According to Moroccan folklore, Aisha Kandisha is a vengeful demon who is very beautiful but also very vicious. In life, she was a resistance fighter, defending her land from the soldiers that sought to take it — and in death, she became the equivalent to a “Bloody Mary” figure in Moroccan culture. Legend has it that if you summon Kandisha, she will unleash her bloodlust on the men around you, with very little anyone can do to stop her.
Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s French horror film Kandisha takes this lore and brings it into an urban setting, the result of which is a Candyman-esque tale that explores race relations and misogyny. The film follows Amélie (Mathilde Lamusse), Bintou (Suzy Bemba) and Morjana (Samarcande Saadi), who are three teenage graffiti artists on summer break wanting to have some fun. All seems well at first as they dance around, smoke weed, and tag walls, but their lives take a dark turn when Amélie’s ex tries to rape her. The three young women had previously discussed the tale of Kandisha, and out of vengeance that night, Amélie decides to call upon this demon to attack her aggressor. Her summoning works all too well, and Kandisha sets forth to not only kill Amélie’s ex, but also five other men before she is appeased. When Amélie realizes what is happening, she and her friends try to stop this demon before it’s too late.
Kandisha is a fast-paced film with a clear vision that is equal parts fun as it is heavy. The backdrop of urban France is compelling to watch, and the mischievous group of teenagers rounding out the main cast are captivating as a whole, each carrying their own set of baggage with the grit to keep themselves going. The film has a diverse cast, with each race openly speaking about their culture and heritage, discussing their individual experiences and struggles living in the projects of modern-day France.
From a feminist perspective, this film has some missed potential. While the lead females are all strong, fleshed-out characters, the fact that Kandisha punishes men indiscriminately is somewhat disappointing. It feels satisfying to see Amélie’s ex meet his demise because he’s been established as a man who mistreats women, but as the body count grows, it becomes clear that there’s not much rhyme or reason to the rest of her murders. Had there been more of a clear method to Kandisha’s madness beyond all of her victims simply being men and more of a sense of punishment involved in the bloodshed, it might have ultimately been a more powerful film.
Narrative aside, Kandisha has some brutal special effects that elevate it. Opting for practical gore rather than CG at every opportunity it gets, some of Kandisha’s kills feel downright visceral and are brilliantly executed. Kandisha herself has a commanding presence in the film as well: she is a towering, striking-looking, veiled character with cloven hooves and mesmerizing eyes. The scenes depicting her looming over her victims are harrowing, and her kill scenes are more brazen and clever each time. She has all the makings of a classic “boogeyman” borne of nasty urban legends, and it makes the film all the more satisfying in the end.
Intriguing and suspenseful, Kandisha is nothing groundbreaking, but it is a well-crafted supernatural film with interesting thematic undertones to amplify it. Check it out on Shudder next time you’re looking for some mythology and gore to your horror.
--Andrea Riley
