Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Eaten Alive. Before we get into it, here are my ratings:
Story - 1.00 Direction - 1.00 Pace - 1.00 Acting - 0.50 Enjoyment - 1.00
TOTAL - 4.50
Eaten Alive surprised the hell out of me because it's a cannibal film I enjoyed. Cannibal Movies are not my go-to film. I don't rank them as Horror, though they are filled with some atrocious sights. They are more of an adventure film, with gore...by the bucket-load. And because of this, you have to get the action sequences right. Unfortunately, most don't. And though Eaten Alive doesn't hit the high marks, it is better than its predecessors. Thanks, in part, to a juicier storyline.
The use of a cult who journeys into the jungle to live in purity is clever. It opens up plenty of story opportunities. And, Umberto Lenzi uses the best. Ex-Cult members are killed, which brings the FBI into the story. They bring in Sheila Morris, whose sister Diana is a known cultist. But they are estranged, and Sheila doesn't know where she is. After developing one of Diana's last films, she's informed of a possible location and sets off on her quest to rescue her sister. This brings in a former soldier, Mark, who knows the area and grudgingly agrees to be her guide. And so the adventure begins.
The direction and the pacing aren't brilliant. Though Lenzi has finally figured out how to create excitement and tension by varying the flow and adding more engaging camera shots. It's not just a case of pointing and shooting anymore - well, not all the time. Of course, as in any Italian Cannibal Movie, there are the stock film segments of animals killing animals, humans killing and skinning animals, then eating their meat raw. These segments show actual killings and show the viewer how nasty and brutal jungle life is. Then you get onto the special effects, and the team have outdone themselves. Most of the gore looks realistic and nasty. But the splitting open of the hollowed cadaver is especially ghastly. You might think twice before ordering a rack of ribs again.
As for the cast, they're okay but not brilliant. I did love Rassimov as the cult's leader, Jonas. Only because, as soon as he comes on screen, I had the urge to slap him - he has that kind of face. Even though the performances are average, they are still better than other cannibal flicks.
Should you want to watch a cannibal film, I'd recommend Eaten Alive and Eli Roth's The Green Inferno. In Eaten Alive, the story is more gripping and helps drive the film. But if you are squeamish when it comes to animals being butchered alive, then I would say stay clear of all cannibal flicks.
Feel free to check out my Killer Thriller Chillers list to see where I have ranked Eaten Alive.
Take Care & Stay Well.
Story - 1.00 Direction - 1.00 Pace - 1.00 Acting - 0.50 Enjoyment - 1.00
TOTAL - 4.50
Eaten Alive surprised the hell out of me because it's a cannibal film I enjoyed. Cannibal Movies are not my go-to film. I don't rank them as Horror, though they are filled with some atrocious sights. They are more of an adventure film, with gore...by the bucket-load. And because of this, you have to get the action sequences right. Unfortunately, most don't. And though Eaten Alive doesn't hit the high marks, it is better than its predecessors. Thanks, in part, to a juicier storyline.
The use of a cult who journeys into the jungle to live in purity is clever. It opens up plenty of story opportunities. And, Umberto Lenzi uses the best. Ex-Cult members are killed, which brings the FBI into the story. They bring in Sheila Morris, whose sister Diana is a known cultist. But they are estranged, and Sheila doesn't know where she is. After developing one of Diana's last films, she's informed of a possible location and sets off on her quest to rescue her sister. This brings in a former soldier, Mark, who knows the area and grudgingly agrees to be her guide. And so the adventure begins.
The direction and the pacing aren't brilliant. Though Lenzi has finally figured out how to create excitement and tension by varying the flow and adding more engaging camera shots. It's not just a case of pointing and shooting anymore - well, not all the time. Of course, as in any Italian Cannibal Movie, there are the stock film segments of animals killing animals, humans killing and skinning animals, then eating their meat raw. These segments show actual killings and show the viewer how nasty and brutal jungle life is. Then you get onto the special effects, and the team have outdone themselves. Most of the gore looks realistic and nasty. But the splitting open of the hollowed cadaver is especially ghastly. You might think twice before ordering a rack of ribs again.
As for the cast, they're okay but not brilliant. I did love Rassimov as the cult's leader, Jonas. Only because, as soon as he comes on screen, I had the urge to slap him - he has that kind of face. Even though the performances are average, they are still better than other cannibal flicks.
Should you want to watch a cannibal film, I'd recommend Eaten Alive and Eli Roth's The Green Inferno. In Eaten Alive, the story is more gripping and helps drive the film. But if you are squeamish when it comes to animals being butchered alive, then I would say stay clear of all cannibal flicks.
Feel free to check out my Killer Thriller Chillers list to see where I have ranked Eaten Alive.
Take Care & Stay Well.