some very tense moments, and the first act does a good job in building tension. The third act begins the letdown, and what would have been a 3rd act climax is achieved at about the 60 min mark. What follows is 30 min of drama that whilst interesting, becomes tedious. Many reviews have commented that this should not be classified as horror, and this is correct. If you watch the film expecting horror movie you will be disappointed.
The characters and acting were acceptable, but they were let down by the plot that was not as coherent as it should have been. This would have been a better film if limited to 40-50min and ending with the climax in act 2. Otherwise, more action and twists are required to keep our attention. The final scene is confused, and rather than opening up to our interpretation, we are left with a feeling that the movie is trying to say too much without actually articulating what it wants to convey.
I would love to see this concept redone either as a short film, or with additional plot in a feature length movie. As it is, however, it is an overall disappointment.
The positives: Good scenery and characters. The forest setting was both open and expansive, whilst also feeling closed and oppressive. The threat of landmines kept the protagonists from simply running away, and helped to maintain tension.
The negatives: Pacing and plot. This was slow when it did not have to be. The initial act was paced well as we expect slow reveals and a more subdued pace in the expectation of a twist. However, the pace remained slow and never built to satisfying crescendo. Genre. The film, at different times, feels like a horror, a drama, and a thriller. This can be an entertaining combination, but not when different scenes seem not to know how they fit into the overall movie. Also, by ending as drama, the tension is removed, and this is not relieving but frustrating.
The characters and acting were acceptable, but they were let down by the plot that was not as coherent as it should have been. This would have been a better film if limited to 40-50min and ending with the climax in act 2. Otherwise, more action and twists are required to keep our attention. The final scene is confused, and rather than opening up to our interpretation, we are left with a feeling that the movie is trying to say too much without actually articulating what it wants to convey.
I would love to see this concept redone either as a short film, or with additional plot in a feature length movie. As it is, however, it is an overall disappointment.
The positives: Good scenery and characters. The forest setting was both open and expansive, whilst also feeling closed and oppressive. The threat of landmines kept the protagonists from simply running away, and helped to maintain tension.
The negatives: Pacing and plot. This was slow when it did not have to be. The initial act was paced well as we expect slow reveals and a more subdued pace in the expectation of a twist. However, the pace remained slow and never built to satisfying crescendo. Genre. The film, at different times, feels like a horror, a drama, and a thriller. This can be an entertaining combination, but not when different scenes seem not to know how they fit into the overall movie. Also, by ending as drama, the tension is removed, and this is not relieving but frustrating.
Personal narrative of the aftermath of genocide.
genderarm9 November 2019
This is an arthouse film. If you don't like the subgenre, you won't like this.
Non-European Viewers and Younger Viewers: Look for context in the WIkipedia article on Bosnian genocide.
The Maus is a deeply unsettling, personal narrative of a Bosnian Muslim woman and her German boyfriend who come across a couple of Bosnian Serbs in the woods. The woman is injured and the boyfriend guides her into a surreal, living hell.
The metaphor isn't terribly difficult to grasp. NATO efforts were stifled by bureaucracy, half-hearted, and prone to believing in the good will of Bosnian Serb warlords. The Maus is as close as I can possibly imagine to experience the severe emotional trauma of the aftermath of a period of war and genocide. The movie is shot through the lens of those who survived and tells the stories of those who didn't. The performance of actor Alma Terzic and the direction of Yayo Herrero were exceptional.
The film was visceral and haunting. The film was unexpected. The tone, the narrative, the nightmarish horror, the violence, and the surrealism weren't contrived devices of a poor narrative, they were crucial to the telling of it.
Non-European Viewers and Younger Viewers: Look for context in the WIkipedia article on Bosnian genocide.
The Maus is a deeply unsettling, personal narrative of a Bosnian Muslim woman and her German boyfriend who come across a couple of Bosnian Serbs in the woods. The woman is injured and the boyfriend guides her into a surreal, living hell.
The metaphor isn't terribly difficult to grasp. NATO efforts were stifled by bureaucracy, half-hearted, and prone to believing in the good will of Bosnian Serb warlords. The Maus is as close as I can possibly imagine to experience the severe emotional trauma of the aftermath of a period of war and genocide. The movie is shot through the lens of those who survived and tells the stories of those who didn't. The performance of actor Alma Terzic and the direction of Yayo Herrero were exceptional.
The film was visceral and haunting. The film was unexpected. The tone, the narrative, the nightmarish horror, the violence, and the surrealism weren't contrived devices of a poor narrative, they were crucial to the telling of it.
Not horror but still grim and unsettling
darth-tobe13 October 2018
I see a lot of disappointed reviewers here that gave this film 1 or 2 stars. While it isn't a masterpiece I think the film does not deserve such a low rating.
I believe this may have to do with expectations: The Maus is listed under "horror" so people may expect either jump scares or cathartic violence and this film doesn't really offer either. It does offer a very personal nightmare ride that is rooted in the genocide of Bosnian Muslims perpetrated during the Yugoslavian civil war in the 1990s. If that is not something you know or care about then this may not be a movie for you. In particular, since it expects you to have a basic understanding of the conflict and does not do much explaining. Sadly, this probably is a factor that limits the film's audience to mainly Europeans.
The film is also not very verbose in spelling out everything that happens or explaining everything you see or hear. Even though gory visuals may arguably have been appropriate for the subject matter this film goes for subtlety and uses sound over visuals - leaving a lot to imagination. To me this was a good thing but it is also a potential limiting factor.
Contrary to other reviewers, I actually thought the writing of plot and characters was pretty plausible and relatable. It carries across very well the notion that the main character has endured things that her "innocent" foreign boyfriend cannot begin to comprehend and this is why she relates differently to the events in the story.
Overall, I found The Maus is not horror in the conventional sense but still a grim and unsettling experience. It is not without flaws and a few unnecessary, drawn out sequences but definitely a film worth giving a chance and, moreover, one that will make you think.
I believe this may have to do with expectations: The Maus is listed under "horror" so people may expect either jump scares or cathartic violence and this film doesn't really offer either. It does offer a very personal nightmare ride that is rooted in the genocide of Bosnian Muslims perpetrated during the Yugoslavian civil war in the 1990s. If that is not something you know or care about then this may not be a movie for you. In particular, since it expects you to have a basic understanding of the conflict and does not do much explaining. Sadly, this probably is a factor that limits the film's audience to mainly Europeans.
The film is also not very verbose in spelling out everything that happens or explaining everything you see or hear. Even though gory visuals may arguably have been appropriate for the subject matter this film goes for subtlety and uses sound over visuals - leaving a lot to imagination. To me this was a good thing but it is also a potential limiting factor.
Contrary to other reviewers, I actually thought the writing of plot and characters was pretty plausible and relatable. It carries across very well the notion that the main character has endured things that her "innocent" foreign boyfriend cannot begin to comprehend and this is why she relates differently to the events in the story.
Overall, I found The Maus is not horror in the conventional sense but still a grim and unsettling experience. It is not without flaws and a few unnecessary, drawn out sequences but definitely a film worth giving a chance and, moreover, one that will make you think.
Waste of time
soainst20 October 2018
First lets praise the camera man for capturing great close ups and 180 degree shots. Unfortuntely about everything else about this movie (plot, characters, story Line etc.) Is one practising film making attempt, demo version type at its best. Recommend for film students.
This movie made no sense from start to finish
mochteam26 February 2020
This is one of those movies where you ask yourself what the heck is going on throughout the entire film. Why are in the forest in the first place? What's with the fog? What's with the creatures? What's with that terroristic ending? I mean I don't know what was worse about the movie. It has really slow pacing and characters you find hard to like except for the main girl since she's easy on the eyes. Her boyfriend is a complete wimp that has her do the dirty work he should be doing to protect her. The film really isn't all that likeable it's just odd. It tries to be too poetic and just comes off as weird.
This movie SUCKED
yungassassingta23 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It actually made me make an account just to write a review. the story was a good idea but just watch a whole hour of looking at the back of peoples neck with insanely long parts where people are just staring off into space. this movie should be completely destroyed. nobody should ever watch this movie. keep the story and make a different movie. yes these are spoilers. you watch people stare at the ground and into dark space for at least 30 minutes time of the movie
It's a really bad joke, an incredible stupid movie
cristiananton-7007013 November 2021
It is a mockery of those who suffered in the Bosnian war. The so-called artistic approach to some traumas is in fact a grotesque desecration, of a horrible bad taste.
And that's why the fact that this mess has been awarded before leaves me with a bitter taste.
It's just awfully stupid, an offense to common sense. Those who did it should be forbidden to ever make a film again.
And that's why the fact that this mess has been awarded before leaves me with a bitter taste.
It's just awfully stupid, an offense to common sense. Those who did it should be forbidden to ever make a film again.
What Did I Just Watch?
clintstevens4 July 2018
What did I just watch?
It was a warning to never travel in foreign lands unless you are in a large tour group...no, that wasn't it.
It was about extraterrestrials who have come to earth to observe humans...no, that wasn't it.
It was about the persecution of members of the Muslim faith...no, that wasn't it.
It was a warning for Western Europeans to never date Eastern Europeans...no, that wasn't it.
It was to remind people that a stroll in the forest can be a real blast...no, that wasn't it.
It was to show how Serbians and Bosnians will never live together peacefully...no, that wasn't it.
It was to prove that reincarnation is a real possibility...no, that wasn't it.
What did I just watch? I have NO freakin' idea.
It was a warning to never travel in foreign lands unless you are in a large tour group...no, that wasn't it.
It was about extraterrestrials who have come to earth to observe humans...no, that wasn't it.
It was about the persecution of members of the Muslim faith...no, that wasn't it.
It was a warning for Western Europeans to never date Eastern Europeans...no, that wasn't it.
It was to remind people that a stroll in the forest can be a real blast...no, that wasn't it.
It was to show how Serbians and Bosnians will never live together peacefully...no, that wasn't it.
It was to prove that reincarnation is a real possibility...no, that wasn't it.
What did I just watch? I have NO freakin' idea.
Nothing fancy, yet quite entertaining.
nitzanhavoc13 January 2019
The Maus is one these films in which the location serves to create a meaningful part of the overall discomforting mood. As always, it comes with all sorts of supporting (or unsupportive from the protagonists' perspective) features, such as no cellular reception and a language barrier. While I'm not a fan of using these particular defining aspects, I must admit that including the female protagonist's obvious (and completely understandable) PTSD after surviving the Serbian cleansing of Bosnian Muslims added a lot of character and quality to the story.
The plot is quite simple to understand from the film's description (and from watching the first ten minutes). Selma (Alma Terzic) and her boyfriend Alex (August Wittgenstein) visit Bosnia and become stranded and lost in one of its vast forests, which happens to be riddled with unmarked mine fields. By chance they happen to meet two "local" Serbs, Vuk (Aleksandar Seksan) and Milos (Sanin Milavic), who offer to assist them. From that point - reality and paranoia become mixed and intertwined as Selma initially distrusts the two on account of their origin, seeing in them the same type of people who murdered her family during the war.
The acting is quite impressive (especially by Seksan and Milavic whose performance keeps the audience guessing as to their true intentions and nature and Selma's sanity) and the story progresses in a very compelling way. Each and every scene seems to have been meticulously chosen to serve the film's conclusion and final plot twist (which isn't brilliant but definitely serves as a fine and terrible closure). While in no way "fun" to watch - The Maus is pretty rewarding for Horror fans who enjoy being depressed by human nature and what we can at times bring ourselves to do to our fellow man.
All in all, The Maus is far from being a masterpiece and none of its features are delivered in an overly impressive manner. It's simple enough and does a pretty decent job in toying with the audience's thoughts and emotions (which I assume was the creators' initial goal). Nothing fancy, yet quite rewarding by its own right. I don't think it deserves the low rating and all the harsh criticism it has received here (now there's a surprise), but you could still find something better (or a lot worse) to watch.
The plot is quite simple to understand from the film's description (and from watching the first ten minutes). Selma (Alma Terzic) and her boyfriend Alex (August Wittgenstein) visit Bosnia and become stranded and lost in one of its vast forests, which happens to be riddled with unmarked mine fields. By chance they happen to meet two "local" Serbs, Vuk (Aleksandar Seksan) and Milos (Sanin Milavic), who offer to assist them. From that point - reality and paranoia become mixed and intertwined as Selma initially distrusts the two on account of their origin, seeing in them the same type of people who murdered her family during the war.
The acting is quite impressive (especially by Seksan and Milavic whose performance keeps the audience guessing as to their true intentions and nature and Selma's sanity) and the story progresses in a very compelling way. Each and every scene seems to have been meticulously chosen to serve the film's conclusion and final plot twist (which isn't brilliant but definitely serves as a fine and terrible closure). While in no way "fun" to watch - The Maus is pretty rewarding for Horror fans who enjoy being depressed by human nature and what we can at times bring ourselves to do to our fellow man.
All in all, The Maus is far from being a masterpiece and none of its features are delivered in an overly impressive manner. It's simple enough and does a pretty decent job in toying with the audience's thoughts and emotions (which I assume was the creators' initial goal). Nothing fancy, yet quite rewarding by its own right. I don't think it deserves the low rating and all the harsh criticism it has received here (now there's a surprise), but you could still find something better (or a lot worse) to watch.
Garbage
matijas-milevoj-919-55071318 March 2019
Symbolic horror
imranki-7628330 March 2019
Fans of David Lynch would enjoy this overlooked gem. The writer of this film skilfully uses The Bosnian genocide in the 90s as a metaphor for this terrifying film. As a horror vet, very little scares me, yet this kept me on the edge of my seat. It does a great job simultaneously being realistic and supernaturally haunting--with a heavy dose of symbolism, to boot--and a clever use of camera work.
The ending is quite a bit confusing, but If you like thinking about what you saw, rather than being spoon-fed, this will be up your alley.
The ending is quite a bit confusing, but If you like thinking about what you saw, rather than being spoon-fed, this will be up your alley.
Decent film, depends a lot on self interpretation
nooriintikhab5 May 2018
Not a horror film in the scene of pop ups. More like the affects of war on people. If you're looking for an action packed horror with pop ups and jump scares this isn't it. Good film could've been better if it explained some stuff, which is didn't do on purpose for the sake of interpretation. The more you think about the film the better it seems to you, if you just watch it you probably won't enjoy it as much.
This movie does open up a lot of room for discussion on what happened in the film. If you are open to a movie about affect of war on people and how it changes/divides them, with a neutral party being involved watch this, but if not I wouldn't recommend this.
This movie does open up a lot of room for discussion on what happened in the film. If you are open to a movie about affect of war on people and how it changes/divides them, with a neutral party being involved watch this, but if not I wouldn't recommend this.
Confused & Confusing.
Pairic7 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The Maus: Confused and confusing film about a couple. a Bosnian woman and her German boyfriend, whose car breaks down on a road on the midst of a Bosnian forest. They appear to wander into a minefield but the woman's dog who isn't actually with them is blown up. They encounter two Serbian men who attack them but this appears (along with the dog incident) to be the woman hallucinating about past events when her family were murdered in the 1990s. Then they really seem to be attacked by two Serbs.
The woman also has an amulet which has the power to summon up a spirit to help her. Or is she just imagining all of this? Is she suffering from PTSD? I don't know and I don't think the screenwriter or the director did either. Some very disturbing scenes but an absence of shocks. 5/10. On Netflix.
The woman also has an amulet which has the power to summon up a spirit to help her. Or is she just imagining all of this? Is she suffering from PTSD? I don't know and I don't think the screenwriter or the director did either. Some very disturbing scenes but an absence of shocks. 5/10. On Netflix.
Absolutely dreadful
dmathis-0274828 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is terrible from the beginning to the very last second. (No joke). It is an attempt to shed light on the Bosnian genocide/Serb-Bosnian civil war of the 90's. But it does so in the most ham-fisted, non-sly way with the writers hitting the viewer right on the nose but in no way that makes sense or gives them any feeling whatsoever except for feeling that the main character's boyfriend is a wuss. There are numerous situations in which the characters could get away or incapacitate/kill their captors and they don't. There is hardly any satisfying conclusions, a really confusing ending, and numerous close-ups of people's sweaty necks. Watch this film to say you did it, and get a good nap in because this one is a fizzle at best.
Fantasy? Horror?
roxxyroller198228 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
If you want a slow drama about a Bosnian war survivor with an ending that makes no sense, here it is. If you're looking for horror, look elsewhere.
Selma - the actress plays her role so well. That's the saving grace of this film.
Selma - the actress plays her role so well. That's the saving grace of this film.
See also
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