We Are Monsters

Okay, this isn't going to be a gem but for me it did still offer some nasty moments. The story is rather simple, girl being kidnapped and raped, she escapes somehow and is out for revenge. I was surprised that the rating was so low.

If you want to see a typical Hollywood blockbuster forget it because it shows that it was a low budget flick. It take a while before things go wrong and it's only once the girl is out for revenge that it becomes a brutal flick and people could get offended by some torturing done by her. Clocking in under 90 minutes makes it worth the trip to see it. As said before, there are moments that will make you grab the remote but the effects are really well done which makes it a delight for the geeks of nasty brutal revenge flicks.

Gore 1,5/5 Nudity 1/5 Effects 2,5/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5

I found this one fairly entertaining and Hanna Oldenburg (Emma) and Ralf Beck (Jim) were pretty effective in their roles. While this is a rape/revenge story that features two rapes, I wouldn't say the rapes were particularly gratuitous and they showed very little skin. LOL, me saying that any "rapes" were not gratuitous is a bit of a non sequitur, but as these things go in the cinema world, they really weren't.

The violent scenes were quite well done and special effects pretty decent for a low-budget film. I've certainly seen a lot worse and these were good enough to make their impact. I found the screenplay to be fairly original, with some good one-liners that are not usually found in movies of this type.

In the climactic scenes near the end I was impressed with the expressions that Emma emoted as she wreaked her revenge on Jim. She was simultaneously repulsed by the actions she was taking yet inspired to gather strength to do even more to him. Not quite Oscar-worthy, but that was a nice mix that seemed pretty realistic for someone who had never been so violent in her life...yet was absolutely driven by her hatred of the man who raped and tortured her.

It's pretty easy to toss off these types of movies as just another "seen one, seen 'em all" type of film. This one offered a little more realism that sometimes made you forget that this was a movie with a camera, director, lighting, sound equipment, etc. Surrounding the action. And I never overlook all that stuff, even when watching the most horrific slasher/horror type movies.

This movie was just sickening. I like these kinds of plots, but this was just sadistic with nothing else going on. It was a torture flick. With no other parts to it. It could have been interesting with the authorities looking for her, but they were absent the whole movie. The guy was a total dirt bag. The cab driver could have had a bigger role, but didn't. The helper was a lame brain. It tried to be like I spit on your grave but had nothing of value. I was calling the ending because it was so obvious, sorry, no giveaways here. Go watch the new I spit on your grave movies instead. This will make you feel sick to your stomache. No good revenge vibes here.

The story isn't very original nor does it expand upon the subgenre, but it does explore the subject matter with a push toward brutal, visceral, unease which tests the viewer's tolerance level toward revenge horror that plays in torture-porn lanes. The whole subgenre is hard to watch even the ones worthwhile, "Animalistic" takes you to the bitter edge of ability.

The acting is intense, acceptable performances that sell the cruelty set upon the protagonist, as well as that which show the assailants as disgusting members of humanities worst. It isn't stellar, but enough to bring a very dark and disturbing story to life. It does bare mentioning that at times the acting is shaky and some moments feel too redundant.

The effects are impressive. Gory scenes of horror and blood stained settings are good enough to make you gag at the grittiness on screen. The practical elements work well and when the killing goes to the good during the revenge portion of the movie, it works well! Plus the cringe worthy atmosphere and anxiety enduring score help pull you into the nightmare.

Overall, "Animalistic" lacks originality and creativity. However what you get is a purist, straightforward exploration of set expectations done good enough to satisfy most fans of the subgenre. All others with no taste or interest in this style of exploitation should stay away. But if you wanna check it out I say go for it!

Reviewers Notes:

1. Yet another torture porn in the grand tradition of films like I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE and LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. Seen one, seen em all.

2. The date stamp says 2015 which is actually the creepiest thing in the movie (among many many creepy things) because the settings, the direction, the cinematography, the script, the acting, all of them scream 1974. Which raises the question, why would anyone want to do a film in 2015 that is completely indistinguishable from similar stuff shot about a half-century ago??

3. The only other thing worth mentioning is the "tease" scene off the top where the kidnapper/abductor tells his fellow kidnapper/abductor that he wants to try "something different" with the new girl, he wants to make her "love" him. And for a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a second, the poor viewer (any viewer watching this film is automatically in deep distress, hence the adjective) might think that the producers and writers did this film because they have something new and different to add to the genre. But then the moment quickly passes, and you realize they do not.