A.C.’s Review: Twentieth
Century horror films were pretty much broken into sub genres. Back in the
30’s and 40’s there were the “classic monsters: such as DRACULA and
FRANKENSTEIN. Fears of Radiation in the 1950’s brought about such monsters as
THEM and GODZILLA. In the 1960’s we saw the rise of the zombie films and the
1970’s were the era of “Devil Possessions” flicks and of course the 1980’s led
the “slasher movie” craze started by HALLOWEEN and raised to an art form in the
FRIDAY and NIGHTMARE movies.
A
forgotten genre that came and went and is largely forgotten is the “Cannibal”
film. Well in 2015 king of the “torture porn” genre director Eli Roth has brought the cannibals
films back from the dead with the GREEN INFERNO.
Basically
the set-up is a bunch of student activist led by the charismatic Alejandro leave their ivy league safety
and journey to the Amazon to stop a
corporation from destroying an ancient rainforest and the tribe that lives
there. Having their protest streamed live on the internet they are successful
at least temporarily and board their plane to fly home to the U.S.
…and
then the plane crashes. Those who aren’t killed are quickly taken captive by
the very tribe they were hoping to save. Mistaken as their enemy- the work
crews trying to destroy the forest- the group is quickly caged. In short order
the “fat guy” of the group looking like a feast is butchered graphically on
screen while alive and eaten.
The
rest of the film details the group trying to escape their situation before they
become the next course. I won’t say who lives or dies but anyone who has ever
seen a horror movie would know instantly.
All
in all this was a pretty good movie. Yes, it was graphic in some parts and not
for the squeamish but in an age of theaters overstuffed with super heroes,
romantic comedies and pretentious dramas it was a nice change to see a down and
dirty “B” movie. The film even leaves room for a sequel but I can’t imagine
what on earth would get the protagonist to ever return to the Amazon.
Sadly
it was an atomic bomb at the box office so unless it’s a straight to video
follow up the GREEN INFERNO will be a one off and not likely to lead to any
permanent revival of the cannibal genre.
Best Scene: The
heroine is about to be subjected to an unspeakable mutilation but is thankfully
saved by a young tribal boy she has befriended.
A.C.’s Rating: Full Price.
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