Grotesque

Grotesque (2009)

*** (out of 4)

Extremely graphic, depraved and vile film from Japan about teenagers Kazuo (Hiroaki Kawatsure) and Aki (Tsugumi Nagasawa) who are on their first date when they're kidnapped by a sadistic surgeon (Shigeo Osako) who takes them back to his house, ties them up and begins to torture them. As a life-long horror fan it seems every few one, two or three new movies cause a stir but when you finally get around to watching them it's clear that it was all hype and they're usually disappointing. Over the past few weeks I had heard a lot of GROTESQUE and I must say that director Koji Shiraishi has made a very brutal film that lives up to everything that has been said about it. The movie is a vile piece of trash but there's no question that it's well-made and certainly effective. I guess you could say that this is Japan's answer to American series like SAW and HOSTEL but those films don't have anything on this. The torture scenes, as you'd expect, are extremely graphic in detail so I'd say that 98% of people out there aren't going to be able to stomach them. I'm a pretty jaded horror fan and I've seen some incredibly brutal films but this here would certainly rank right near the top. The sexual violence in the film includes an incredibly humiliating situation where the girl is raped in a way that I won't ruin here but it's certainly one of the most unpleasant things you're going to see. The torture devices include a chainsaw, eye gouging and a couple scenes to the male anatomy that is going to have male viewers turning their heads like children. At just 75-minutes the film really doesn't waste any time building up a story or trying the stretch out the characters. In all honesty this is a good thing because a film like this doesn't need any boring backstory and in fact the worst thing about the movie is the one flashback introduction to the two teens. The performances by the three actors are extremely good and very believable. Both victims really make you feel the pain they're going through and Osako is so cold and chilling that he's certainly a character you'll never get out of your mind. GROTESQUE is thankfully going to appeal to very few people and it's hard to recommend except to those who want to see how far you can be pushed with violence and torture. It's hard to stomach but it's effective.

"Grotesque" is a Japanese horror movie directed by Koji Shiraishi year 2009. This film only runs for at least 70 minutes.

Not much plot is in this movie. A sick doctor kidnaps a couple and torture them in different ways, often in gory ways.

As a torture movie, this film can clearly be classified as a "torture-porn", or more likely "gorno". With a lot of torture throughout this film, it can also be called a modern variant of the infamous "Guinea Pig"-film series, especially the first two movies being "Devil's Experiment" and "Flower of Flesh and Blood", which "Grotesque" seems to pay a homage to.

Like other films like "Ichi the Killer" and "Murder-Set-Pieces", this film was said to be available in Norway with an 18-rating, only to get banned later by Medietilsynet (the Norwegian answer to MPAA). Even on the Danish DVD I have it clearly says that this film is banned both in Norway and the UK.

In the UK this film is banned by BBFC, because this film has minimal narrative or character development and features more humiliation, brutality and sadism.

Absolutely NOT for weak stomach and any viewer under the age of 18.

So, can you manage to stomach through this Japanese hell of a movie, which is even worse than "Hostel" and "Saw" altogether?

Just watched and only because it is banned and therefore had to seek it out and say a big ' f#@k ' u to any board who try to stop me from watching a film unless of course it involves snuff, real animal killings or kids. Anyways, the film was quite well shot and the acting for what it was - was good. All and all the production values are great. I wouldn't say gore wise this over-tops anything else that is out there especially from Japan (thinks Ichi the killer) but it is as full on as it can go.

what turned me of was that the movie is very mean spirited and has no other feature than to show the torture and brutality inflicted on our two victims. The story is very basic even for a slasher with very minimal exposition. Two people are kidnapped and tortured in full on ways - that's it I didn't learn anything here nor did i come away entertained so one has to ask why was it made - who was the director thinking this would please audience wise. The film is at the very edge as far as a film can show and if that is the sole purpose then congrats to the film makers but this isn't my type of film and i doubt it would be a repeated view for many sane people out there. This is a one time watch if that and only if you are curious about it.

With no real contexts, all you are left with is graphic torture after another and if that is all that entertains you when you watch a film..well....i am frankly a bit scared of you. I don't mind the occasional torture scene liking films such as Hostel, Texas Chainsaw, Inside, High Tension, Martyrs, Frontiers and the Saw franchise but for all there faults they all give you some story, breathing room between the torture scenes, production, some meaning and actually entertain. If being locked in the same room for and hour and 15 minutes while you watch the most extreme close ups of sadistic torture without anything else to it thrills you then maybe this movie is for you.

I am trying to stress i am not opposed to gore, i am personally just opposed to gore alone with no other meaning besides thrilling those sickos that like this stuff and revolting everyone else - simply to revolt. That's not film-making to me.

For me, there is no redeeming factors to this movie besides some production value and the debate it will create around censorship and going to far in film. Regardless of the film just being mean spirit, the film is actually just a bad film. If your curious due to it being a banned film in 2009 (i can't believe a film is banned in this day and age) or just like a bit of gore than seek it out and have a look but i don't think this is a film that many will sincerely enjoy and watch again. The only merit here may be to other film makers regarding the production value and Japanese horror theater but to the casual viewer there is nothing here for you - but it doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to watch it.

Well, having heard mention of the BBFC banning on Twitter, old school curiosity got the better of me. That compounded by being told I'm not allow to, made me watch it.

I have to say I'm surprised they even bothered going to the expense and effort of submitting it to the BBFC. I can't see them ever passing it really. Its competently made, and fairly well filmed considering (compared to the Guinea Pig films at least) but really has no emotional content or story. Pretty much just the couple and the torturer, and about 3 locations. Admittedly I saw it with no subtitles but there was obviously not much going on story wise, just abuse and torture in a fairly unpleasant way. As usual for these types of movies, fairly boring and pointless, interspersed with endurance pushing scenes of torture. The only bit of amusing fun gore was the absurd scenes at the end. On the whole not really recommended.

Maybe I'm getting old, but I really can't work out anymore what or who this type of film is made for.

A physco torture a new couple in extreme manner with any revenge motive...this is story and screenplay of the movie without twists and turns..i dont recommend to this film for weak heartened peoples...