I’ve tried to start writing the review for this film a few times now, and each time they have come out not fitting this film. The problem is that this is one of those films that is nearly impossible to describe while keeping an air of authority to one’s prose. In short, this is a thriller, I’d go as far as to call it a horror film, about a retired porn star who comes out of retirement for a paycheck big enough to provide for his family for a very long time. This is usually the spot where I’d link you to actors or director’s imdb page, but they are all such unknowns outside of Serbia (I’m assuming they have some degree of fame there) that linking you to the Wikipedia page of the film is all I can provide, so here it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Serbian_Film. The acting is impeccable. That sentence is short but implies a great deal. This is one of the best acted films I have ever seen. The cinematography, while definitely influenced by Eastern European cinema, is still unique and incredibly well done. The soundtrack is catchy and instantly memorable. Despite being utterly off put by the film’s content, I’m still humming the tune they planted in my head a few hours later. The closest I can describe it as is a cliché porn music track played in hell. I’m writing about the special effects almost as an afterthought now because they were so convincing that it only occurred to me that they were effects when I started writing the review. This alone should say more than enough, but now I have to gush, because I was completely convinced. I watched this film on my computer, sitting in my own room, and I was still completely drawn in and buying every minute of it. I cannot emphasize enough how powerfully this film ensnared me. However, the real problem with this film, like other films such as Eyes Wide Shut or Hostel, the line between porn, exploitation, and art is a difficult one to tag down. The film certainly has a compelling story, a great story progression, excellent characters, fantastic directing, but at the same time, I feel compelled to label much of this film as too extreme to be compared to normal cinema. Some of the images in this film are going to haunt me for a long time, and I have respect for the creators and the actors and everyone involved in this project, but again, I am visibly upset by what I have viewed. If all else fails, I must go with the most important aspect of review: Did I like the film? The answer is a tentative yes, though I’m not entirely sure I would be prepared for another viewing, at least not for a while. Machete to my head though, I have to say I liked it, from an artistic perspective at least, though not from a human one.
Beautifully shot, hauntingly scored, incredibly well acted, and more disturbing than anything else I have ever seen, including pornography and that horrid human centipede thing. Three and one half stars. I recommend this one if you're looking for an artistic film about one man's personal struggle, but not unless you can easily laugh off a Lars Von Trier film.
***.5 out of *****
