DVD Review: The Human Centipede

There isn’t very much documented on the thirty-seven year old director, Tom Six. He hails from Alkmaar, Noord-Holland, Netherlands. He is a huge fan and enthusiast of the Kalashnikov AK-47, commonly used by terrorist cells in the middle east. Other than those puny facts, his short list of film credits doesn’t sound very brag worthy. “Gay in Amsterdam,” “Honeyz,” and “I Love Dries” are the only projects he’s been behind before bringing “The Human Centipede” to the table. I think really far down deep in his dark and demented mind, Tom Six wanted to pull back the curtain and make you feel more awful inside, than when you watch American torture porn films like “Saw” and “Hostel.” He may have done just that. Be the judge yourself, but don’t say I made you do it.

While traveling down a back road in Germany, during a carefree road trip through Europe, two American girls find themselves stranded alone at night, after their car breaks down in the woods. Searching for help in the rain, they come across an isolated villa, whose mysterious owner, Dr. Heiter, takes them in for the night. After drying off and warming up, the doctor offers them both a drink. If only they followed the cardinal rule to not take drinks from strangers. The next day they wake up, finding themselves in the basement, trapped in a terrifying makeshift hospital with another one of the doctor’s abductees. Dr. Heiter explains to the three, that he is a retired surgeon who had specialized in separating Siamese twins. However his three “patients” are not about to be separated, but joined together in a horrific operation. He plans to be the first to connect people, one to the next, from mouth to anus, via their gastric system. In doing so, he will finally bring to life, his sick lifetime fantasy; “The Human Centipede.”

With the horror genre being drug through the mud , fans are growing tired of the same old duck, shined up, wearing a new suit. In the past four years, every major horror franchise except for “Hellraiser” and “Child’s Play” have all been given remakes, re-imaginings, or reboots. Whatever trendy term you choose to use, die hard horror fans have had enough. Even the humongous success of the “Saw” series is quickly weighing on everyone’s patience, with a new installment hitting theaters each year. So enter Tom Six. A sick puppy from a far away land. Someone who clearly played with a few too many dead animals in his childhood. It has some gore and sickening scenes throughout, but most of the horror was left for the viewer to imagine off screen. The only pleasure I got with this movie, was seeing the empty look on peoples’ faces, when I explained the plot. I had to start by saying, no it’s not a huge monster movie like “Mega Piranha.” It can only be described as a guilty pleasure movie for only the die hard horror followers. When the film came to a close, my hand was on my chest and I had little to nothing to say but disgust. I hope people watch this movie to hear how they felt, but I will never watch it a second time. I will, however, lace up my big boy boots, and watch part two when it comes out next year. It is promised to be three times as twisted as the first, with more gore than ever before. I don’t know if Tom Six will be around forever, but I can guarantee that this twisted two part saga will be remembered for years to come. Not in a good way for most either.

Grade: C-
Official Site: http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/human-centipede

Review By: Charlie Giltenboth

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