Featured Audience Ratings

• Matthew R

  
  Srdjan Spasojevic has created one of the most depressing, disturbing and grotesque films ever to be produced. Though many would call this overreacting, A Serbian Film lives up to its reputation as what I call the "ultimate feel-bad movie."? The content of this film rips so… More
  Srdjan Spasojevic has created one of the most depressing, disturbing and grotesque films ever to be produced. Though many would call this overreacting, A Serbian Film lives up to its reputation as what I call the "ultimate feel-bad movie."? The content of this film rips so far into moral limitations that viewing it irrevocably changes the audience. Many films such as Ruggero Deodato's "Cannibal Holocaust" and Marian Dora's "Melancholie der Engel" fall into mind when on the topic of extreme horror and gore, but this exceeds any typical expectations when approaching horror, something that is both incredibly unique, but also dangerous. It is through the acute attention to technique, craft and especially Spasojevic's amazing sense of mise en scene. The first most present detail in A Serbian Film is the cinematography. The composition of shots have a good healthy balance between deep focus and varying shallow depths of field, which keeps the eye stimulated, even if it doesn't want to be. There are specific horrific scenes in this movies that, due to the angles and types of shots used make the scene not only quite effective, but also it is made far too effective. For example, in one scene toward the third act of the film, the main character Milos (played by Srdjan Todorovic) gets excessively drugged with bull Viagra by the antagonist in the film, an eccentric snuff filmmaker Vukmir (played by Sergej Trifunovic). He is then forced to rape a woman while Vukmir films with his other cameramen. Milos is then given a machete while he continues to rape this woman tied up in a barren room with nothing more than cameras and a bed, and told to cut her head off. He does. This scene has impeccable lighting. Setting the feel of the room is the primary function of lighting design, but when trying to achieve a very specific reaction in the audience, lighting becomes far more important. The only things spotlighted in the scene asre Milos, his victim and the bed in the room. Everything else resides in darkness or semi-darkness. The scene is shot with sharp, deep focus, elaborating each action with low shots of the drugged Milos, giving him an aura of dominance and intimidation, coupling low shots of the woman to imply helplessness and fear. As Milos chops the woman's head off he continues to rape the corpse until the cameramen pull him off her and drug him again to make him pass out. This scene could have been handled in many different ways. David Fincher crafted a disturbing and emotional rape scene in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", a scene where it traumatized actor Yorick van Wageningen so much while filming it that he spent a day crying in his hotel room. However it was shot with more allusion than straight rape, giving elements on top of the current events to heighten the drama significantly for the next scene and subsequently the whole movie. Another film that features an explicit rape scene is Kimberly Peirce's "Boys Don't Cry", where the protagonist is anally raped on the trunk of a car. The scene is handled with respect for the victim, shot at high and mid-range angles to obscure much of the graphic nature of the scene while still retaining the realism of this moment between these two important characters. "A Serbian Film" has no such respect in this rape scene. This is a vivid example of hyperrealism. It is filmed with no pity, with no regard for the audienceâ(TM)s prejudices and limits of comfort. It heightens the role of the victim, the tragedy of being a victim, and eventually giving up hope and submitting. In a dialogue scene not long before this one, Vukmir preaches his philosophy on filmmaking and this exact idea of filming the experience of the victim to Milos. This particular philosophy is returned to all throughout the film. It truly is the only idea that really is behind A Serbian Film. Director Srdjan Spasojevic and co-writer Aleksandar Radivojevic have stated that this film is a parody of modern politically correct films made in Serbia. Spasojevic has stated that the antagonist Vukmir is "an exaggerated representation of the new European film order ... the Western world has lost feelings, so they're searching for false ones, they want to buy feelings". I cannot say there is any such revelation in me, even after two viewings, that this film is a sociopolitical parody on Serbia and the Western World. There are many references to Serbian cinema and Vukmir does present an interesting perspective on that industry early in the film, but it only really serves as a plot device for his amoral approach to creating new putrid forms of art, even going so far as creating "newborn porn"?, which is exactly what you think. With such a superficial premise as dark parody as its springboard, A Serbian Film is a film made with a ripe air of self-justification, meaning the filmmakers felt as long as they always said that this film was culturally aware, they could throw anything they wanted into it. And they exceeded what I had thought possible to put on film, and this is not due to any gore. It isn't due to the gore or even the excessive, brutal rape, but the harrowing and horrible emotional destruction that the survivors at the end of the film go through leaves the worst possible feeling lingering in your chest when the conclusion occurs. It then delivers a clear concise message that in the end, everyone becomes a victim, even the villains. All of the characters become victims of this scenario and of their environments. I suppose this revelation is supposed to tie in Spasojevic and Radivojevic's idea of sociopolitical commentary on Serbian people. This achieves two emotional states in its finalization, anger and agitation. The film is so utterly obsessed in its approach to the experience of the victim that it ceases to be about experiencing with the victim, and is only victimization. The difference being that experiencing to some level the emotional strife that the character is going through is a natural and even encouraged element of filmmaking. It keeps the audience engrossed and they care for the characters. A Serbian Film is so mean-spirited in telling this experience and slamming its hokey philosophy in the faces of the viewers that it stops trying to connect with the audience. It victimizes the characters, basically saying they are helpless to their circumstances and nothing, no matter how hard you may try, will ever repair any damage done. Now in the case with some major characters in the film, primarily Milos' family, this could be the case, but throughout the movie Spasojevic even presents the scenario that in death you still will have no peace, and that your memory will be tainted even further because you were always a victim in life. This degrades the viewer and it gives an underlying current of anger in the audience. The anger is intentional on behalf of the filmmakers, but in the wrong direction subsequently. The intentional target would be societal hypocrisies and cultural subpar standards for creation that strips away individuality as well as makes us unknowing victims of a broken society. The eventual target would be the movie itself. It talks down to the audience, as if it is a parent scolding us and telling us how to think. Now, does this mean however, that A Serbian Film is a film whose direction toward a message movie makes it a bad film? Absolutely not, hence the agitation we feel after watching the movie. This film's mise en scene from the director and co-writer while crafting this movie is deliberate and very well executed. The shot composition always follows the traditional Rule of Thirds when approaching framing. The lighting is always spot-on in every scene and is used appropriately to masterly effect when crafting the mood. The acting, within believability of the story, is very good. They played their characters convincingly and it was due to a well-rounded knowledge of setting naturalistic scenes and proper blocking by Spasojevic and his crew that brought out the most effective end result. This is the work of someone with an extraordinary amount of talent. But the content of the film makes it almost impossible to appreciate all of the good things about the movie, and there are a fair amount. Spasojevic strikes me as a genre-changing director, and maybe he'll effect the horror genre like Robert Wiene, Ruggero Deodato, Mario Bava, Dario Argento and William Friedkin, and he already has. I actually dread the day another film is released that surpasses A Serbian Film in such a rigorous and well-crafted display of the breaking of the human mind and spirit.

• Coxxie M

  
  If you like amateur, forced spike-table birth, then bloody baby rape, followed by a glass of dazzling White Zinfadel, you will love Serbia!

• Unknown H

  
  I am still quite shocked at how many people missed the entire point of this movie. Its a beautifully shot and well thought out, provoking movie about the degradation of humanity. Spasojevic was masterful in his attempts at literalising the concept of being "raped" from the… More
  I am still quite shocked at how many people missed the entire point of this movie. Its a beautifully shot and well thought out, provoking movie about the degradation of humanity. Spasojevic was masterful in his attempts at literalising the concept of being "raped" from the moment you are born by an unfair and corupt world. I think too many horror hounds with a soft spot for torture porn watched this movie and let the shocking elements (of which there are many) take the reigns and lead them away from what is a truly astonishing and completely original political and social commentary that displays it central themes with unrelenting and sometimes horrific brutality. A truly magnificent movie that has been seen by too many people with neither the inclination or the capacity to see the hidden honesty behind the blood chilling imagery. An amazing film to be watched with fully open eyes but not for the faint hearted.

• E.J. B

  
  As soon as I hear about a film pushing the envelope in terms of graphic violence and redefining the term torture porn, there's a little demon inside me that begs me to seek it out. Such is the case with A Serbian Film. More often than not, I end up regretting the decision, not… More
  As soon as I hear about a film pushing the envelope in terms of graphic violence and redefining the term torture porn, there's a little demon inside me that begs me to seek it out. Such is the case with A Serbian Film. More often than not, I end up regretting the decision, not because of the violence, but because the films are often nothing more than poorly created excuses to celebrate violence (Inside, High Tension). But every so often, I'll see a film like Martyrs that actually makes me defend such extreme movies as being high art. I can't really do that with A Serbian Film. The film chronicles Milos, a retired porn star who's savings are starting to run low. He is asked to take one more job by a director who seems determined to create a new style of porn. Unsure about what he is doing in the film, Milos takes the job because the payment would settle his financial woes for two lifetimes. Instead, he's drugged and turned into a sex crazy zombie. So how violent is the film? Well, you will watch in explicit detail the beheading of a woman while having sex, necrophilia, pedophilia, skullf*cking, a woman suffocated while giving a blowjob, and something involving a newborn baby that I don't dare utter on this website. This is the kind of film where you really will question the artistic merit if you haven't already dismissed it as vile, exploitative filth. There is an angry social commentary being made by director Srdjan Spasojevic. He is directing his anger towards the Serbian film industry and how their censorship laws make it impossible for any film that isn't government propaganda or naive romanticized viewpoints of the world to be made. It seems his film is a social critique on the Serbian government, a satire designed to shock like Jonathan Swift's Modest Proposal. But unlike Swift's elegant yet scathing prose, A Serbian Film doesn't explain to its audience what the Serbian government or the film industry is like. It's almost as if I would have to watch a separate documentary to understand why this horror film would have any merit. Instead of addressing the problems of government censorship, A Serbian Film revels in its violence so much that its critiques are an afterthought, something that gore hounds will use to try to justify their enjoyment of this kind of sexual violence. (I don't exclude myself from this category, as I actively sought this film out based on what I'd heard about it.) Swift was smart enough to subtly include proper solutions to his problem. A Serbian Film seems like the work of a very cynical, ignorant, irresponsible hipster crying out for attention, which is almost as dangerous as the institution he's criticizing.

• Matt G

  
  It's not very disturbing...

• MisterYoda ?

  
  2 stars

• Austen R

  
  I do not recommend this movie to anyone but seasoned film-goers. Everyone knows of the horrible, offensive material in the movie. If you can criticize the film for this, then it's one its few shortcomings. I can't, and I applaud the film for shocking a generation that has… More
  I do not recommend this movie to anyone but seasoned film-goers. Everyone knows of the horrible, offensive material in the movie. If you can criticize the film for this, then it's one its few shortcomings. I can't, and I applaud the film for shocking a generation that has ceased being shocked by internet shock sites like Stileproject. All of those people who had become accustomed to seeing snuff photos and all sorts of sexual perversity have been in search of something this extreme, and now that it's come "it's too offensive!" They'd be the first ones to give this film a negative review strictly for its content, while overlooking its overwhelming positive features. It's a smart horror film, for starters. It's almost Cronenbergian, given its focus is on both sex and violence. The actors and actresses all turned in stellar performances that are better than those that were nominated for the 2011 Academy Awards. The performances really are on par with those delivered in The Deer Hunter. It's a sort of rawness that is hard to emulate. The cinematography is also stunning. Serbia looks much more modern that I would have expected. As for the directors' intentions, I can't really comment. I see elements of a social commentary there, so I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, and believe that their intentions weren't simply to make a shock flick. There certainly are plenty of political overtones, but there are more subtle bits of social commentary in there. There are Cronenbergian themes like society's infatuation with sex/technology/etc. While I can't recommend this movie to many people (if any), I have to give it a high mark for being as well made as it is and for trying to have some sort of political element; which is occasionally played up a bit too much. (It's much more overt than one would expect.) There are moments of thematic subtlety, though, and I applaud the movie for that more so than I criticize it for the former. People are going to go in with preconceived notions influenced by their internet critic of choice, but such is the case of any radical movie like this. I give A Serbian Film an 83%. (Oh, and the musical score is amazing and appropriate, too. Very industrial!)

• Dean M

  
  Sicko of gore and sexual violence made by actor-director Srdjan Spasojevic. That made me feel like I never wanna watch that Serbian film again. Any purpose the film might have beyond ultra-shock is compromised because its notion of extreme art-porn as a symptom of societal apocalypse… More
  Sicko of gore and sexual violence made by actor-director Srdjan Spasojevic. That made me feel like I never wanna watch that Serbian film again. Any purpose the film might have beyond ultra-shock is compromised because its notion of extreme art-porn as a symptom of societal apocalypse is well-worn from the mainstream likes of <i>8MM</i> or <i>Vacancy</i>. The worst on-screen atrocities - including the rape of a new-born baby - are conceptually beyond the pale, but executed with a fakey glee (and obvious special effects) which put it closer int tone to <i>The Toxic Avenger</i> than, say <i>Videodrome</i> or <i>Lost Highway</i>. That said, plenty of scenes here push various envelopes, and manage to be sick-making no matter how ridiculous they are.

• Carlos M

  
  It is unbelievable how the repulsive director of this garbage has the guts to say that there is a political commentary in such a grotesque exercise in extreme torture porn. A disgusting waste of time that has no other purpose than to shock and to be polemic, shamelessly raping the… More
  It is unbelievable how the repulsive director of this garbage has the guts to say that there is a political commentary in such a grotesque exercise in extreme torture porn. A disgusting waste of time that has no other purpose than to shock and to be polemic, shamelessly raping the viewer with an unbearable level of mindless, hedious violence.

• Sunny D

  
  'A Serbian Film' makes a simple point through brutal means. Spasojevic does a decent job of grabbing the audience's attention, but abuses this privilege by face raping the audience for about 90 minutes. Quite frankly, this is a film the world could definitely do… More
  'A Serbian Film' makes a simple point through brutal means. Spasojevic does a decent job of grabbing the audience's attention, but abuses this privilege by face raping the audience for about 90 minutes. Quite frankly, this is a film the world could definitely do without. Don't waste your time. Grade: D

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Not all films have a happy ending."</i> An aging porn star agrees to participate in an "art film" in order to make a clean break from the business, only to discover that he has been drafted into making a pedophilia and necrophilia themed snuff… More
  <i>"Not all films have a happy ending."</i> An aging porn star agrees to participate in an "art film" in order to make a clean break from the business, only to discover that he has been drafted into making a pedophilia and necrophilia themed snuff film. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Without a doubt this is one of the most disturbing movies and the responses it has received have been polar opposites. Some have described it as fascinating and mild-blowing and others have called it torture trash. I was warned about it beforehand but I like to challenge myself once in a while. Now I can watch movies like 'Feed' and 'Irreversible' and be shaken and admired by them. However, I have mixed opinions about 'Srpski Film' (a.k.a. 'A Serbian Film'). Initially the film does succeed in portraying that people are fascinated about taboo subjects and how they are easily hypnotized by it (even if it's bad to do/look at). However, at some point, nothing is left to suggestion. It incorporates as much taboo elements as it can (such as various forms of rape, newborn porn, bestiality, intrafamily rape, pederasty, paedophilia, fellating someone to death, necrophilia, snuff films) aiming to push boundaries and mashes them into gratuitous hardcore scenes. The director was aiming for shock value which is expected in this kind of film and most likely he was vouching for a place in the Guinness book for 'most disturbing legitimate film' of all time. The writer has been quoted to say, "This is a diary of our own molestation by the Serbian government... It's about the monolithic power of leaders who hypnotize you to do things you don't want to do. You have to feel the violence to know what it's about." What a clever way to use politics to defend an extreme fake porn-polished snuff-tortureflick. On the technical side, 'Srpski Film' is very well made. The cinematography, light effect and music are very effective in creating the atmosphere. The acting is also very good. Sr?an Todorovi? does a fine job as retired pornstar Milo. Sergej Trifunovi? does tend to be over the top to the point of being a caricature but that was perhaps the intention.

• Michael S

  
  I'll try to review this in depth at one point. But for now all I'll say about A SERBIAN FILM (Uncut Version) is that it's very well made and acted, suprisingly engaging, darkly comedic (now and then) and NOWHERE near as disturbing, graphic, disgusting, revolting, or… More
  I'll try to review this in depth at one point. But for now all I'll say about A SERBIAN FILM (Uncut Version) is that it's very well made and acted, suprisingly engaging, darkly comedic (now and then) and NOWHERE near as disturbing, graphic, disgusting, revolting, or repulsive as everyone has said. I though it was pretty tame on a visual level compared to some other films, and SALO is pretty much more disturbing on every level. Hell all of the SAW films after the first are more violent. Overall I enjoyed this film. It was challenging, stylish, had a cool soundtrack, and was just a quality film with risque content. But it's definately something I won't be itching to see again any time soon.

• Luke B

  
  A film that is so controversial, I found it hard to find the IMDb page for it. It's been responsible for police raids in the UK. The director clearly wants to show how (figuratively) Serbians are fucked from the moment they are born until after they die. Did he have to show such… More
  A film that is so controversial, I found it hard to find the IMDb page for it. It's been responsible for police raids in the UK. The director clearly wants to show how (figuratively) Serbians are fucked from the moment they are born until after they die. Did he have to show such scenes in a literal sense? Probably not. You'll find plenty talking about the controversial aspects of this film, and plenty of arguments about the social commentary it represents. I'd like to ignore most of that and just say that the film was too uneven to have an incredible impact on me. Sure, some scenes were grotesque in the ideas they suggested, but the film let itself down. Sometimes the effects were spot on, representing a grisly and sickening feeling. Sometimes they were laughable (any shot of the plastic textured penis). Sometimes the violence seemed genuine, and others has men being stabbed in the eye with a penis. All this lead to me being confused as to what the film was trying to do. What the film does offer is sick and nasty thrills, with a few scenes just going too far. Unlike the Human Centipede, which had a gross idea but left a lot to the imagination, this film shows it all, which isn't always to its credit. I am interested in seeing the cut version, where the infamous newborn porn scene is edited so you don't see the actual act. Something tells me that is more disturbing, as the puppet used, reduced the nausea by seeming too animatronic. If nothing else this film really does question "How far is too far?" and "Is censorship right?" Not for the weak of stomach, and certainly not a date movie.

• Gordon A

  
  Truly grim torture porn which puts the horrible in horror. Despite the graphic sex depicted it is anti-erotic and leaves you despairimg of human nature. 'Challenging' is a gross understatement and the filmakers are clearly very angry men who howl at us by confronting us with… More
  Truly grim torture porn which puts the horrible in horror. Despite the graphic sex depicted it is anti-erotic and leaves you despairimg of human nature. 'Challenging' is a gross understatement and the filmakers are clearly very angry men who howl at us by confronting us with behaviours beyond comprehension. They claim it all acts as a metaphor for the horrofic exploitation in Serbian society but I fear that intention may be lost on most viewers. 'Everyone screws everyone' is taken literally here. They are also clearly talented filmakers as the brooding music and filtered colouring create a real sense of foreboding as the main character spirals into hell. Fascinating experiment but hard to recommend to any but the most hardened cinephile.

• Dr Blood  

  
  Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for because you may just get it. Only a couple of days ago, I was ranting on my blog about wanting to see a real ADULT horror movie and now director Srdjan Spasojevic has given me one with "A Serbian Film". If you haven't… More
  Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for because you may just get it. Only a couple of days ago, I was ranting on my blog about wanting to see a real ADULT horror movie and now director Srdjan Spasojevic has given me one with "A Serbian Film". If you haven't heard the rumours about this uber brutal "torture porn" (never has the term been more appropriate!) then I'm not going to spoil it for you. But if you do know what I'm talking about then rest assured that "A Serbian Film" is everything you think it is and more. It's one of the most well made horror films that I have ever seen and makes even "Martyrs" look tame. If you are easily offended by ANYTHING then don't watch it... EVER! The funny thing is, as a hardcore horror buff, I was able to sit through this and enjoy it without feeling the slightest twinge or any compassion for the characters whatsoever. Perhaps it's because I know that "IT'S ONLY A MOVIE!" and anything on screen is only as real as you want it to be. But maybe, just maybe, what I watched was distancing enough for me to not even care. Technically it was superb. Emotionally? Well, I didn't find it sick, scary or anything but I'm sure other people probably will. I have noticed on various horror forums that there are so-called horror fans protesting that they are never going to watch "A Serbian Film" because it's so "disgusting". What a bunch of hypocritical wimps! They moan continuously that there is nothing new in the genre and when something does come out that will possibly "horrify" them, they all want to boycott it. What do they want? Another "Nightmare on Elm Street" remake? If you love horror then you absolutely have to see this film! The last taboos of the torture porn subgenre have finally been broken and this is the result. In fact EVERY taboo gets broken in this movie apart from cruelty to animals and nobody wants to ever see that anyway. Even bestiality gets "an honourable mention"! I actually have a kind of empty anti-climactic feeling that now there is nowhere left to go. "A Serbian Film" has finally fulfilled every true horror fan's dream and killed it stone dead at the same time. What next? What could possibly top this? Maybe it's time to get back into the more supernatural storylines again and away from these physical and realistic looking shocks. There's nothing to think about with movies like this. You just sit back and enjoy the ride. On the highest levels, I can see what Srdjan Spasojevic was getting at and understand the political message of Vukmir's "film within a film" but I just don't care about it. I liked it for what it was at its most superficial level and I also don't even care about how that makes me look. I even liked the characters in this yet strangely felt not one iota of sympathy for any of them apart from almost a moment with Lejla, the porn actress who brought Milos to Vukmir in the first place. Did she get what she deserved I wonder? Yes, I think she did. There are no innocents in this film but there are some damn fine actors. Is this the most perverse exploitation film I've ever watched though? I've seen them all - "Mum & Dad", "Salo", "Irreversible", "Murder Set Pieces", the list could go on and on right back to "I Spit on your Grave" or the banned video nasties of the 1980s. I'd say it was actually on a level with "Baise-Moi" but slicker even though the subject matter went into a much darker place. It's not the most disturbing thing I've ever seen either. "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover" or the end of "Last Exit to Brooklyn" affected me much more than anything here. Not that anything I ever see on screen affects me at all once the end credits come up. I really did enjoy "A Serbian Film". The story was good, the camerawork was good, and even the techno music pumping through it was good. I used the same word a lot there but that's the only way to describe the 104 minutes that I spent watching realistic yet still completely fake special effects, blood, gore, screaming, violence, murder, rape, paedophilia, incest, necrophilia, brutal rough sex and death. It was GOOD!

• A.D. V

  
  Not surprisingly given my feelings on such offerings like Salo and August Underground's dreck I thought the film was utter trash. A vile rape of the viewers senses that leaves you numb and depressed by the film's conclusion. The first 45 minutes creates a wonderfully… More
  Not surprisingly given my feelings on such offerings like Salo and August Underground's dreck I thought the film was utter trash. A vile rape of the viewers senses that leaves you numb and depressed by the film's conclusion. The first 45 minutes creates a wonderfully twisted, perverse world of underground porn but from the "newborn scene" on it's like getting tricked onto a rollercoaster ride designed by the Marques de Sade. Like the forementioned counterparts as well as more recent garbage like Martyrs, Serbian Film suffers from the same 'shock for the sake of shocking' mentality and drowns from overkill which is a shame since if they had not included that "twist" involving a child at the end or the newborn rape scene I may have actually liked it. A little.

• Brian D

  
  One of the nastiest movies ever made? Or the nastiest movie ever made.Well i really can not recommend it to anyone, only if you are a curious type who wants to be shock.And believe me everything in this movie will shock and even make you feel sick to your stomach!! The movie is well… More
  One of the nastiest movies ever made? Or the nastiest movie ever made.Well i really can not recommend it to anyone, only if you are a curious type who wants to be shock.And believe me everything in this movie will shock and even make you feel sick to your stomach!! The movie is well made and production value are on a high and the acting good for the most part.The story is actually straight forward and easy to follow.But its the sex which is very hard core and the scenes of violence towards women are not a easy watch.But the shock value for me is the climax towards the end which really did myself in and left in disgusted and wanting to scratch my eyes out because i never ever seen anything like it.Anyone who as seen it will know what i am talking about!! Well my final words is to check it out if you are looking for shock value because you get it here.And the movie give a new meaning to the words video nasty.

• jd c

  
  I feel nauseated. This film made me sick. Vile, repulsive, utterly disgusting, nerve shattering, INTENSE, depressing and absolutely terrifying. The list goes on. That's not saying it's a bad film, because on the surface it's not. On an artistic level this film is… More
  I feel nauseated. This film made me sick. Vile, repulsive, utterly disgusting, nerve shattering, INTENSE, depressing and absolutely terrifying. The list goes on. That's not saying it's a bad film, because on the surface it's not. On an artistic level this film is technically stunning. The performances are frighteningly brilliant. Everything artsy, but so darkly crisp. The script flows natural, slow, but very realistic (the story itself almost feels like a tale from Marquis de Sade). Being that this is director Srdjan Spasojevic's first film I'm surprised how far it steers from feeling like the works of an amateur. A Serbian Film in fact seems almost perfect, a film by the hands of someone with much experience in filmmaking. Someone who knows how to work the dim lighted corners and navigate their character's shadows through the heart of the gleamy, yet darkened hallways. Someone who knows how to push buttons and poke at the performers, bringing out the worst in their fears, moments so heartbreaking it almost brings a tear to your eye (that is of course if you can manage to keep your eyes open). I for one had to look away many times, and I can stomach almost any movie. But this film man, this movie had me squirming in my seat. WARNING: This is an explicitly graphic and disturbing adult film. And yes...by "adult" I do mean pornographic. A Serbian Film holds nothing back, please believe me when I say this. THEY HOLD NOTHING BACK. (the version that I've seen was in it's entire, uncut form...the rated "X" version.) It literally left me speechless and shaken. I was terrified by it's graphic nature, never knowing what they would show next. How far were they really willing to go?...All the way. Plot: "Milos is a former porn star who is down on his luck financially. When he receives a call from his long-time movie actress partner, Layla, he welcomes her call. Apparently she's heard that a new film director wants to hire Milos to star in his "artistically-designed" porn film for a very generous price. He is easily lured from his semi-retirement by the lucrative offer, agreeing to meet the director in an isolated mansion. As the filming progresses, Milo begins to suspect that the director's intentions may be darker than mere pornography. As the film begins to devolve into a horrifically violent production, Milos finds escape may not be an option." This is indeed a horror film. And it's in fact one of the most disturbing horror films I've seen in my life. It definitely makes my top 10 list of most disturbing movies...EVER. Necrophilia, bestiality, incest, pornography, rape, torture, pedophilia, snuff, gore...this movie has it all. It's disgusting. And although filmed with brilliance I simply would not praise something of this nature and recommend it to most. But after reading my review it's in your hands, my flixster friends, to make up your own mind. My mind was too curious to pass this one up and to tell you the truth I just want it to leave my memory. I never want to watch this again. That's how shockingly sick it was. But the moral of the story did come across, and it had a strong effect on me, so for that I do give it "some" credit (as weird as that sounds)...job accomplished (which is why I only give it 3 stars). I'm surprised a movie filmed as well as this went the route it did. Well it is what it is...and that's that. You were warned! .............................................................................. A friend wrote to me on my review of this film and said... "Yes...And so what were its bad points again?" I do see where she's coming from, but since my first reaction left some doors open for questions I feel it's important to further my explanation in this review and close the case. There is just so much to say on this film, so here's my answer. I gave it 3 stars for being so effective (shocking), as well as looking great. It's a serious film, no slash and dash, teeny bullshit. The director even knows it's extreme himself and my review would probably pay him a compliment. There were just quite a few scenes that realistically exploited pedophilia (beyond even (over)standard shock value, and seeming like illegal filmmaking) that did so in such excessive graphic detail, that it wasn't my cup of tea. Hell, if pedophilia is someone else's cup of tea then they should think about getting some serious help. And it's not the subject alone that I couldn't handle (I watch many extreme films, BELIEVE me) it's just how this film puts it out on display. I get the point, it wouldn't have worked any other way I guess (and not be as shocking) but it's still a turn off for me in a big way. I'm not into graphic, in-your-face display of "pedophilia". I'm not into pedophilia at all (but it seems there are some sickos that are). I also said that this is one of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen, I would compare the detailed subject of this to Salo, only worse, and I think Salo was a piece of shit. Child pornography makes me outraged, I cringe, it doesn't make me smile. And I'm not close minded about the topic in film at all, every movie has a story to tell (whatever it may be) and I'm open ears for each one. BUT in the end I also have to make a judgment, as do all people after viewing films. And my views (not on the subject) but on the visuals of pedophilia and female abuse in this film, are not good ones. How about you? What are your views on pedophilia and pornographic display of female humiliation? If you're against it like me then I'm sure this movie will leave the worst taste in your mouth, as it did mine (one scene comes to mind in particular but I'm not much of the spoiler type). And if it doesn't unsettle you, and by that I mean completely turn you off, then you might want to have a serious talk with a doctor. I will not praise something of that nature IF it's done in a way such as this. But you know what? Judging on the Q&A at the film's screening, it's probably safe to say the director wouldn't agree more. And as the director also said himself... "You have to feel the violence to know what it's about." Well I FELT IT. He got his point across and it's an ugly one. And depending on how it's dealt with, pedophilia and pornographic female torture (such as this) can be much, much uglier. 3 stars is suiting enough (it's not that much of a low rating, is it?). Some might give it 5 stars, but for the sake of humanity I hope it's not from sheer enjoyment. I hope they give a more mature and logical reason behind their decision, helping me understand more the purpose of the film, because as the idea lingers it seems there might be a more important one beneath the surface. But I enjoyed the films reasoning, it's cry for attention on how the Serbian government rapes them (Southeastern Europe) up the ass (metaphorically speaking) as quoted by the director. The movie's a horrifying and difficult experience. It frightened me as it set out to do. Is that reason alone the "bad" part? No. But is pedophilia and female abuse (especially as shown in the film itself)? Hell yeah. It was despicable. It was hard to endure. The film knocked me on my ass so hard I wouldn't be able to sit here and give it a 5 star rating, because I still, as I sit here writing this, feel sick to my stomach. But I'll wait to hear others views on the film, and it won't be so patiently, because it's almost as if I demand more answers. And as I say that, also sitting here writing this, I realize how much the film is creeping under my skin. And the more it creeps, and the longer it does, the more I'll admire the fact that's it's impact has such a hold on me...regrettingly so. <a href="http://s294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/HorrorQf/?action=view¤t=ASerbianFilm.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/HorrorQf/ASerbianFilm.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

• Shawn M

  
  While people point at all the brutally offensive material, and warn people not to watch this film, it does cross a lot of lines which will make people sick, but it's just a movie, and its done really well. The controversial reviews people discuss to others, makes you need to see… More
  While people point at all the brutally offensive material, and warn people not to watch this film, it does cross a lot of lines which will make people sick, but it's just a movie, and its done really well. The controversial reviews people discuss to others, makes you need to see it, that helped market this movie to be one of the most successful shocking movies like Cannibal Holocaust. You can't help but have a morbid fascination while viewing a human disaster, Don't get me wrong, I'm not a freak for snuff and new-born-porn, like I said, It's just a movie with a lot of hot sauce.

• Panta O

  
  One of the critics wrote that "A Serbian Film has a real point to be made. The sad thing is that it is lost on most people who will be offended to the point of dismissing the movie as trash." And that's what exactly I'll do! Because to write a screenplay like this… More
  One of the critics wrote that "A Serbian Film has a real point to be made. The sad thing is that it is lost on most people who will be offended to the point of dismissing the movie as trash." And that's what exactly I'll do! Because to write a screenplay like this or to direct a movie like this you have to be really sick in a head! Simply said: SICK! Maybe they'll call me old fashioned but FILM IS ART! And for any art you need some aesthetic experience - and there is NO SUCH THING IN THIS MOVIE! Raping women, men, children, even newborn babies under the label of art could be aesthetic only for a madman! Yes, someone will say it is a horror movie which tells the story of a down-on-his-luck porn star who agrees to participate in an "art film", only to discover that he has been drafted into a snuff film with child rape and necrophilic themes... but I can see it as much more than that! Upon its debut on the art film circuit, the film received substantial attention for its graphic depictions of rape, necrophilia, and paedophilia. The Serbian state prosecution opened an investigation to find out if the film violates the law. It is being investigated for elements of crime against sexual morals and crime related to the protection of minors. It was banned by a San Sebastián (Spain) court for, "threatening sexual freedom" and thus could not be shown in the XXI Semana de Cine Fantástico y de Terror (21st Horror and Fantasy Film Festival) and banned in Norway after two months of sales due to violation of criminal law section 204a and 382 that deals with sexual representation of children and extreme violence. The film was shown at an adults-only screening at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain during October 2010; as a result the festival's director Ángel Sara has been charged with exhibiting child pornography by the Spanish prosecutor... I know Serbia and The Balkans very well and if you wanted to spit on everything that culture has, you'll want to make a movie like this. According to the financial books, the financing was raised through Contra Film, the Serbia-registered company specifically setup for that purpose... but I bet that the finances came from somewhere abroad - because if you watch this there is no other conclusion but THESE GUYS ARE TWISTED AND SHOULD BE ANIHILATED! There were few politicians who gave statements like this: that Serbian people were degenerate thugs and should be all killed (one of them was Joe Biden, who called for a Japanese-German style occupation of the country, while his son publicly praised the Albanians' resolve in expelling the "degenerate thugs" from Kosovo) - sorry guys, if I watched this movie and did not know real Serbians I'd say the same! If you like filth - there it is! Srdjan Spasojevic did it!

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