The Human Centipede (First Sequence) DVD Movie Review
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) DVD Movie Review
Starring Ashley C. Williams, Ashlynn Yennie, Dieter Laser, Akihiro Kitamura. Directed by Tom Six. Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson.
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Mad scientists have been favorite film fodder forever (from Dr. Frankenstein, to Dr. Moreau, to Dead Ringers' Mantles Brothers, to Herbert West, to Rob Zombie's Dr. Satan, and so on…).
Some of the most bizarre experiments took place in the films of the 50s and 60s (They Saved Hitler's Brain, Scream and Scream Again, et al), then the laboratory was for the most part closed to make way for the Devil's den, the slasher's lakeside forest, and the psychopath's hidden house of horrors. I've seen them all, but I must say the doc with the most diabolical degree ever could well be Dr. Heiter (Dieter Laser looking for all the world like a creepy cross between Udo Kier, Lance Henricksen, and Takashi Miike).
Heiter is a German surgeon whose specialty was once the successful separation of conjoined twins… that is, it was before he became completely, totally and absolutely unhinged. Retired and now obsessed with the idea of reverse engineering and thereby joining "twins", the bad doctor decides to trap and reconstruct a trio of completely unrelated tourists.
Once he's drugged and restrained the two women (Ashley C. Williams, Ashlynn Yennie) and one man (Akihiro Kitamura), he begins his bizarre experiment by surgically joining them end-to-end and forcing them to share one digestive tract and three brains. Since each of the victims is fully cognizant of their predicament, and since the subject matter is not approached in a goofy sc-fi manner, it's pretty horrifying.
Dutch writer-director Tom Six may be one sick puppy (see: Director Interview on the DVD extras, and be very, very glad this man has moviemaking as an outlet!), but he sure knows how to make an audience squirm. Even horror-jaded me — I'm one who never jumps in her seat and doesn't gasp over anything — was covering my eyes at one putrid point in the film.
It's not just that the flick is gross; anybody can do that. The thing that sets The Human Centipede apart is the fleshed out backstory, the nailbiting suspense, and the accomplished acting. Aside from a few awkward scenes in the beginning, the movie is solid. The music, cinematography, editing, locations and sets are all A-1 across the board. I was expecting your typical direct-to-disc, hastily shot-on-digital, poorly acted fare, so I was impressed by how well the movie plays out as not just disgusting exploitation, but as a horror film in its own right.
Having said that, it's not a movie I will watch again and I do not think a sequel is at all necessary. It's worth seeing once, especially if you know it my reputation and are curious to see if it lives up to the hype… it doesn't disappoint!
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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson
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