Artsploitation Films jumped on the scene for North American distribution in a big way in the last few years, filling a much needed gap in the allocation/distribution of a certain kind of film for NA distribution. Self-described as ”not strictly a genre label,” they rather, “look for intriguing, unsettling, unpredictable and provocative films from around the world.” It’s hard to argue with their own assessment. In their relatively short lifespan, the label has championed genre-pushing films like Toad Road, Horsehead, and Der Samurai. They have proven themselves to be one of America’s most daring distributors, giving homes to films that would probably otherwise go undistributed. In recent months, they’ve sort of set their sights on Belgium, delivering on Blu-Ray releases of the gritty crime thriller The Treatment, as well as Jonas Govaerts’s highly anticipated horror film Cub.
![Hans Herbots's The Treatment (2014) [click to enlarge]](https://diaboliquemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ArtBelg_8-620x349.png)
Hans Herbots’s The Treatment (2014) [click to enlarge]
The film opens amidst a hazy recollection. Two children are playing a game of Cowboys and Indians that is suddenly interrupted when one of the two boys appears to be kidnapped by an older man. Cut to modern day, Detective Nick Cafmeyer (Geert Van Rampelberg), still haunted by his past, is assigned to a grizzly case. A family has been kidnapped and held hostages in their own home. While the captives have been beaten nearly to death, the inspectors arrive in time to save them but their young boy is still missing. When a pattern seems to link the case to his own past, Cafmeyer is drawn closer and closer into the case, until it nearly drives him mad.
![Hans Herbots's The Treatment (2014) [click to enlarge]](https://diaboliquemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ArtBelg_3-620x349.png)
Hans Herbots’s The Treatment (2014) [click to enlarge]
Stylistically speaking, the film is well crafted without appearing to glitzy for its own good. One thing that pops out is the sparse use of score. Most of the film is driven only by the natural elements of any given scene. This allows Herbots to avoid manipulating his audience with overt-scoring, and allows the themes and visuals to do the work for him. While the film is well edited, it does perhaps drag along a little past its welcome, and could potentially be shortened by 10-15 minutes. The acting is all very strong, with the only major misstep dealing not with the casting, necessarily, but depiction of a major player in the film — although delving into it to much would offer spoilers that would affect the enjoyment of a first time watch, so I will refrain from going further. While there are a great deal of elements in The Treatment that feel familiar, it could probably not have been made in the USA in its current form. Its not only the dark subject matter, it’s the manner in which everything is handled, the way that characters (even protagonists) are depicted. It’s a film that film that refuses to be simple, rather offering a story that feels authentic to real life horrors. While there are few (some quite major) missteps along the way, The Treatment is one of the best neo-noirs to be released in some time.
![Hans Herbots's The Treatment (2014) [click to enlarge]](https://diaboliquemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ArtBelg_4-620x349.png)
Hans Herbots’s The Treatment (2014) [click to enlarge]
Cub begins as any Slasher typically would. A group of young cub scouts drive out into the wilderness for a weekend retreat. When their campgrounds are occupied by a hostile duo, the group is forced to relocate even deeper in the woods. It is not long before things start to take a turn. First, its small. The campers notice their belongings are vanishing, there are strange noises, but this quickly devolves into darker territories.
![Jonas Govaerts's Cub (2014) [click to enlarge]](https://diaboliquemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ArtBelg_7-620x349.png)
Jonas Govaerts’s Cub (2014) [click to enlarge]
Like The Treatment much of the success of Cub relies on the director’s willingness to allow his film to be dark. While it is clearly indebted to the American Slasher, much of Cub’s events will leave its viewer’s shocked. Its not extreme gore, although there is a fair share of bloody kills, but the who and why that will leave you on your feet. Admittedly, the script is a tad weak and one of the important aspects of the final reveal may be obvious to some viewers (this reviewer saw it coming after about a half hour in), the film is still a very worthwhile spin on a genre due for a comeback. The weakest aspect of the film probably comes with the Rube Goldberg-style death traps (a little too reminiscent of the Saw franchise), but it does lead to some fun kills. Ultimately, Cub is a fantastic debut that hopefully will lead to even better work for the young director.
![Jonas Govaerts's Cub (2014) [click to enlarge]](https://diaboliquemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ArtBelg_5-620x349.png)
Jonas Govaerts’s Cub (2014) [click to enlarge]
![Jonas Govaerts's Cub (2014) [click to enlarge]](https://diaboliquemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ArtBelg_6-620x349.png)
Jonas Govaerts’s Cub (2014) [click to enlarge]