"Another sequel!" I hear you scream.
Yes, but for good reason, I have seen all 3 The Human Centipede films, 1 started it all off, and 3 absolutely killed the franchise, being an absolutely terrible comedy horror. 2 for me has always been the best of the franchise, and deserving of a place quite so high on this list. Of course, I own the 'safe' version, with the nastier scenes cut out, because that's all you can buy on DVD. I have seen the uncut version, but I really don't think even the scenes cut out from the film can affect it's place on this list, as the two films placing higher than this are: A. better films. And B. More disturbing. I really do think of Part 2 as the best of a bad situation, none of them can compete in terms of decent film making to other disturbing cinema that was released around the same time.
Martin, a mentally disturbed security guard, becomes obsessed with The Human Centipede film, and is intent on making his own version. He attacks and kidnaps 12 people, to make them into his own twisted creation.
We begin the film with the ending of the first, as it turns out that it was all just a movie! Except, it's presented to the viewer in black and white, and we learn that this film is going to be fully in black and white. We are introduced to the main character, the antithesis of the antagonist from part 1, Dr Heiter. We are faced with a small, ugly man, who weirdly exudes a threatening feeling. The black and white filter, some may say, is used to make this film look artistic, but it is far more likely to be the opposite of this. It may signify a life without love, or care, a life of cruelty. Something we learn that the main character, has suffered, later on in the film. Another strange choice within scripting was to not give Martin any dialogue whatsoever. The lack of dialogue suggests a struggle in his life to ever fit in. Some of the sound effects are a little over the top, which can be a little distracting. The pacing is a little off too, it seems to take a very long time to collect his victims, and he then only has his creation for a matter of minutes on screen before he starts killing everyone off. I felt like they were in a rush to end the film, maybe that if they extended the run time any more, the audience might get bored.
The acting in this film is... well... mediocre at best, except the main performance. Laurence R. Harvey gives us a character who is callous, cruel and evil, but with an almost child-like manner that makes the viewer feel sympathy for him. It leaves the viewer confused, we shouldn't feel sorry for him, but we are also subjected to scenes of his suffering, and given that he is disabled, is he of a fit mental state to be judged? Aside from that, we get the mother, who might actually give the weakest performance of the film, but it's a close call.
The Human Centipede 2 is brutal, it doesn't shy away from violence, which makes some of it really quite difficult to watch. Of course, we still have to ask my favourite question; disturbing or disgusting? And I think this film actually has a mix of both. There's nothing pleasant about faeces and mouths, but the violence in this film isn't Hollywood, the viewer can't forgive it, because there are no good guys or bad guys. Everyone is some level of bad. There is no clean room and surgical equipment, just a man and his toolbox. Part 2 feels more realistic, like a genuine would be copycat, and it's unnerving to the viewer.
What point is the film trying to make? Well, it definitely shows that abuse works in cycles. Remember we spoke about this before? The abused becoming the abuser is a theme in a few of these films, because it is so often the truth. Then there's how being ostracised could possibly lead to distortion between reality and fiction, not helped by Martin's obvious disability.
Overall, with decent special effects, a nice look and feel, but mostly terrible acting, disgusting dark humour, and gratuitous violence, The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence is an average film that might just manage to turn your stomach a few times. I don't really recommend this one, unless you saw the first and thought "well, I have GOT to have more gore in the sequel!"
6/10
Yes, but for good reason, I have seen all 3 The Human Centipede films, 1 started it all off, and 3 absolutely killed the franchise, being an absolutely terrible comedy horror. 2 for me has always been the best of the franchise, and deserving of a place quite so high on this list. Of course, I own the 'safe' version, with the nastier scenes cut out, because that's all you can buy on DVD. I have seen the uncut version, but I really don't think even the scenes cut out from the film can affect it's place on this list, as the two films placing higher than this are: A. better films. And B. More disturbing. I really do think of Part 2 as the best of a bad situation, none of them can compete in terms of decent film making to other disturbing cinema that was released around the same time.
Martin, a mentally disturbed security guard, becomes obsessed with The Human Centipede film, and is intent on making his own version. He attacks and kidnaps 12 people, to make them into his own twisted creation.
We begin the film with the ending of the first, as it turns out that it was all just a movie! Except, it's presented to the viewer in black and white, and we learn that this film is going to be fully in black and white. We are introduced to the main character, the antithesis of the antagonist from part 1, Dr Heiter. We are faced with a small, ugly man, who weirdly exudes a threatening feeling. The black and white filter, some may say, is used to make this film look artistic, but it is far more likely to be the opposite of this. It may signify a life without love, or care, a life of cruelty. Something we learn that the main character, has suffered, later on in the film. Another strange choice within scripting was to not give Martin any dialogue whatsoever. The lack of dialogue suggests a struggle in his life to ever fit in. Some of the sound effects are a little over the top, which can be a little distracting. The pacing is a little off too, it seems to take a very long time to collect his victims, and he then only has his creation for a matter of minutes on screen before he starts killing everyone off. I felt like they were in a rush to end the film, maybe that if they extended the run time any more, the audience might get bored.
The acting in this film is... well... mediocre at best, except the main performance. Laurence R. Harvey gives us a character who is callous, cruel and evil, but with an almost child-like manner that makes the viewer feel sympathy for him. It leaves the viewer confused, we shouldn't feel sorry for him, but we are also subjected to scenes of his suffering, and given that he is disabled, is he of a fit mental state to be judged? Aside from that, we get the mother, who might actually give the weakest performance of the film, but it's a close call.
The Human Centipede 2 is brutal, it doesn't shy away from violence, which makes some of it really quite difficult to watch. Of course, we still have to ask my favourite question; disturbing or disgusting? And I think this film actually has a mix of both. There's nothing pleasant about faeces and mouths, but the violence in this film isn't Hollywood, the viewer can't forgive it, because there are no good guys or bad guys. Everyone is some level of bad. There is no clean room and surgical equipment, just a man and his toolbox. Part 2 feels more realistic, like a genuine would be copycat, and it's unnerving to the viewer.
What point is the film trying to make? Well, it definitely shows that abuse works in cycles. Remember we spoke about this before? The abused becoming the abuser is a theme in a few of these films, because it is so often the truth. Then there's how being ostracised could possibly lead to distortion between reality and fiction, not helped by Martin's obvious disability.
Overall, with decent special effects, a nice look and feel, but mostly terrible acting, disgusting dark humour, and gratuitous violence, The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence is an average film that might just manage to turn your stomach a few times. I don't really recommend this one, unless you saw the first and thought "well, I have GOT to have more gore in the sequel!"
6/10
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