Cannibal

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.

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.

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.

Going into Cannibal I was aware of a few things. I knew that it was based on a true story that involved two German men and cannibalism. I also knew that there was a good amount of gay sex and lots of weiners flippin and floppin all over the place. Well, the movie is indeed about two Germans with a incredibly rare fetish and it is also full of sex and male nudity. But I also came to realize that this movie has some of the best gore fx I've ever seen. So if any of this stuff itches you the wrong way, the best path to take is to avoid this movie. But if you're looking to widen your horizon and/or just check out an extreme, yet very well made movie, this is definitely a must see.

Like I said the movie is about two German men, 42-year-old computer expert Armin Meiwes and 43-year-old engineer Bernd Brandes. Armin through his accomplished computer skills and perseverance sets out to find someone who would help assist him accomplish his deepest desire. Through hard work and many meetings with people he eventually finds Bernd. From the moment they meet face to face you instantly realize that this movie is gonna get serious, fast. Reason why I'm saying this is the first thing Bernd says to Armin is "I'm your flesh" and then an intensely sexual yet loving stare follows. Remember what I said above with the extreme subject matter? Well, that's what follows. For many of you the reason you're watching this film is to get a better idea of what transpired between these two men. And believe you me, you'll get the idea. One thing I didn't expect from this movie was the way they chose to tell the story. I was expecting the film-makers to show them in a different tone, a tone more fitting to this type of subject manner. I came away from the movie with a sense that I just saw a love story, one of the grossest love stories I've ever seen, but a love story. I really only have two gripes with this film. One of them being the dubbing was kind of weak, and two I would have enjoyed a follow up after the closing scene, telling us exactly how the true-life story ended. Minor nit-picking, but it would have upped my score.

Cannibal was directed by first-time director Marian Dora. And I have to take my hat off to him, he did a really nice job. The shots of the movie were intense, the dialog was minuscule yet powerful. The acting seemed inspired, the gore fx were unbelievable. The movie brought home the bacon and fried it in the pan....big time. Cannibal is an incredibly strong flick that should appeal to many people, even though most will be scared away by the penis shots and sex. Truthfully, there's so much nudity in it, after a while you're not even noticing it anymore. If you like strong flicks and aren't afraid of a little sex and blood, check this baby out. 9 outta 10.

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.