The Hunger is Real
Raw (or Grave in its original French) is a movie that made people faint in theaters when it first hit the festival circuit. Director Julia Ducournau didn't set out to make a cheap jump-scare fest; she made a movie about what happens when you finally stop suppressing your true nature. The problem for Justine, our protagonist, is that her true nature involves eating people.
Coming of Age, the Hard Way
The movie sits in that uncomfortable space where puberty and body horror meet. We've seen this before in movies like Ginger Snaps or Carrie, but Raw takes it to a much more literal, fleshy extreme. By setting it in a veterinary school—a place already defined by blood, carcasses, and a certain clinical coldness—the film creates an atmosphere where Justine's transformation feels almost inevitable.
Not Your Average Slasher
What makes Raw stand out is that it's actually a very good movie. It’s not just gore for gore’s sake. The relationship between Justine and her older sister Alexia is the real heart of the film—a twisted, competitive, and ultimately tragic bond. If you can stomach the visuals (and that's a big 'if'), you'll find a story that is surprisingly empathetic toward its 'monster.'
How to Handle It
If you have an older teen (17+) who is a serious horror buff and wants to explore international cinema, this might be a 'watch together and discuss' situation, but even then, you need to know your kid’s limits. This isn't a 'fun' horror movie; it’s a 'think about it for three days' horror movie. For everyone else? It’s a masterpiece that you should probably keep on your private watchlist.
