I don’t smoke, well not all the time anyway. However I can tell you that I needed a cigarette after viewing this. I no bloody prude, not by a country mile, but this film was almost a bridge too far for me. It challenged me like no other film I’ve seen before. Hollywood this ain’t. There are scenes here, and bear in mind this is the cut version, that’ll make your fucking head spin. I always thought I could pretty much watch anything that the film world could throw at me, but this was by far one of, if the toughest things I’ve had to endure.
I’m not bigging this up you understand? Certain films have done that in the past. Both A Clockwork Orange and Last House on the Left have been touted to being very hard to watch. Not for me. Maybe I’ve become desensitised I don’t know, but both the aforementioned movies did little to shock me. A Serbian Film is a different beast.
The film begins with retired porn star Milos (Srdjan Todorovic) being approached by an old friend with an offer to star in a new porn film. Being touted as ‘art porn’ by it’s director Vukmir (Sergej Trifunovic), the film will require Milos to just do what he does best. He is offered a lot of money but not told what the film is about as Vukmir believes he’ll elicit a more honest performance. Milos is not comfortable with the idea of not knowing what the film is about as he has a wife and small child and doesn’t want anything to jeopardise that. When Milos tells his wife how much money he was offered she encourages him to take the role. The film starts off tame enough, but as it goes on Vukmir gets Milos to commit more depraved acts in the name of art. When Milos tries to back out, it kick starts a series of brutal events which will not end well. Milos becomes a man who realised he lost his soul years ago, and his attempt at redemption only drags him further into despair.
I don’t think I’ll watch this again. Majority of movies I will always return to in time, but with A Serbian Film I don’t see what benefits repeated viewings would bring. I am not overplaying this, A Serbian Film really is messed up indeed. All of the actors are on top form, acting in what are some very tough scenes. I don’t happen to agree with the director saying that the movie was an allegory on how the government ‘mentally’ rapes its people, but maybe I was just so stunned by what I was seeing that I failed to see any deeper meaning. This copy was graciously provided by the kind folks over at http://www.safecrackerpictures.com. Please stop by and follow them on twitter @SafecrackerP for competitions and film news.
3/5
JM
Reel Ginger Movie Fan 
Just reading about this film disturbs me. I’ll avoid this then.
It’s very unsettling mate. Tested me to the limit.
Yeah I agree on your review, I actually enjoyed the idea of the film, but it really does push some boundaries, I’ve seen most of the underground japanese gore/pinku films and even the vomit gore trilogy, but this one in my opinion reached new levels of depravity! made me feel so in the wrong for watching it!
The last 10 mins just tested me to the max. It was so wrong.
I think that “A Serbian Film” is what the diabolic director in the movie seemingly fails to make: artistic torture porn movie. Yes, I said it, artistic. As you mentioned, the acting is excellent. The camera shots, the mood: all is high-quality, even when the content is extermely disturbing. And it is supposed to be disturbing. I also disagree with the actual director: I don’t get it as a political allegory. But it’s a movie that I will never forget. It crosses boundaries because it is more and more difficult to shock today’s audience. But when you do it, people are outraged (just check imdb boards): “that’s sick!”. Well, if it is so revolting, it means that we feel that the story in the film COULD happen. So that’s actually the sick world we live in. A movie not for the faint-hearted.
Well, first off, you review is very balanced and the best one I’ve read regarding this movie.
Second, I really haven’t seen it since I can’t find any entertainment value in it. It is made to shock. And as You wrote about being able to view practially everything, I myself have stopped seeing stuff that just don’t bring any entertainment to me. I’ve seen real snuff, war videos etc. And yes of course films like Men Behind the Sun and so forth. But now I just don’t feel the need. All that rape, killing and power/drug abuse is actually happening every day irl. And I don’t feel like filling my 50inch with it outside the news, hehe. Glad you did a review! Thanks /Neu
Thanks very much buddy. I totally agree too. Ok I’m 29 but I have reached that point where I have so much shit to watch that I’d rather entertain myself than watch nasty crap made just to shock. Thanks so much for your kind words too mate, means a lot.
So what you’re saying is if I can’t watch human centipede, I shouldn’t touch this.
Pretty much lol.