One of my all time favorite horror movies, and the most disturbing movie I've ever seen. The acting is fantastic, you care about the main characters, and it genuinely terrified me. You can call the second half pseudo-intellectual and pretentious, but I disagree. It's a movie about pain and what people will do to justify inflicting pain on others. The villains have a motivation. The characters might be pseudo-intellectual, but not the movie itself.
That's why the ending is so effective. She realizes that what they've been doing is bullshit and completely unjustified.
Intensely nihilistic and sadistic. It's not out to give you a lecture or leaven things with humour - just straight horror from beginning to end. And I think the point it makes at the end is reasonably well done - pain and horror can be transcendant for the watchers of horror films and this is conveyed through the metaphor of a cult of pain.
There are certainly problems with the third act, which wobbles badly with too much exposition, lessening the feeling of terror by explaining things, but overall this stands as an important and very good, though flawed, achievement in horror film-making.
This felt like two horror films in one. The first 45 minutes or so were great - an exciting, suprising, twisty film. The film couldve ended thier and been a good (though short) horror.
The second half of the film felt like its sequel, and like all(?) horror sequels it wasnt as good. It ties up any loose ends and then goes off in an intriguing and quite different direction. However the route it takes is unrelentingly brutal and not as good as what came before.
This movie left me feeling exhausted and hurt - which is exactly what I love about it. There aren't very many films that can leave me feeling exasperated and a little violated, but I love it when I find them.
Ok, I agree that this movie last hour was a complete change in direction from the past hour and that for the most part the "martyrs religion" was nonsensical but the ending was perfect, just the best possible.
Also, I don't think that this was so gruesome or violent like some say, "Human Centipede" was grosser and Funny Games was much harder to watch.
The worst thing is that I was bored many times and this doesn't have any rewatchability.
@vinsmid, well it's about a group of people having their own religion. they torture young girls to find proof of their nirvana. that's the main storyline. i agree, it isn't that much. any american pie movie has a better plot. the gruesome part is that the movie shows explicit torture and mutilation.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 35
DrWade42
One of my all time favorite horror movies, and the most disturbing movie I've ever seen. The acting is fantastic, you care about the main characters, and it genuinely terrified me. You can call the second half pseudo-intellectual and pretentious, but I disagree. It's a movie about pain and what people will do to justify inflicting pain on others. The villains have a motivation. The characters might be pseudo-intellectual, but not the movie itself.badge
You can dress this up as much as you like and put a bow on it, but it's still just torture porn.Gershwin
Sick.ermi
Well, I admit I had a very hard time sitting through this one. Even at a point I had to pause the movie to regain my mental strength.ChrisReynolds
Intensely nihilistic and sadistic. It's not out to give you a lecture or leaven things with humour - just straight horror from beginning to end. And I think the point it makes at the end is reasonably well done - pain and horror can be transcendant for the watchers of horror films and this is conveyed through the metaphor of a cult of pain.There are certainly problems with the third act, which wobbles badly with too much exposition, lessening the feeling of terror by explaining things, but overall this stands as an important and very good, though flawed, achievement in horror film-making.
mook
This felt like two horror films in one. The first 45 minutes or so were great - an exciting, suprising, twisty film. The film couldve ended thier and been a good (though short) horror.The second half of the film felt like its sequel, and like all(?) horror sequels it wasnt as good. It ties up any loose ends and then goes off in an intriguing and quite different direction. However the route it takes is unrelentingly brutal and not as good as what came before.
First half 7/10, second half 5/10.
rociwi
ewSpeechbubbles
This movie left me feeling exhausted and hurt - which is exactly what I love about it. There aren't very many films that can leave me feeling exasperated and a little violated, but I love it when I find them.chris714n
just a sick movie..SkilledLunatic
Ok, I agree that this movie last hour was a complete change in direction from the past hour and that for the most part the "martyrs religion" was nonsensical but the ending was perfect, just the best possible.Also, I don't think that this was so gruesome or violent like some say, "Human Centipede" was grosser and Funny Games was much harder to watch.
The worst thing is that I was bored many times and this doesn't have any rewatchability.
Chris Goodwin
I'm surprised at all the hate - modern horror masterpiece 100% - best we've had in many years.....Public Enemy
It wasn't that explicit. Hellraiser shows more than this movie.gerryt
@vinsmid, well it's about a group of people having their own religion. they torture young girls to find proof of their nirvana. that's the main storyline. i agree, it isn't that much. any american pie movie has a better plot. the gruesome part is that the movie shows explicit torture and mutilation.Vinsmid
In less than one word: ?E. T. Blunt
Part I: A brutal story of trauma and unconditional love.Part II: A brutal story the danger of justifying martyrdom.
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