Mutilation Mile

I'm a big fan of exploitation/transgression cinema, the cheaper the better. It is a joy to explore these genres and surprise yourself with how much can be achieved with so little. Was rather looking forward to this - and I don't think I have ever been this let down.

To put it bluntly, this is just crap. Quality wise, it reminded me of a group film project I was involved with over 30 years ago in high school - only we used super 8 film with no sound, yet somehow we managed to achieve a better result. Gore? What gore? Herschell Gordon Lewis achieved so much more with far, far less. It is just laughable.

Acting? Looks like the leads were out of work z-grade wrestling circuit wannabes. Story? That wasn't in the budget. This is simply awful, bad beyond even amusement value. It is a CHORE to watch. I kept looking at the clock, because despite all adversity, I never allow these films to defeat me. This is just garbage.

For gutter cinema connoisseurs, it is a curio worth seeing just to say that you have. For those not prepared to lose 80 minutes of their lives, the first 10 are all you need to see - they are the only mildly amusing ones, and its a sharp downhill slide into boredom from there.

The full marks review here has to be a friend that understands some in- jokes that are lost on the rest of us. This really is worthless. 1 star, and that's just for the intro. Want bargain basement revulsion? Try _Niku Daruma_ (imdb.com/title/tt0141459) instead. See how its done properly.

I gotta to say I actually enjoyed this film. I really was expecting this to be bad, and yea it kinda is. But it's definitely in a good way. This movie seems not take itself too seriously even with all the extreme violence going on on screen. The older brother of the two main characters is hysterical. Found myself laughing out loud a few times in this flick. And if you decide to do a drinking game you can take a shot every time he says your my younger brother (you'd probably be dead by the end of the Film). Like I said the movie is bad but it's fun. I think if your not expecting August Underground but a Troma level version of Devil's Rejects then you might enjoy this one.

If it's anything I've noticed nowadays with editing, there's a dearth of people who know when to properly call it quits. If fantasy is an escape for the dregs of consciousness, it's best not to have that fantasy resemble those dregs. Shock value can have a great effect, but sometimes shock can be dull. I saw this movie as a double feature, and I remember this being the notably worse movie in a sea of no-budget flicks.

The thing is, this movie does well on it's own merits, and then you're left with the dragging and over-generalization akin to being left with a detoxing tweaker and having to listen ad nauseam to the horrible things they've done until they invariably pass out or run outside to whatever hell they must embrace. Indeed, lot's of cocaine use and a slipping sense of order into chaos is integral to this movie's atmosphere, but don't let that overshadow the fact that this is based on reality (although I can't help but feel the real story is WAY more engrossing,if not complete fabrication.)

You have the titular mutilation, a lot of flesh and not a lot of a real story, more of a guideline to how the movie isn't just a string of vignettes with an increasing dull shock value winding down to an anti-climactic cut. On it's merits, it's got hot wimmin and trauma appeal, but it's strong acting and superficial charm can't save it from being bargain basement schlock. If this movie were to cut down on it's run time and put together AN ACTUAL PLOT, it might stand up to SAW caliber fodder for a marathon gore-fest (does USA Up All Night ring any bells?) *

I've been a long time fan of Ron Atkins. His films are consistently creative, intense, demanding and filled with a grimy originality. I'm just surprised that so little is written about him in a genre desperate for something this unique and daring! Having recently watched Mutilation Mile, I hope things will change for him in 2011. It's without doubt one of the best films I've seen in a long time, and despite a small budget, had an impact that had me reeling long after the viewing.

The characterisation of Jimmy & Jack DeGrasso is impressive - anti-hero's every bit as repulsive yet compulsive as Harry Russo in Atkin's earlier works Schizophreniac and Necromaniac. Daniel McCabe and Lawrence Buchér do a fine job of maintaining a high intensity level, with a genuine sense of menace.

What came as a refreshing shock was the amount of laugh out loud moments in Mutilation Mile… McCabe in particular showcasing a real talent for timing and lunacy. I recently re-watched the DVD with friends and had to play back several scenes, just to hear the little skits or outlandish things that McCabe would come out with.

Atkins is just as dangerous a director as ever. Fans new and old will be thrilled by this latest offering. Brutal, direct, clear direction and fearless story telling.

Fans of horror, extreme cinema and just plain simple talented film making will be in for a real treat. He's yet to make a dud, so here's hoping more people check him out and discover exactly how talented this maniac really is.