Genres

Visitors Review

rudy bazelmans 2013-05-19 07:12:00

could pass for a good horror movie

I recently saw this movie because of one reason, it happened not farfrom where i live (germany) and at the time i read all the newspaperstories and also saw the documentary on television. so of us all icould compare the movie the best with the original story. some thingsin the movie didn't really happen like they filmed it.for example, he had multiple people coming over to watch his "torturechamber" and not just one and none of them really wanted to be eaten,in fact they were chocked to see that he was serious (why nobodyreported him at that time still precedes me) and that he ate one personis true, the only thing in the movie that really was true, was whenthey were eaten his member, i can remember that in the newspapers isthat it WAS too chewy to eat. but when he put him in the bathtub, inthe real story he didn't take him out to keep chopping his face open,he just slit his throat in the bath and cut him up in pieces. andfurther more he wasn't convicted for too long because the judgecouldn't really sentence him for man-slaughter because the person inquestion (the slaughtered) was willing to be slaughtered and eaten, notonly that but that person did it also out of sexual intension and notout of guilt for his mother. so some things were added to make it moreblood and gory, but also a dramatic view of the story. sorry forspoiling it for some. thanks for reading this though.

Shudder1 2013-05-18 20:11:00

Almost good

***Some Spoilers*** Okay, I don't really know what the other reviewerwas on about, this is a human story about two lonely guys with issuesregarding their self esteem, sexuality and place in society. It is notsensationalist, nor particularly exploitative and it is based on thetrue events. Wishing to watch, or even make a film about a gruesomemurder, does not mean you necessarily have a sick mind.The problem I have with Grimm Love is the pathetic back story of theAmerican student. Why does a very strong and intriguing story about twoGerman men need to be framed by, and told through the eyes of, afictional, attractive female American? Well, the answer is prettysimple I guess, she'll look good on the poster and in the trailer andgive the film some chance of success in the US. However, this is aMAJOR flaw of the film.This character adds absolutely nothing to the story and only serves towaste about 20 minutes of screen time which could have been cutcompletely from the film or used to go deeper into the actual story ofthe two men. Not only is this character boring and unnecessary but sheacts irrationally throughout the film.For example, she breaks into the house where the crime occurred - thiswas highly unconvincing and only served as a means to start someflashbacks to the actual events. Secondly, she is able to locate theactual video of the crime, which has never been found, even by thepolice, by posting a single message on a cannibal website! This was solaughable it was beyond belief. This lost video must representsomething of a holy grail to the cannibal community so the idea that anoutsider can simply stick a request for it on a forum and be sent acopy free of charge a few days later is ridiculous.It's a real shame about these elements which surely anyone with even abasic understanding of script writing could have pointed out wouldscupper an otherwise serious attempt at film making.

madam_Q 2013-04-21 11:39:54

A worthy watch, if not an easy one

I can't help but wonder, after reading so many negative reviews, ifpeople really got this movie. Yes, it is a commentary on a depravedculture. But, as the narration points out, the important things are notwhat makes us different from people like cannibal Oliver Hartwin, butwhat makes us the same.As Hartwin, Thomas Kretschmann does a great job in a role that can bedescribed in a mastery of understatement as "difficult." He plays a manwho fantasizes about eating human flesh. He finds the yin to his yangin Simon Groembeck (Thomas Huber, equally superb), a man who'sveritable truckload of I.S.S.U.E.S. see him abandoning his GQ modelboyfriend to be eaten by a guy with a Herman Munster haircut and apredilection for beige. Go figure. They hook up over that great havenfor all the demented and depraved - the Internet. Go team! Kerri Russell narrates the film in a somewhat unnecessary framingdevice. Quite frankly, what I found most irritating about the film werethe most over obvious attempts to sell it internationally - Russell isthe known "face" but the majority of the cast is comprised of Germanactors. Why not film it in German? Why not drop Russell altogether andinstead focus on the relationship between the two men? A relationshipwhich is, in its own way, oddly affecting. For as the titleimplies...this is a love story.Well, come on. How many movies does Hollywood churn out annually basedon the central premise of a woman (once upon a time Meg Ryan, latelyher mini-me Reese Witherspoon) and a man (preferably Hugh Jackman butMark Ruffalo or one of the Wilson brothers in a pinch) who are made foreach other? When you really examine it, this film is based around thesame premise. These are two men who are, in Russell's own words as shedrably narrates, a perfect match. Far too much screen time is given toRussell poking around Hartwin's farm house and looking generallyfreaked out, at the expense of the developing of the relationshipbetween two true oddballs. This is not monster and victim - these aretwo lonely men who have found each other, and not nearly enough time isdevoted to the why of it all.In it's look, the film very much honors it's subject matter, to greateffect. It is shot mostly in muted tones, yet avoids the trap similarfilms have fallen into - namely looking too dark and leaving theaudience wondering if they need to turn the contrast on their TV up.Very much a 1970s horror movie feel. Clever tricks abound - we see agrisly horror film being enjoyed by Hartwin reflected on his eyeball inan extreme close up, while in an earlier flashback the camera travelsunder the sheets to watch him reading under his bedclothes as a child.The running time is concise, a mere hour and a half, with the majorityof the film's most difficult to watch scenes occurring in the finaltwenty minutes. There is the odd unexpected moment of black humor -yes, you feel guilty for chuckling - while the bare bones script isstripped of exposition and all the better for it. On the whole it is awell made movie, not what you'd call entertaining, but a worthy watchnone the less.

Selena Katz 2013-04-21 04:24:56

My opinion and base line

Well I watched this last night with my mom. It was a decent film. But,being bases on a true story kind of made it disturbing. Well it was afilm based on how Oliver went on this web site and put an ad up formale human meat ages 20-40. And oddly this one man thought he was readyand told him he could eat him. But, he backed out. But that man wascovered in plastic and labeled which part was which. (Example: Thigh'swere stake.)But then this other fella named Simon wanted to have his penis bittenoff. So while the movie is playing this College student named Katie wasstudding on them and the psychological minds. Like what caused them todo that. She went around the town taking pictures of where thingshappened. But, as she was taking the pictures they would show flashbacks. Honestly it confused me at first. Then Katie heard there was atape to it. So she went of the web site that Oliver did to find histape. But, somebody did have the tape and she got the tape and watchedit. Oliver did care for Simon though. But, Simon had a lover namedFelix. My opinion of this movie is that it was good. I do recommend it but notone for the younger ones to see or for people that are homophobic orhave problems with cannibals

Chaz_233 2013-04-17 01:32:03

A pleasant yet unpleasant surprise

Grimm Love recreates the lives of the notorious cannibal who via theInternet found someone willing to be cannibalized. It is framed withina story of an American student in Germany writing her master's thesison the topic from a psychological perspective.Names have been changed for the movie, but we meet both characters intheir childhood. Simon, the willing victim, was a tormented homosexualboy who is traumatized by the suicide of his mother, presumably becauseshe caught him with another boy. He is now in an apparently fulfillingrelationship with Felix but still consumed by guilt. The cannibal,Oliver, was never allowed to develop as a man because of hisoverbearing and controlling mother. As a child he meets another kid andthey spy on butchers slaughtering pigs and gets into watching realdeath films. Cannibalism becomes his sexual fantasy and on messageboards he solicits someone to become his meal. Some who are interestedback off before he takes their lives. Until he meets Simon, who thinkshe can find peace only once someone removes his piece.Presumably everything we are told is true, in particular how eventsunfold when the two meet as the cannibal actually filmed theirencounter. That tape is the only thing that gives importance to thestory of the American student. Someone offers her a copy of the filmand once she sees it, it's more than she asked for.Grimm Love, a changed but effective title, making reference to thehorrific "children" stories by the brothers Grimm with which all Germanchildren have been terrorized, is a very good movie. It is not pleasantto see though. There are a lot of homosexual scenes and some gruesomescenes at the end. But the movie humanizes the characters. It's not amovie that seeks to make cannibalism cool or that delights in gore orthat wants to demonize the cannibal, even though the monster in himcan't be eliminated. These two characters are tormented, traumatized,suffering souls, who never managed to overcome their childhood pain, inparticular Simon. The tone of the movie is mild and slower. Oliver iscalculative but gentle, if one can say that. The movie is mostly filmedin tones of yellow and brown and is rather dark looking. Direction andacting are excellent. This movie is smart and succeeds at giving youinsight into the darkest of dark places of the human being and of life.A recurring question is, just how was it possible that these two peoplewith such unique but matching preferences were able to meet. Anastonishing event indeed.

2013-04-16 16:21:09

Strange, different world

Repeatedly ridiculed and bulled at school, a boy had developed psycho-delusions dealt with mutilating and blooding meat consumption. Since mother passing away, no more restrained with anyone in the world man is seeking a partner to fulfil his Hannibal urges, make them reality. A DVD quality itself is really grim, and characters pipping over Hannibal shoulders require more sharp logical substantiality to better comprehend this story linked with real occurrences worldwide.

DReffects 2013-04-16 13:17:08

Disgusting result of a destroyed society

After the promising first minutes of the movie which look like theywhere trying to build a serious profile behind the killings, the moviedrifts to a simple and disgusting presentation of violence.A movie made for perverts...The acting is decent, the storyline is not. The entire plot focused onthe student trying to understand the psyche of the killer is only basedloosely on the facts, all leading to build up more shots with violence.Even so it may have happened that way - why would you make a movie thatfeatures the most disgusting things a human has done? Looked to me likethe director and writer failed to find a clear statement for the filmand therefore went down the easy way by producing a flick that thriveson pain and the scandal behind it to get recognition at the box office.

Scarecrow-88 2013-04-15 21:11:30

Grimm Love

I would like nothing more than to dine from your flesh.A student in criminal psychology(Keri Russell) is fascinated with acase regarding a disturbed homosexual, Oliver Hartwin(ThomasKretschmann), who was sent to prison for eating Simon Grombeck(ThomasHuber), a volunteer for cannibalism. Simon's only request was forOliver to bite off and eat his penis and to see the blood from histeeth during consumption of his flesh. GRIMM LOVE is mostly told to usin flashback from the childhood of the two homosexuals growing up intough environments which may've contributed(or this is what Russellbelieves as she researches their lives while in Germany for a collegeassignment, morbidly curious as to how the killer and victim differedfrom the "normals of society")to their base natures. Both had "motherproblems"..Oliver's mother was schizophrenic, Simon's committed suicidewhen he was but a child. Katie(Russell)is interested in watching areputed tape recording of Oliver's butchering of Simon. I think this iswhere Katie sees the error of her ways and comes to terms with the factthat no matter how you would like to psychoanalyze deviants andunderstand what makes them tick, the repulsion in the perverse,sickening activities of these people are all too real..she begins tocry and look away as Oliver hacks away, a rude awakening needed so shecould snap out of her quest to find humanity in the dark natures ofmankind's most fiendish.Despite the appalling subject matter(I'm referring to the cannibalismand those interested in it), GRIMM LOVE is beautifully photographed byJonathan Sela, and has strong performances from Kretschmann and Huberas the protagonists. As Simon and Oliver, we are witnesses to theirupbringing, the miserable loneliness thanks to absent fathers whodidn't love them, and how their homosexuality was a burden when theywere children, both the objects of bullying. Simon, though, had foundlove in a male bartender who was devoted to him. Oliver, on the otherhand, begun to fantasize about body parts hanging from hooks and chainsgroping him! We get a peep into what provides Oliver with actual eroticpleasure, and it is the beginning of a journey that ends unpleasantly.I will say this, though, as a sort of word of warning, GRIMM LOVE isdeliberately paced with a methodical approach..meaning that many willconsider it slow and dull. I realize that Russell's role may seemunimportant since she really isn't the subject of the movie, but Katiedoes tell us their story, visits Oliver's home, and communicates to theviewer as an outside voice trying to establish a reasoning for why twomen would agree to carry on with such a grisly agreement, one to dieknowing he would be eaten, the other more than willing to carve him upand chow on his flesh.

leonlouisricci 2013-04-15 00:46:24

Guaranteed to Clear a Room

Oh Man...as the Joker said..."Why so serious?". It all starts when we are young. Psychologist generally say that ourpersonalities are, for the most part, irreversibly formed in ourbeginning years. The complexity of the human condition takes so manyvaried forms that occasionally it produces Monsters of all sorts. Freedom of expression allows us to explore and expose these aberrationsfor education and entertainment purposes. So, there is a place in theakashic records for the data no matter how horrifying. But most whowatch this movie, arguably, are doing so for some kind of horror moviethrill. Good luck.The film is presented in such a serious, deep deconstruction and is sowell done that the entertainment value is vacant and what we are leftwith is guilt for watching, and sympathy for the maladjusted men whoare convinced in their souls that the only way to show a connectionwith humanity is through an exchange of material matter through asexual perversion of the most extreme. As these carnivores consume and consummate their love it proves to themthat this is the ultimate love between humans. But, this places them inthe unnatural selection of the species known as...Inhuman. If your party is over and you have unwanted lingering guests. Put thismovie on and it is guaranteed to clear the room. If this doesn't work,go to the kitchen and start frying up some meat. If the guests arestill there...dial 911. But I digest...I mean digress.

gradyharp 2013-04-14 09:23:54

The Dark Regions of the Human Mind

Director Martin Weisz and writer T.S. Faull created this movieadaptation ROHTENBURG (GRIMM LOVE) of a famous crime that is so bizarreit deserves a summary from the legal aspects in order to appreciate thequality of the film. Names have all been changed, including thespelling of the title - 'Rotenburg', or 'red castle', is the name ofthe small village where this grisly event took place. The facts of thecase are as follows: 'Armin Meiwes (born 1 December 1961) is a Germanman who achieved international notoriety for killing and eating avoluntary victim whom he had found via the internet. After Meiwes andthe victim jointly attempted to eat the victim's severed penis, Meiweskilled his victim and proceeded to eat a large amount of his flesh.Because of his deeds, Meiwes is also known as the Rotenburg Cannibal orDer Metzgermeister (The Master Butcher). Looking for a willing victim,Meiwes posted an advertisement at a website, The Cannibal Cafe, whosedisclaimer mentions the distinction between reality and fantasy.Meiwes's post stated that he was "looking for a well- built 21 to40-year-old to be slaughtered and then consumed". Bernd Jürgen Brandesanswered the advertisement. Many other people responded to theadvertisement, but backed out; Meiwes did not attempt to force them todo anything against their will. As is known from a videotape the twomade when they met on March 9, 2001 in Meiwes's home in the smallvillage of Rotenburg, Meiwes amputated Brandes's penis and the two menattempted to eat the penis together before Brandes was killed. Brandeshad insisted that Meiwes attempt to bite his penis off. This did notwork, though Meiwes was able to burst both of Brandes's testicles bybiting them. Ultimately, Meiwes used a knife to remove Brandes's penis.Brandes apparently tried to eat some of his own penis raw, but couldnot because it was too tough and, as he put it, "chewy". Meiwes thensautéed the penis in a pan with salt, pepper, wine and garlic, he thenfried it with some of Brande's fat but by then it was too burned to beconsumed. He then chopped it up into chunks and fed it to his dog.According to journalists who saw the video (which has not been madepublic), Brandes may already have been too weakened from blood loss toactually eat any of his penis. Meiwes read a Star Trek book for threehours, while Brandes lay bleeding in the bath. Meiwes apparently gavehim large quantities of alcohol and painkillers, 20 sleeping pills anda bottle of schnapps, and finally killed him in a room that he hadbuilt in his house for this purpose, the Slaughter Room. After stabbingBrandes to death in the throat, he hung the body on a meathook and torechunks of flesh from it; he even tried to grind the bones to use asflour. The whole scene was recorded on the two-hour videotape. Meiwesate the body over the next 10 months, storing body parts in his freezerunder pizza boxes and consuming up to 20 kg of the flesh.' These arethe facts of this case. In order to make this film 'palatable' the writer and directorintroduce a new character - Katie (Keri Russell) is an AmericanPsychology student who travels to Germany to explore the depths of thedark interstices of human behavior. It is though her eyes and imaginedflashbacks visiting the places of the childhood and adulthood the twopeople involved that she offers the audience the understanding of thisact. Oliver Hartwin (Thomas Kretschmann) is first seen as a child(Rainier Meissner) and the seeds of his strange behavior are brieflyidentified. We also meet Simon (Thomas Huber), learn of his backgroundand his relationship to his mother (Helga Bellinghausen), and meet himwith his lover Felix (Marcus Lucas) in what appears to be a healthyrelationship. But Simon surfs the internet, finds Oliver's curiousinvitation to cannibalism, and decides to become involved in a fantasyhe has always had. The two men meet and mutually agree to take part inthe act of Oliver's slow cannibalistic murder of Simon. Many of theaspects of the real case are included, but the writer and director knowwhen to hold back and also know when to leave the story alone, withoutthe trial or follow- up, that leaves the audience shocked but alsosomehow makes the entire story seem more like a nightmare than anactual deed. Kretschmann and Huber both are extremely fine actors and have foundthat thin thread of inner fear and self-doubt that makes us able tounderstand the bizarre act we are watching. Keri Russell is very goodin the tiny part she plays (the deleted scenes on the DVD show her rolewas originally larger), adding a bit of a reality touch for theaudience, helping us through this story. There are technical problemswith the film: cinematographer Jonathan Sela uses scratchy developingfor the flashback scenes which are not always suitably inserted, andthe musical score by Steven Gutheinz is often too dependent of the pipeorgan fright tactics of horror pictures. It is a difficult subject towatch but in all the film presents a bit of reportage in a watchablemanner. Truth is stranger than fiction. Grady Harp

Coventry 2013-04-06 19:10:03

The Cannibal ate my homework ....

Both this film and Marian Dora's "Cannibal" were inspired by theunbelievably inhuman yet real-life horror case of Armin "The RohtenburgCannibal" Meiwes. Meiwes was a lonely and introvert homosexual whoplaced an internet add, looking for volunteers to get slaughtered andconsumed by him. It didn't take that long before he got a response fromBernd Jürgen Brandes, another homosexual who treasured a life-longdream of having his penis chopped off and eaten. Like the script statesat several occasions: these two formed a perfect match. Even thoughboth films remain faithful to the grueling and sickening facts, theyare two completely different viewing experiences. This film is morelike a 'light' version of the facts (but, mind you, still shockingenough to upset people with a weak stomach), whereas "Cannibal" is adownright brutal and uncompromising film. "Grimm Love" supposedly takesplace after the facts and the story is re-enacted via the research andprofiling of an American psychology student (Keri Russell) residing inGermany to work on her thesis. This wraparound story is actually ratherredundant, since Russell only appears on screen in order to linktogether all the flashbacks that build up towards the two men's fatalcannibalistic meeting. Unlike "Cannibal", this film dedicates a largeamount of time digging up the men's backgrounds and illustrating theirpersonalities. The voluntary victim Bernd Jürgen Brandes (renamed SimonGrombeck) forcefully hated the reproduction organ between his legs andapparently blamed himself for his mother's suicide, because she oncecaught him and another boy playing doctor. Armin Meiwes (renamed OliverHartwin) had issues with his mother as well, but she was more of adominant and overly protective type. He developed cannibalistictendencies after she died and eventually the endless opportunities ofthe almighty internet brought these wandering souls together. I find itpraiseworthy that both films, especially considering the gruesomethemes, succeed in clarifying to the audiences that this is, in fact,primarily an (unusual) love story rather than a gratuitous exploitationflick. It's a portrait of two men who're social outcasts due to theirunacceptable sexual desires. This was even clearer in "Cannibal", sincethe two men shared all the screen time together as from the openingsequence, but even "Grimm Love" successfully reflects the affectionateand deeper relationship between the two 'monsters'. However, this moviesuffers from a handful of dreadfully tedious moments and it sadlyremains too vague about the disturbing things that happened after thecastration. Meiwes stored Brandes' corpse on a meat hook in hisbasement and continued to eat his pal for several more months after theactual killing. This film only briefly mentions this little detailsomewhere at the beginning. The cinematography is pleasingly dark anddepressing, and the slow pacing and grim set-pieces contribute to thebuilding up of an overall uncanny atmosphere as well. Martin Weisz'direction is subtly creepy and he clearly doesn't aim forsensationalism here. The German actors are very competent as well, eventhough they are for some reason forced to speak their lines in hesitantEnglish… My main complaint regarding this production, as stated byother reviewers already as well, is the international character of thefilm. Why the involvement of a fictionalized American student characterworking on a psychology thesis? Why narrate the story throughflashbacks, for that matter? Russell's role is entirely redundant andher character isn't even plausible anyway. For someone who has beenobsessed and fascinated with the case for more than 3 years, she reallysucks at watching graphic cannibalism on tape.

burberrybribble 2013-04-06 02:23:24

my mistake

I went to see this movie without fully understanding what I was in for.It played here in Seattle as part of the Seattle International FilmFestival (SIFF) at the Seattle Center, and i thought it would be asubtle investigation of the two men. My first surprise came when theaudience was addressed by a festival employee who told us that althoughthe movie was German, the dialogue was English. Good for me, because Ithink I need new glasses. The second surprise was that Kerri Russellwas in it (huh?). I'd like to preface my comments by stating a fewthings: I am in my twenties, and therefore have grown up in an ageviolence and moral deprivation, and consider myself to be desensitized,sometimes to an alarming degree. The interest I have in abnormalpsychology (particularly sexual) is deep and passionate, and although Iam pretty well adjusted, my curiosity borders on the creepy-even tothose that know me well. I am also extremely liberal in politics, andas close to an atheist as someone as spiritually apathetic as I can be.This movie made me ill. Physically. The grad student that Russellplayed was (although annoying in the beginning) the one saving grace inthis movie, because the character acted as a device that separated theviewer from the actions taking place. Yes, these were sad people whohad shitty lives, but it is not in me to be sympathetic. In and agewhere people can find each other on the internet via a chat room,surely one of them could have found a descent therapist. The "made foreach other" aspect that attempted to romanticize the story wassickening and pathetic. I know that they were not trying to make itinto a beautiful love story, but really-where was the psychologicalanalysis? This film is irresponsible-the ideas that the viewer isexposed to are not easy to forget when given this sort of treatment. Itrushed to the climax and then dragged out the gore for what I can onlyassume was shock value and media provocation. Cannibalism is the onetaboo we have left on this planet, and this movie dealt with thesubject with all of the subtlety of the rock Russell throws through thewindow. I think that people should be allowed to explore the darkestsides of their shadows without shame, but the desire to eat anotherhuman, and the desire to be eaten are not sexual perversions, they aresevere mental illnesses. Human frailty is not something to be mockedand stylized. This was simply a movie about suicide and murder. I wishI had never seen it.

Amy McGovern 2013-03-30 02:59:43

Amazingly Disgusting Film

I ran across this movie one night and out of curiosity began to watchit. Before seeing this film I had never heard of Armin Meiwes, or theacts in which he committed. It was soon relevant that this film wasgoing to be disturbing to watch. I am currently reading Interview witha Cannibal by Gunther Stampf, which is a book documenting exactly whathappened. The facts come from several interviews with Armin Meiwes. Asfor the film, it does stick to the factual events rather closely.Towards the end of the film, I began to be horrified at what I waswatching. I did however feel a compulsion to see it through to the end.I have to admit that it is the single most disturbing piece of cinema Ihave ever encountered. I would definitely recommend being fullyprepared before watching this film. The movie does stick to the mainfacts, and I find it to be sufficient enough to tell the main story. Asa psychology student I also am fascinated with Armin Meiwes, although Iwill not follow the same path as the unlucky student in the film. It isdefinitely worth watching, but only if you are fully prepared for thehorrors you will see.

fedor8 2013-03-29 07:54:07

Good - surprisingly enough.

Perhaps the most bizarre murder(?) case I've ever heard of, it wasfascinating to follow on the news. When I heard they made a movie outof it, I was skeptical. Fortunately, it has been done the right way. Nomajor names in the cast - a huge plus. No Steven Soderbergh, Gus vanSant, or Spielberg as director (nor would they ever dare touch thiskind of subject matter). The photography is appropriately dark, somber.Having the main characters speak English with a German accent (i.e.have German actors) was an okay choice, too, the alternatives beingAmerican/British accents or German with subtitles (bad options). Theidea of having Russell as a sort of physically existent narrator wasokay, as well. The story is written as a drama, which then, of course,turns into horror. However, no graphic showings of severed limbs orpenises flying through rooms, which would have cheapened the overalleffect. Fans of "Saw" should stay away from this: it is not anidiotic/illogical thriller about torturing innocent people. GL hasn'tgot quite the level of realism of the terrific "Henry: Portrait of aSerial Killer", but it's head-and-shoulders above the vast majority ofwannabe gloomy movies that are out there, in this regard. GL is alsosurprisingly brief, under 90 minutes. Considering how much there was tothis case, perhaps a little short, but on the other hand, it's tightand never dull.

HumanoidOfFlesh 2013-03-29 05:07:19

Nowhere nearly as brutal and harrowing as Marian Dora's "Cannibal".

"Rohtenburg" by Martin Weisz is based on a true crime case of Germancannibal Armin Meiwes,who butchered and cannibalized computerprogrammer Bernd-Jurgen Brandes after putting on necrobabes.com anadvertisement "I'm looking for a normally built young man between 18and 25 years for a real slaughter and consumption".It was ultimatelybanned in Germany due to a lawsuit in which Meiwes successfully arguedthat the film slandered his deeds and made him look bad.As a person whois really interested in the darkest human deeds I had to watch it.Theperformances by Thomas Huber as Simon and particularly ThomasKretschmann as Oliver are very strong,but the film lacks gore andhorrifying images of "Cannibal".I also think that Keri Russel'scharacter is completely bland and unnecessary.The film would be betterwithout it.Overall,this film left me a little bit disappointed.Checkout Marian Dora's "Cannibal" or horrifying documentary "The Man Who AteHis Lover" for much better understanding of this fascinating case.

troubledmind 2013-03-28 20:46:50

Different from any expectation

I have to say that this film caught me by complete surprise. I expectedit to be a typical "Hostel" kind of horror movie. But the opposite wasthe case. Rohtenburg is an incredible shot film that draws you into apersonal story and guides you slowly into the darkness of a disturbedmind. Against all odds i was pleasantly surprised about this film. I dounderstand though that this film will raise a lot of controversy andhave people not understand it or love or hate it. This film has no greyarea, it is hate or love for sure, since it doesn't slumber through themediocre horror genre formulas and has very little blood for the diehard horror fans. It works on a psychological level and goes way deeperthan i expected, actually giving me sleep trouble for two nights.This is a very different film. I don't think i have ever seen anythinglike it. I would recommend it.

mteuschler 2013-03-27 08:18:22

Artsy-fartsy German weirdness - served with a side of guilt

I hesitate to give this movie a 1 out of 10 because I actually likedthe cinematography and some other of the artistic aspects. However, thesum total of the movie was, to me, "Now, aren't you a worthless,no-good, piece of trash for watching this taboo-ridden garbage?" Itruly felt that the obsession the main character (the American student)had for the subject of mutually consensual cannibalism was a projectionfrom the movie to the movie-goer. And, I personally sensed (albeiterroneously?) this was the intent of the creative development team forthe film; to convey that all-too-German sense of guilt (for WWI andWWII in general and the holocaust, to be specific). I, for one, didn'tand still don't need that; and I personally believe it's a waste oftime for anyone to partake of this communion of self- abhorrence,humiliation and abject dehumanization.

Jeff 2013-03-26 18:01:11

Original and New

One thing I really liked about this movie is that it was original. We have seen sexual killers, cannibals, but never seen a homosexual, horny serial killer. This one is original and might not blow you away, but will catch you by surprise. This movie is very disturbing at some parts, and the acting is surprisingly good and shows in this powerful film. Worth the watch.

cociasua 2013-03-18 14:48:19

BEST EVER

best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best best tesb===

elliott78212 2013-03-18 14:06:54

Grows on you gets under your skin and in your head

I wanted to look away, I tried to walk away, and yet I found myselfwatching intently. The grisly story unfolds as Russells characterinvestigates a serial killer for her thesis. The more she finds out themore she seems to want to know and the audience is brought along withher. I will not giveaway anything because it would ruin it for anyone.Having never heard of the film I mostly watched it since it wasendorsed by Fangoria Magazine and admittedly after watching its obviouswhy. There is no bright spot in this dark, chilling tale, somewherehalfway thinking how can I continue watching I don't want to know thetruth was I did want to know, maybe this frightened me more than thetale itself. Towards the end I was the so engrossed I couldn't stop andhad to finish it, and like characters final reaction so was mine.