Senseless

A shocking and thought provoking film, Senseless is a low budget thriller from the talented, Bafta award winning, Scottish director Simon Hynd and starring American TV star Jason Behr.

A moral maze, the film tells the story of Elliot Gaast, an American executive of dubious ethical standards who is captured by a mysterious group and tortured live on the internet with the systematic removal of his 5 senses.

A clever, subtle script works both as a straightforward and gruesome body horror film and a driven, satirical stab at American globalisation and consumer culture.

Reality TV is also a target, with the sporadic use of Big Brother-esquire CCTV footage to underpin the implication that maybe these events aren't so far removed from our current reality or future. At a time when middle eastern terrorists are using video footage to show bombings and be-headings, the film seems remarkably current and prescient.

Never an easy watch, the torture scenes themselves are disturbing and unpleasant but help to reinforce the mood, tone and structure of the piece. You will almost certainly struggle to look at a cheese grater in the same way again. Jason Bher, who belies his status as a former teenage TV sex symbol throughout, is particularly effective in these scenes and gives his character a humanity and empathy that the audience can cling to in the more grizzly moments.

A serious and interesting film, Senseless demands attention and rewards it with a challenging and contemplative look at our troubled society.

**A point of warning to anyone watching the German DVD version of this film - it is a total mess, cut to shreds by the distribution company to avoid a costly censorship battle. My advice is to skip this version entirely as it makes no sense.**

An American business man is held hostage and tortured for his crimes. His captivity is broadcast on the internet where the public vote on his fate.

If the mention of torture in the synopsis leaves you expecting a variation on Hostel or the Saw series you will no doubt be disappointed. In many ways Senseless is the antithesis of those films which use violence and torture to titillate the audience. Instead it actively engages the viewer, forcing them to question their motivation for watching.

This is a brave and provocative film. It plays out in a white, featureless room with only one flawed character for the viewer to root for, and yet within these restrictive parameters the director has fashioned a tight, terrifying story that sucks you in almost despite yourself and gives you that feeling of desperately wanting to turn away, while being too tied up in the characters and story to stop watching.

Yes, the violence is sickening at times, and in many respects it is totally senseless, but I think that's the point.

This is definitely worth seeing. Aside from the violence, and the manner in which the writer chooses to write the viewer into the participation of the violence, this is a movie about ethical choices, and about the man being tortured. Flashes of his back story are interspersed with his imprisonment and torture, and you get the feeling that, regardless of the unfairness of his predicament, he is actually thinking about, and regretting, the choices he's made.True to a great many indie stories, this might not turn out the way you want, but it is a satisfying story.

Fleshing out the movie are a couple of vocal antagonists, a man and a woman, who seem to play a "good cop, bad cop" game with the victim. The bearded man seems to know he is doing right because he is doing what most of the viewers want him to do, and he believes he has morality on his side. The moral overtones start to wear off, and it becomes clear that he is there because he is enjoying his role. The woman appears to want to help the victim. It's worth it if you have 90mins to kill.

I was on Netflix last night and saw this movie. Just the cover alone with the tagline got my attention. The movie itself was very well done. The acting for me was very believable. It really makes you feel like you are there. During the entire duration of this movie, all I was thinking was how would someone like that keep his sanity without going insane. It truly makes you think about this world and how far the business world will go. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a torture movie. I love Saw and love any movie where someone is being tortured, but the difference is major; This is a political torture, not strictly teaching someone a lesson, for them to appreciate life. This movie made me think in a way that i didn't think I'd be able to. Im very glad I read.

This movie is a movie that is a true gem in the rough. It tells the story of a man whom is kidnapped and tortured for the crimes of America in a whole but to prove a point at the same time. The acting was really flawless and real but the torture was just gut wrenching. Senseless is really about the lost of this mans senses but how many will he have taken from him or will there be any at all? Well by the title it is obvious but I didn't quite see the blatant of it while watching as you become so involved with the characters humiliation, loneliness, pain and suffering that you want it all to stop.

There are parts in the movie that get very disturbing and sad because you ask yourself "Is this really going to happen?". Not just that but then "Is this method really being used?". I can't imagine the pain in reality one would go through in what the protagonist did but it has to be out of this world. The story could have been developed more in particular parts such as a bit of the captors motive in specifically him and behind the scenes of where the main actor was confined. The story is deep and more than just a sight for blood lust and horror. Watch closely and listen to all that is being portrayed as it is important.

I really don't understand the voters at all on IMDb and Netflix but this movie should be seen for its morality and message of todays politics and such. Such that brings today's society in such uproar and battle. I am very much satisfied with what I have seen and give this movie a 8.5 out of 10. Not for kids or squeamish but a true piece of art.