The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)

50% of critics liked it
(90 reviews)
27% of users liked it
(12,472 ratings)

Two American college girls become the subjects of a sadistic medical experiment while on a road trip across Europe. Invited to a party by a handsome waiter, Jenny and Lindsay are en route to the festivities when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Desperate, they decide to seek help on… More Two American college girls become the subjects of a sadistic medical experiment while on a road trip across Europe. Invited to a party by a handsome waiter, Jenny and Lindsay are en route to the festivities when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Desperate, they decide to seek help on foot, eventually coming across the home of a retired surgeon named Dr. Heiter (Dieter Laser). Dr. Heiter is internationally renowned for his work on separating conjoined twins, but these days he's using his surgical skills for something entirely different. His goal is to create a human centipede by removing his patient's kneecaps, and sewing them together, mouth-to-anus. The only thing preventing Dr. Heiter from carrying out his experiment is a lack of human subjects. When Jenny and Lindsay arrive on his doorstep, Dr. Heiter enthusiastically begins prepping for surgery. The first installment of a two-film story arc, The Human Centipede was quickly followed by The Human Centipede II: Full Sequence. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Tom Six
Written By: Tom Six
Genres: Horror

In Theaters: Apr 28, 2010 Wide
On DVD: Oct 5, 2010
Studio: IFC Films

Critic Reviews

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
This horror show from Dutch director Tom Six will be heaven for devotees of four-star torture porn and zero-star hell for everyone else.
Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times
There are terrible movies and there are loathsome movies. And then there's that rare breed so idiotic, exploitative and sickening one wishes they could be scrubbed from memory.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
It would be nice to report that Six ... has an eye for horrific imagery and a head full of fresh ideas - or, barring all that, that he's simply a hard-working hack. But this is lazy moviemaking based on the thinnest of concepts.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The star rating system is unsuited to this film. Is the movie good? Is it bad? Does it matter? It is what it is and occupies a world where the stars don't shine.
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
This nasty stuff plays like a cross between Saw, Naked Lunch, and Bride of the Monster.
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
A must-see for coprophiliacs and spanking enthusiasts, The Human Centipede (First Sequence) may be the year's first mainstream fetish movie.
Dave White, Movies.com
I's at times heart-racingly tense, less gory than you'd expect, hilarious, horrible, and not like anything else you've ever seen.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
Deep down it's just more torture porn with an artistic gloss...
Simon Miraudo, Quickflix
The evocative title, the lack of motive and the absence of genre tropes are completely intentional -- Six is giving us what we want, reminding us all the while that getting exactly what we want is usually the last thing we should ever really have.
R. L. Shaffer, IGN DVD
The Human Centipede won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're willing to sit through the film's gory moments, and delve deeper into the narrative, there's something genuinely enthralling about this shocker.
Lucius Gore, ESplatter
The film deserves some points for being sickening and over the top.
Beth Accomando, KPBS.org
Yet despite the disturbing subject matter, Six directs the film with surprising restraint. You won?t find any handheld shakycam, excessive gore, or fast-cutting here.
Beth Accomando, KPBS.org
The surprising thing in this era of explicit gore is that filmmaker Tom Six takes a rather elegant approach to his gross out premise.
Ross Ruediger, Bullz-Eye.com
These folks -- both in front of and behind the camera -- really threw themselves into their work, and, provided you have an open mind, it shows.
Kevin A. Ranson, MovieCrypt.com
There is a tradition among mad scientists who exhibit creativity with their victims that comes down to three little words: some assembly required.
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
The problem is that this slick piece of schlock is dull, risible and, ultimately, boring.
Simon Foster, sbs.com.au
A well-staged but exceedingly conventional payoff highlights the fact that the film, despite being based on a perversely scatological and quite horrific premise, is actually rather palatable in its execution.
Norman Wilner, NOW Toronto
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) is one of those movies that's much more entertaining to talk about than it is to actually experience.
Quentin Clarke, Film4
It's an undeniably revolting concept, but most of the actual gore would be matched by your average pre-watershed medical shock doc.
Nigel Andrews, Financial Times
[The sequel] is already in the can. Which is where many of us will be, seeking relief for emetically affected stomachs.

Read all 23 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

MisterYoda ?

2 stars
Joseph M

The Human Centipede is a Gruesome, Disturbing, Surgical Horror, the Acting is dreadful and is not helped by the Laughable Dialogue (even though for most of the film the Dialogue is screaming, Groaning and Crying) The Storyline is well... Different to your average Low Budget Horror,… More
The Human Centipede is a Gruesome, Disturbing, Surgical Horror, the Acting is dreadful and is not helped by the Laughable Dialogue (even though for most of the film the Dialogue is screaming, Groaning and Crying) The Storyline is well... Different to your average Low Budget Horror, Some of the gross out scenes in this film will leave an imprint on your eyes for the rest of your life that is why the film has attracted such a mass cult following. However The Human Centipede is just a bit to clever and disturbing to be viewed as a Cheap, Awful Horror Film though and the I doubt it's the last we will see of this film in the Future... Brace yourself the Human Centipede is not an easy ride..
Directors C

It seems impossible for me to conclude whether I liked The Human Centipede or not. Honestly, i've never had this problem with a film before. Firstly, from a cinematic perspective i'd say its pretty good. The cinematography is academy award worthy and the acting wasn't… More
It seems impossible for me to conclude whether I liked The Human Centipede or not. Honestly, i've never had this problem with a film before. Firstly, from a cinematic perspective i'd say its pretty good. The cinematography is academy award worthy and the acting wasn't as bad as you might expect from a low budget surgical horror movie. Looking at it on behalf of a mainstream audience (as it is Tom Six's first wide international release) the film is further away from good than nearly any film you could think of. It's not what happens in the movie itself that might cause any audience for that matter to vomit. It's the whole idea of why the director made it in the first place. An illusion im not sure Six wanted to create for his feature. Horror fans wont be frightened enough by this. I'd suspect that they'd laugh at it. But then again, horror films are supposed to make you feel uncomfortable and this did me. Also, for the mainstream audience who dont come to the conclusion that its disgusting, vile and rotten to the core will just be sitting there bored for an hour and a half. I was one of those people. Which brings me back to whether I enjoyed it or not, because The Human Centipede (First Sequence) is remarkable from a cinematic view because the way it's been made is unique and unlike anything that's hit cinema screens before. But whether it was actually made to entertain people like a good, solid, enjoyable film or deliberately to upset people and creep them out rather than scare them like the movie is supposed to, remains a mystery.
Cameron S

The Human Centipede. What is thre to say? I thought it would suck, it did. Truth be told though It was strangely enjoyable. The actings bad, the script is stupid, and everything was generally bad. But for some reason, that's what makes it enjoyable, behind people's mouths… More
The Human Centipede. What is thre to say? I thought it would suck, it did. Truth be told though It was strangely enjoyable. The actings bad, the script is stupid, and everything was generally bad. But for some reason, that's what makes it enjoyable, behind people's mouths sewn to peoples behinds there is some kind of message, I'm not quite sure what it was trying to say but if you wade your way through all the trash it's definetely there. But that's not the point, you're not going to watch this looking for art. Just enjoy it in a weirdly trashy kind of way. That being said I'm pretty sure the film only works once, don't bother with the DVD.
E.J. B

Certain horror films have achieved popularity among fans simply because of how much grotesque violence they can successfully depict. Cannibal Holocaust, I Spit on Your Grave, Audition, Nekromantik just to name a few. And oddly enough, all of these have enjoyed a shelf life that many… More
Certain horror films have achieved popularity among fans simply because of how much grotesque violence they can successfully depict. Cannibal Holocaust, I Spit on Your Grave, Audition, Nekromantik just to name a few. And oddly enough, all of these have enjoyed a shelf life that many Oscar winning dramas can only dream of achieving. In my personal opinion, I don't support the idea that audiences can get a kind of catharsis from extreme violence. The film has to justify why it has decided to show this level of violence and for such a prolonged duration of time. I don't admire all of the films that I mentioned above because several of them don't provide that justification. But despite opinion to the contrary, The Human Centipede does. The film shows a gradual devolution of a human being to nothing more than a pet, an insect even more so. It is the ultimate horror, not only in terms of body horror but in the cerebral sense that you are nothing, a mere piece in a much larger entity, although what that entity is supposed to be is completely obscure and undefined. Tom Six, the writer, producer, and director does not bother with any political undertones. He combines sexual desires with horrific metamorphosis of the flesh in very much the same way David Cronenberg has made a career out of. The two female leads are the kind of bimbos that get killed off in the opening credits of most horror movies. But the end of the film raises things places the film into the realm of a tragedy. We've had to endure abusive, inhumane treatment to these three conjoined innocent victims and we can't help but feel sorry for them. It's almost as if the film is pointing the finger at the audience, not by putting us in the same position as the psychotic doctor, but by forcing us to see feel sorry for them as people, something that we weren't doing during the film's first half. For my money, The Human Centipede is a solid horror movie. Tom Six is after something a lot more complex than most of the extreme horror films out there. I don't consider this a mindless exercise in torture porn. There are a lot of interesting ideas at work particularly in the way the film challenges the audience, not only to endure the characters' pain and suffering but to look beyond the violence and the horror. Great stuff! Side note: The film is surprisingly light on gore. Most of the gross stuff happens off screen; your brain does most of the work.
Jameson W

Really gross. I was curious about this film and so I gave it a shot. That's really the only reason I'd recommend it to anyone. Besides that, the acting is dreadful, the writing is weak, and nothing happens except naked people screaming and crying.
KJ P

The Human Centipede is one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen in my entire life. Why did I watch it? I have no idea and as I was sitting through the film, it's no help when you actually feel like part of the centipede. The end is more disturbing than the entire film,… More
The Human Centipede is one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen in my entire life. Why did I watch it? I have no idea and as I was sitting through the film, it's no help when you actually feel like part of the centipede. The end is more disturbing than the entire film, which makes me cringe that I had absolutely no opportunities to take break. I will not recommend this film to anyone, nor will I ever give a star to this film. I am voicing my opinion and that is all. It deserves a spot in the genre of the only film that would ever make anyone cringe. I refuse to rate this film, and I will never change my mind. If this was the only film on earth, I have watched it and ran away from film. It's not bad, It's not good, it's not brilliant, and it's not terrible. Quite frankly, it's not anything that could be put to words. Watch it if you want to have a disgusted blank face. I do not recommend it, but I provide caution for those who do. What did I just watch?
Eric A

Fucking gross. I can usually stomach any film....until this. The upcoming sequel is supposed to be worse, holy cow.
paul o

Honestly, I've seen more brutal films (Requiem for a dream, Deadgirl, and Irreversible). This movie is no different except for the fact that it blows. Not a snuff film, tom six tries to make something different but instead holds onto the one idea he finds dear (3 people being put… More
Honestly, I've seen more brutal films (Requiem for a dream, Deadgirl, and Irreversible). This movie is no different except for the fact that it blows. Not a snuff film, tom six tries to make something different but instead holds onto the one idea he finds dear (3 people being put together) and chooses not to diverge to anything else. Its just an unsatisfying film. I felt empty watching 3 people get attached together...ohhhhhh thats creepy...no it really isn't. A guy shitting out his guts (Deadgirl) or a woman getting raped (Irreversible) is more shocking than this low budget mess
Bethany M

This film is as hard to review as it is to watch. Disgusting, vile, shocking, gross, horrorfying, grotesque and degrading. They are not even half of the words to describe what this film is. I'm surprised that I watched it all the way to the end, and the fact that I did is… More
This film is as hard to review as it is to watch. Disgusting, vile, shocking, gross, horrorfying, grotesque and degrading. They are not even half of the words to describe what this film is. I'm surprised that I watched it all the way to the end, and the fact that I did is somewhat of an acheivement. No doubt, it leaves you in suspense as what the seriously disturbed doctor will do next. Admittingly, it's also a film that you do end up watching to the end just to see how stupid it turns out to be. I don't even know how anyone would let a film like this out to the public. Terrible. Makes you want to throw up anything you've just eaten so I suggest if you really, really do want to watch this. Don't eat beforehand.
Brad W

What the hell did I just watch. A mad doctor finds three victims to create a human centipede. The plot is original, but jobody ever said that an original film would be so f#cked up. The cast was screaming so much I couldn't tell if they were acting. The horror was not scary,… More
What the hell did I just watch. A mad doctor finds three victims to create a human centipede. The plot is original, but jobody ever said that an original film would be so f#cked up. The cast was screaming so much I couldn't tell if they were acting. The horror was not scary, I was never scared, only disgusted. If you wanna puke, go see this film.
Lee ?

A twisted and nauseating tale of a demented German surgeon who seeks to fulfill a vile fantasy of his by creating a 'human centipede'... and he succeeds! Not exactly ideal family viewing, it's a sick and unique experience for those seeking something more extreme and… More
A twisted and nauseating tale of a demented German surgeon who seeks to fulfill a vile fantasy of his by creating a 'human centipede'... and he succeeds! Not exactly ideal family viewing, it's a sick and unique experience for those seeking something more extreme and different. It's gruesome and the premise is outrageous but it was a more serious film than I was expecting. Aside from the stomach-churning stuff it's quite suspenseful and nail-biting at times too. The actor playing the sadistic, but brilliant surgeon was great and makes for one of the most memorable villains in recent years. So I found it a really good watch, looking forward to part 2... if anybody dares releasing it uncut!
Anthony L

The Human Centipede (First Sequence) is highly original in its concept and has pushed the boundaries which should always be encouraged. Unfortunately, it is also a little cliched, especially towards the end and the story suffers because of it. It's either brilliant or complete… More
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) is highly original in its concept and has pushed the boundaries which should always be encouraged. Unfortunately, it is also a little cliched, especially towards the end and the story suffers because of it. It's either brilliant or complete rubbish, I haven't quite made up my mind so I'm going to sit on the fence and rate straight down the middle this time. It is unfortunate that the second film has been banned by most countries as I have a feeling this needs to be viewed as part of a bigger picture.
Michael E

Disgusting, disturbing, and near the end it almost becomes a sick f*cked up comedy routine, which makes sense since the idea for the movie came from a joke
Zach B

Okay, the main point of horror films is to go and give us a little taste of the emotion we do not have all that often: Fear and panic. Most horror films now days have turned into black comedies that they do not, at all scare people. This is a film that brings back that horror, in… More
Okay, the main point of horror films is to go and give us a little taste of the emotion we do not have all that often: Fear and panic. Most horror films now days have turned into black comedies that they do not, at all scare people. This is a film that brings back that horror, in maybe one of the most sickest ways, yet original ways, that has been done in a long time. What is it's horror? Not being killed but how you are being killed, and for someone to chose this method of dieing versus traditional horror films death as to be psychotic to no extent. In terms of directing, this film is taken with a strong atmosphere of seriousness. Director Tom Six is known for creating some schlock filled horror films that people take as a joke due to the tone of those films. This is one that was made with nothing but seriousness. The script, while some of the dialogue is poorly written, has some great moments for the main villain (get to him next). Overall, the direction of this film is, for the most part, not that bad but should of had some work done on it. Now, acting wise, there is really only one actor: Dieter Laser as Dr. Heiter. Now, Laser has been in numerous films all his life and this seems to be the role he was made for. He plays the role of an insane doctor with perfection that it is terrifying at times. He is one sick man who knows how to make people beg for death. He does a good job and is one of the highlights of this film. The other acting, well, there really is no other acting due to what the other three main actors do and as such, I am not going to get into that. Now, the main problem this film has is that people think of this film as a sick comedy and does not watch this film with a serious mind. I will end this review by saying a few things: Like Roger Ebert, this film has no star rating. There is no real genre this film falls into and as such, does not have a star rating. Now, the last thing is: If you watch this film, you will be sickened and disturbed due to the, Centipede that is in this film. Now, do I recommend it? Only if you can handle some of the most grotesque horror out there.
Lafe F

Pretty gross medical experiment! I hope their senses of taste and smell were disabled before they were sewn together. This movie could've been called "The Human Poo-Chew Train!" Sick stuff indeed. It's the next step of torture horror film after Saw and Hostel… More
Pretty gross medical experiment! I hope their senses of taste and smell were disabled before they were sewn together. This movie could've been called "The Human Poo-Chew Train!" Sick stuff indeed. It's the next step of torture horror film after Saw and Hostel movies. The Doctor character (Dieter Laser) was creepily and powerfully acted - he kept the show going, though I wished another Doctor could have captured him and put him through the same or worse ordeal . There was a recent South Park episode based on this movie, which most people might be better-off watching.
J P

Really boring movie actually. I fast forwarded through some parts like the girl being chased through the house and the girl carrying her drugged best friend all over creation. Those scenes were really, really long and boring. Nothing even happened. I didn't like the editing… More
Really boring movie actually. I fast forwarded through some parts like the girl being chased through the house and the girl carrying her drugged best friend all over creation. Those scenes were really, really long and boring. Nothing even happened. I didn't like the editing in this movie either. It felt like a TV movie where the scenes fade to black then a commercial comes on. Every time a scene ended and faded to black, I was expecting a commercial to appear, but then I realized I was watching a movie where there are no commercials. It was really annoying. The acting was bad, the pacing was inconsistent, and the movie was overall boring/pointless. Three people get turned into a human centipede. That's pretty much the bottom line. Nothing else interesting happens. I nearly fell asleep watching this.
jd c

Nauseating and weird. Not gory. But very gross. This movie left a bad odor in the room. Boring at times, but when the wheel gets turning...it turns hard. Pretty good flick, not too slow, but slow enough. With such a low budget it did a great job - even though low quality definitely… More
Nauseating and weird. Not gory. But very gross. This movie left a bad odor in the room. Boring at times, but when the wheel gets turning...it turns hard. Pretty good flick, not too slow, but slow enough. With such a low budget it did a great job - even though low quality definitely showed at times. It's a David Cronenberg meets a Takashi Miike film...edited by John Waters (yes, if you can imagine that.) Don't watch this one before you eat, and if you do, bring a bag with you. Such a bizarre film. <img src="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/Horror%20CF%203/rTHC.jpg">
Michael S

Pretty disappointed with this. Not anywhere near as disturbing as early hype had suggested and also fails as a campy, schlock entertainment. Guess you should skip it... unless you can't help yourself.
Ken S

A hell of a way to start Valentine's Day. Exceedingly gross.