Cannibal

This 2005 movie directed by Marian Dora is one of the most disturbing and horrific movies I've ever seen. It's based on the real life event surrounding Armin Meiwes, the "Rotenburg Cannibal" who posted an online ad searching for someone to volunteer to be mutilated and eaten. This movie version stars two people, the The Cannibal and The Flesh. As TC searches for some individual to literally give his body, TF shows up and is more than willing. In fact, he is by far the aggressor, as he wants to end his life, and wants TC to eat every single ounce of him. Both gay, they meet and before long the movie turns into a kind of gay orgy between the two, and little is left for the imagination as UNEARTHED FILMS presents "Cannibal" totally uncut in all its gory beauty. There is very little dialogue in the movie, only a few lines said between the two, but the visual images are among the most bizarre and graphic you'll ever see. In a way, it's a beautiful movie, but then that's me of course. I found it extremely disturbing, as it should be, and as the movie moved into it's darkest regions, what is depicted is enough to make many hardcore gorehounds turn away. Very well made, extremely well acted, and the video is flawless. It's hard to say I enjoyed the movie, but I did enjoy experiencing the movie, and the thought that this actually did happen. "Cannibal" is only for a very select audience, that wants such events to go ALL THE WAY. This movie does JUST that.

Sparse, economical, and surprisingly affective, this film wisely eschews exploitation to instead attempt an oddly serious and almost artistic analysis of the famous Meiwes case. Almost in 3 clinical acts (the hunt, the seduction, and the consumption), the film minimalistically explores the theme of sex as predation, consummation as consumption. It also superimposes Meiwes' favorite Grimm tale of Hansel and Gretel onto it as a frame, creating an odd fairy-tale for adults.

It is not an entertaining or pleasant film--but it works very ingeniously. With little to no dialog, the film creates a sense of unease and distaste in the audience through the simple use of frank male nudity, homoeroticism (which for some will seem more disturbing than the violence), and ritualistic slaughter and cannibalism implied cheaply and brilliantly with what appears to be almost no real special effects. Much of what we see is most likely the carcass of a pig, and yet we will feel like we are seeing much more.

The film also creates a sense of an actual relationship between the two men--not that they loved each other, but that they understood each other and each other's desires. The way they interact seems genuine and a part of the paradox of this case.

Shot using the simplest and cheapest of home equipment and with only 2 real actors, the film is also a testament to how successfully done an independent film can be. So little was needed to create this, and it all comes together very well.

Unlike American films like "Hard Candy", which try to moralize its themes to death, this film is far superior in its provocation. I'm not sure who else the audience for this film is, but for those to whom it works--it works almost perfectly.

Marian Dora is like the Lars Von Trier of extreme horror. Naturalistic and artistic, Dora creates a language all his own in his films. Cannibal is a fairly accurate retelling of the Armin Meiwes case. A quick search of Meiwes will let you know exactly what you're going to get with Cannibal. Dora has an amazing ability to showcase the most depraved acts with a sense of beauty. Not for weak stomachs.

Cannibal (2005)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Based on the true story of Armin "Rotenburg Cannibal" Meiwes, the German man who posted a wanted message on the internet looking for someone who was willing to be killed and eaten. Directed Marian Dora has created one of the most vile, repulsive and disgusting films I've ever seen. Having seen all the Italian cannibal films I thought I could handle anything but that wasn't the case with this film. Just how bad was it? I actually had to stop the film and throw up once. Reluctantly I went back and watched the film and just grew sicker and sicker. The film leaves nothing to the imagination and shows us everything. The director has only around ten lines of dialogue and everything else is just built up with atmosphere and mood. This atmosphere is of pure nastiness and this comes through in the final third of the film where the killing and eating actually starts. Apparently this film follows the real events very closely and lets just say it starts with a penis being cut off, fried and then eaten. This is where I lost it but the film keeps going. It's hard to rate this film because it's technically well made but I really can't recommend it to anyone due to the subject matter and brutality.

While it would be unfair to draw a direct comparison with the Italian exploitation pictures ("Cannibal Holocaust", "Cannibal Ferox" et al), Marian Dora's shot-on-film "Cannibal" is perhaps the ultimate cannibal movie. An unflinching view into what drives one human being to devour another, this beautifully crafted production is an incredible achievement and it's a joy to see it released on DVD in the USA by the ever-reliable Unearthed studio. This based-on-real-life-events film has fared less well in Germany, where it is banned as a result of its no-holds-barred content and will therefore be seen in its home-country only as a result of imported DVDs and bootlegs.

The story will be known already to most viewers. In 2003, a man advertised on the internet for somebody to eat. Following a successful application, the scene was set for one of the most grotesque "crimes" to hit the media for many years. It's a genuinely interesting film as you wonder not just what would drive a man to eat another but what strange desire would make a man want to be eaten?

This is a film that may astound even the seasoned gorehound. The camera lingers on sights that you wouldn't expect to see on the screen, particularly up-close. Without a doubt, this is the bloodiest film I've seen for some time - Dora's film is a canvas of body fluids. The effects work is flawless and its realism will impress even the most critical of viewers.

The actors playing The Man and The Flesh deliver extremely realistic performances. This is a chilling, fly-on-the-wall recreation of real events, delivered in a sympathetic, non-judgemental way. There's a psychological level to the film as well as the visceral impact of the proceedings. Dialogue is kept to a bear minimum in the film but the relationship between the two men is both very believable and bizarre.

An important movie and one that deserves tracking down, I've given "Cannibal" a 9. I can't see how the subject matter could have been dealt with any better than this. Lovers of true-life crime will be in their element but horror fans expecting a non-stop gore-fest will be disappointed. This is an atmospheric, well-paced film that's more art-house than horror. Not a million miles from the pleasures of Nacho Cerdà's "Aftermath", this film is a "love it or hate it" production. I'm firmly in the first camp.