Search - Senseless on DVD

Intense!

Walter A. Morris | 11/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I took an upper-division horror film seminar in the spring of 1986 at the University of Colorado. Since then I have always considered myself a bit of an aficionado of horror. But I am not a fanatic. I passed on most all of the torture porn films of the past decade, dismissing them as not having the potential to advance the genre in any of it multitudinous facets.

The other night I stumbled on Senseless (2008). It is terribly brutal, really goes too far. However, it is so well written, acted, paced, plotted and themed, that I believe it must be the best torture porn film made. It is certainly one of the most intense horror films of any kind.

The premise is simple, and I kind of dismissed it as trite at first. But because of that brilliant level of writing where throw-away lines resonate the deepest and the longest, the tension mounts painfully. It moves seamlessly from brutal physical torture to mind bogglingly hurtful psychological torture, not torment. There are only five acts of violence in the film, but what happens between those acts makes the film difficult to endure. The writing is excellent, but the primary actor's non-verbal scenes really make the film. The end masterfully ties up the experience. It is utterly satisfying while being completely unfulfilling. The viewer becomes so desperate for respite that the one instance of mercy, which is part and parcel of the film's most horrific moment of cruelty, makes for a vaguely happy ending.

Quite honestly, I have never been scared by a movie. Too much suspense bores me. Senseless, on the other hand, horrified me and haunts me still six days later.

I am starting a grass-roots campaign to get these film makers the recognition they deserve. Like most landmark horror films, Senseless takes the genre to the next level using the contemporary themes of big studio horror. I'd hate for this film to be lost to posterity.

Walter Morris
walteralbertmorris@yahoo.com"

A wickedly brutal film with a serious message

Mackshere | hampered by what's acceptable | 02/16/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Absolutely brilliant. This is a film just screaming for the world's attention. The basic premise of this bold and provocative story rests on some shocking displays of gruesome torture. But make no mistake, these acts of horrific violence are by no means senseless.

Eliott is a U.S. government official who is in charge of several international business negotiations. He often uses his quick wit and charisma to help sign the deal, and never even briefly considers any consequences. It's all just part of the job.

Well, a certain group of people took strong offense to his dealings. He gets kidnapped and subjected to extended bouts of the most heinous torture imaginable. To top it off, these brutal acts are streamed online for the world to see.

It's like a Hostel/Truman Show, broadcast live for some sick entertainment. Ratings soar and donations start piling in as the world watches the extreme madness. The questions also start surmounting. First and foremost--WHY? Are these simply the acts of deranged terrorists with no purpose but striking fear into the hearts of the world? Or is this possibly a rebellious stand against U.S. acts of aggression?

The acting performances here seem vey authentic. The characters pull you into a despicable place and constantly keep you off balance. One word of warning---this film contains several harsh acts of graphic violence. Your senses will get jolted, much like the American victim here. It is very unnerving, but these torturous acts are also symbolic. The utter contempt and frustration geared toward the United States might raise a few eyebrows.

This is a must-see film. Senseless deftly examines the human fascination with violence, plus our tendencies to act in self-interest. It boldly declares a much darker side of truth than you'll ever see exposed on the 5 o'clock news. It challenges you to think beyond certain slanted views. To realize much of the information we receive has been filtered. There are indeed two sides to every story.

Consider the bigger picture.


2008
United Kingdom
Directed by Simon Hynd"