“The Green Inferno” may make you lose your lunch!
The fans of Eli Roth fall into a particular niche. They are an enduring group with cast iron stomachs who seek a thrill in cinema that many would call disturbing. Needless to say, Eli Roth films are usually an “acquired taste” so keep that in mind throughout this review.
Cinematics (Cinematography, Acting, Etc.) – 2.5
This genre is always difficult to critique when it comes to cinematics because some of the “bad” is intentional. Fitting into the typical realm of horror/thriller, “The Green Inferno” sets its characters up as mostly one dimensional with a lack of depth or reason when it comes to their actions. The main character, Justine (Lorenza Izzo), has little reason for embarking on this journey into the rain forest. They push her reason as being due to a minor crush on Alejandro (Ariel Levy), but that crush quickly dissipates before they even make the journey. So why is she going?
Cannibalistic savagery
Well, with this genre you usually don’t need a why, a who, and sometimes not even a how. The point of the journey is just to guide you to the horror or in Eli Roth’s case…”gorror.” When the gore, blood, and guts begin to make their way into the film, there is a strong feeling of nausea that comes over you (at least for me). From my perspective, they captured the cannibalistic savagery of a native tribe in a very disturbing way. While some of the mechanics of dismemberment and mutilation are questionable, Eli Roth still succeeds to make your stomach turn in the second half of this film.
The plot and character development also suffer to account for the scare and disgust factor but there is some social significance to “The Green Inferno.” The question of saving the rain forest is put to the test when the main characters reach this grotesque predicament. By the end of the film, you question whether the cannibalistic culture of this tribal community should be saved or if we should try to understand them more.
Overall “The Green Inferno” did fail on a cinematic level but this is a given due to the nature of the film. I will say that it did have a very vibrant landscape but outside of that setting, there wasn’t much to praise in other cinematic areas. Its purpose was reactionary based and after the first act, there were definitely reactions to be had.
Entertainment Value – 3.5
Gruesome Entertainment
The entertainment value of this film is all dependent upon how much your stomach can endure. I was slightly nauseated at times but honestly I was disgustingly intrigued. For those that enjoy a gratuitous amount of gore then “The Green Inferno” will definitely serve its purpose.
While I can’t label what I was feeling as enjoyment, I know that I was 100% engaged in this film. It was like a brutal car crash that you cannot look away from which leads to a sort of twisted entertainment somewhere in the pieces of engagement. This is a film that you may not want to admit you enjoy, but if you can stomach it, deep down you know how you feel.
Re-Watchability – 2.5
If you can rewatch this film then more power to you! The gore and nature made “The Green Inferno” a one time viewing for myself. But I also know there are those that would enjoy multiple viewings with friends if they can make it through the first act.
Blu-Ray Extras – 3
The commentary and behind-the-scenes look at this film actually helped me to cope (haha). It made the excruciatingly painful scenes more tolerable after hearing and seeing what went into them and helped me to disassociate them from reality.
For films such as these, the gore and makeup are always an interesting aspect and these extras are a welcomed addition to this Blu-ray.
- Cinematics
- Entertainment Value
- Rewatchability
Summary
"The Green Inferno" is intended for a specific audience that loves gore. It is lacking on a cinematic level and the brutality is nauseating, but somewhere it finds a sense of engagement that could be labeled as entertainment.