There's really no way to describe writer/director Tom Six's "The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)" on IMDb. It's so grotesque, violent, over-sexualized and exploitive that it's near impossible to describe it in general, let alone here, where reviews should be "PG" rated. So I will try my best.
"Human Centipede II" is a strange hybrid of meta-fiction and satire of itself and of the first film (and is, to its credit, quite funny in a very "gallows" humor kind of way), while also being an extraordinarily grotesque and depraved "body horror film" at the same time. It's one of those movies that is borderline parody of its own concept (again, in a meta-fiction way), in the same vain as "Gremlins 2" or "The Princess Bride."
Essentially the plot is as follows- "Martin", a mentally handicapped man whom has suffered from rampant abused his whole life, becomes fascinated by the original "Human Centipede" film (which is a movie-within-a-movie in this sequel), and begins to kidnap various people in order to re- create the grotesque experiment from the original film.
I will not spoil anything else, but the film in its second half, is essentially a much more grotesque remake of the first film, albeit with different characters and different motivations.
I really must give credit where it is due. Tom Six has crafted a beautiful film, at least in terms of visuals. The black and white photography has a fantastic contrast and despite being stylized, has an iconic look to it. I also found his direction in terms of camera placement and movement, though a bit over-reliant on the "shaky cam syndrome", to be vibrant, kinetic and clear. The film is also well- edited and the atmosphere just reeks of tension and humor.
Like the first film, the acting is a mixed bag. Laurence Harvey, whom portrays the villainous "Martin" is actually a revelation, delivering a character that so far as I can remember, doesn't speak one work, yet manages to garner a lot of sympathy and horror. He's clearly unable to comprehend (or just unwilling to) the dramatic extent of what he does in this film, and his troubled past, which is alluded to, makes you feel sorry for him despite his sins. Ashlynne Yennie, one of the stars of the first film, returns, this time playing herself, as she is kidnapped by Martin due to her connection to the original film. Other centipede members (12 in all) are played by newcomers, and though I won't go into all of them, they are all adequate, though some sore thumbs bring the score down.
The script, as I said, is an extreme and bizarre example of meta-fiction with elements of satire, parody, body-horror, family drama and many other genres thrown in. It's a compilation of differing (and sometimes conflicting) ideas. And it is interesting, though the script suffers at times due to disjointed pacing, clunky dialog and an over-reliance on shocks.
All of that being said- I will address the one thing this movie does extremely well, and at times perhaps too well. The gore. This movie is one of the few films I've seen that made me have to look away. I'm a huge gore-hound, and I love my gory movies (I was able to sit through "August Underground", "Cannibal Holocaust", "Salo" and other extreme films), but this film took it to a disturbing new high... or low, depending on how you look at it. Featuring everything from realistic portrayals of teeth being tapped out with hammers, to skin being flayed and stapled, to depictions of graphic sexual violence, this movie will make your skin crawl, and may prove to be too much for even seasoned veterans. Be warned going in.
That all being said, I think fans of horror should see this film at least once. I've seen it twice, and I still don't know whether I love it or hate it. It's one of the most disturbing films I've ever seen, but it also has a highly enjoyable self-awareness and sense of humor, and I think that's what sets it apart from other extreme films. I'm giving this a 5 out of 10, because I don't know what else to give it.
(EDIT: Upon two more viewings, my affections have grown for this film, and I updated my score to suit its entertainment value and satirical hilarity!)
"Human Centipede II" is a strange hybrid of meta-fiction and satire of itself and of the first film (and is, to its credit, quite funny in a very "gallows" humor kind of way), while also being an extraordinarily grotesque and depraved "body horror film" at the same time. It's one of those movies that is borderline parody of its own concept (again, in a meta-fiction way), in the same vain as "Gremlins 2" or "The Princess Bride."
Essentially the plot is as follows- "Martin", a mentally handicapped man whom has suffered from rampant abused his whole life, becomes fascinated by the original "Human Centipede" film (which is a movie-within-a-movie in this sequel), and begins to kidnap various people in order to re- create the grotesque experiment from the original film.
I will not spoil anything else, but the film in its second half, is essentially a much more grotesque remake of the first film, albeit with different characters and different motivations.
I really must give credit where it is due. Tom Six has crafted a beautiful film, at least in terms of visuals. The black and white photography has a fantastic contrast and despite being stylized, has an iconic look to it. I also found his direction in terms of camera placement and movement, though a bit over-reliant on the "shaky cam syndrome", to be vibrant, kinetic and clear. The film is also well- edited and the atmosphere just reeks of tension and humor.
Like the first film, the acting is a mixed bag. Laurence Harvey, whom portrays the villainous "Martin" is actually a revelation, delivering a character that so far as I can remember, doesn't speak one work, yet manages to garner a lot of sympathy and horror. He's clearly unable to comprehend (or just unwilling to) the dramatic extent of what he does in this film, and his troubled past, which is alluded to, makes you feel sorry for him despite his sins. Ashlynne Yennie, one of the stars of the first film, returns, this time playing herself, as she is kidnapped by Martin due to her connection to the original film. Other centipede members (12 in all) are played by newcomers, and though I won't go into all of them, they are all adequate, though some sore thumbs bring the score down.
The script, as I said, is an extreme and bizarre example of meta-fiction with elements of satire, parody, body-horror, family drama and many other genres thrown in. It's a compilation of differing (and sometimes conflicting) ideas. And it is interesting, though the script suffers at times due to disjointed pacing, clunky dialog and an over-reliance on shocks.
All of that being said- I will address the one thing this movie does extremely well, and at times perhaps too well. The gore. This movie is one of the few films I've seen that made me have to look away. I'm a huge gore-hound, and I love my gory movies (I was able to sit through "August Underground", "Cannibal Holocaust", "Salo" and other extreme films), but this film took it to a disturbing new high... or low, depending on how you look at it. Featuring everything from realistic portrayals of teeth being tapped out with hammers, to skin being flayed and stapled, to depictions of graphic sexual violence, this movie will make your skin crawl, and may prove to be too much for even seasoned veterans. Be warned going in.
That all being said, I think fans of horror should see this film at least once. I've seen it twice, and I still don't know whether I love it or hate it. It's one of the most disturbing films I've ever seen, but it also has a highly enjoyable self-awareness and sense of humor, and I think that's what sets it apart from other extreme films. I'm giving this a 5 out of 10, because I don't know what else to give it.
(EDIT: Upon two more viewings, my affections have grown for this film, and I updated my score to suit its entertainment value and satirical hilarity!)