Apocalypse domani

While on a mission to rescue two servicemen captured by the Viet Cong, "Captain Norman Hopper" (John Saxon) is bitten by one of these men when he attempts to pull him from the pit. Afterward both of the men are committed to a psychiatric hospital while Captain Hopper is allowed to return to civilian life. Unfortunately, it doesn't end there as one of the men named "Charlie Bukowski" (Giovanni Lombardo Radice) is temporarily released and not long afterward suddenly goes berserk which results in the deaths of at least two people. Then upon being returned to the psychiatric hospital he and the other serviceman by the name of "Tom Thompson" (Tony King) manage to escape along with a nurse named "Helen" (May Heatherly) who was bitten by one of them and shares the same craving for human flesh as they do. Now rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this turned out to be a fairly decent type of "zombie film" even though it didn't necessarily fit the technical parameters for that particular sub-genre. The acting was decent and the plot moved along quite well. In any case, for what it's worth I liked the movie and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

A cannibal-movie that actually tries and succeeds to be different. This movie transcends the cannibal genre and becomes something else. You'll have to get past the silly & inept Vietnam opening-scene, but then this movie turns into an urban tale of virus-outbreak. A cannibal-virus, that is. There's some violence, there's some drama, there's some nudity, there's some very nice gore and there are four cannibal-fugitives on the run. Awesome mixture that works! Add to that a satisfying ending, and we've got a hit! A hit with John Saxon in it, no less. "Cannibal Apocalypse" indeed feels, at times, a bit like Romero's "Dawn of the Dead" (1978), but the one movie that kept coming to my mind was David Cronenberg's "Rabid" (1977). So if you're tired of all those "half naked cannibals eating human flesh and slaughtering animals in the jungle"-flicks, and if Umberto Lenzi's "Nightmare City" (1980) just made you laugh instead of anything else, then go watch Antonio Margheriti's "Cannibal Apocalypse" (aka "Invasion of the Flesh Hunters"). And make 100% sure you get a hold of the uncut version.

With a title like CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE, one might go into this movie expecting an all-out war between humanity and roving bands of flesh-eaters, seeking out human snacks. Well, that would have been great. Instead, we get a few hungry people chomping on a few necks.

John Saxon is serviceable as the Vietnam vet plagued by anthropophagic flashbacks about his former military comrades. Also, the idea of a viral, cannibalistic epidemic is a good one, hearkening back to Cronenberg's RABID. So, the story isn't bad, as long as you don't expect it to live up to it's overblown title...

John Saxon has spoken out against this movie many times and seems ashamed for having been involved in it. The way he goes on about it you would think that he was tricked into making an exploitation movie via some kinda 'Caligula'-esque ruse. But all I can say is a)just look at Saxon's career. I love the guy but c'mon, 'Queen Of Blood', 'Enter The Dragon', 'Mitchell', 'The Bees' and 'Battle Beyond The Stars' aren't exactly Jean Luc Godard, know what I'm saying? And b) I think if you sign up for a movie that involves Vietnam vets infected with a "cannibal virus" you kinda KNOW what you're getting in for, don't you think?

'Cannibal Apocalypse' attempts to cash in on both the 70s Italian cannibal cycle started by Deodato, and the the success of 'The Deerhunter' and 'Apocalypse Now'. It is absolutely stupid in concept, above average in execution, and isn't totally successful because of its timidity in showing disturbing in your face gore. I like the way Saxon and most of the others play the ludicrous material with a straight face, but unfortunately there are too many dull sections and not enough cannibalism! The movie begins well enough in the all too brief Vietnam sequence, but never lives up to the promise shown in the first ten minutes. It's quickly downhill all the way after that, only rescued by one or two blackly humorous scenes. What you end up with is a half-baked Romero rip-off. I say go straight to 'Dawn Of The Dead' or 'The Crazies'.

Renting this movie I thought it would be the usual cannibal carnage only set in the city and it was but with a surprising difference it had a zombie type virus in it as well.Two of my favourite genre's in one and I thoroughly enjoyed it.Its about a group of vietnam vets who return to America with a cannibal virus and anyone they attack also become cannibals.It stars John Saxon,Tony King and Giovanni Lombardo Radice(my favourite actor)as the vietnam vets. I recommend this movie to any cannibal and/or zombie movie fan so check it out if you can find it.