Destroy every copy of this film!

Rating: 1/10 (29 May 2007)

Lesson 1: It pays to do your research! The plot of this film is utterly wretched. I simply can't find adjectives bad enough to describe it. Save yourself the trouble and find something else to pass the time. Having seen 'Tarantino' somewhere in the opening credits, I felt casually reassured that the film would be worth watching in the erroneous belief that it was he who wrote and directed it. Monumental mistake! OK I thought, so this is maybe not another 'Pulp Fiction' or 'Kill Bill' - no one can keep churning masterpieces forever, can they? - but it's Tarantino and anything coming from him must be worth a look.
When the film had finished I sat a few minutes in disbelief. Had Tarantino finally 'lost the plot' ? Delirious with shock, I reasoned that he's maybe in a 'transitional period' exploring the boundaries of gore and decency: new avenues to shock, horror and disgust? Or maybe past successes have finally gone to his head. Thus every now and then, bored, he might emerge from retirement and make a few more bucks knocking out a flick, secure in the knowledge that his name alone would get the audiences (and money) rolling in. But of course, Tarantino didn't write and direct this film as I found out ONLY when I ventured to air my disgust here. As I say . . . do your research! In some frighteningly obscure way the film oversteps the boundary between acceptable horror fantasy and a horrific plausible reality. It explores incomprehensible sadistic depravity at its most extreme making it effortless to place yourself in the role of the victim! There is no detachment: the scenes of torture are as graphic as you can imagine. In this sense it is wholly irresponsible. Such is the theme of this film that it conveys a grave and disturbing sense that somewhere out there it will serve to fuel the perverse appetite and imagination of a sick, sadistic monster that may go out and re-enact exactly what they've just seen.
If I had my way, I would destroy every copy of the film in existence, ban Eli Roth from ever making another film and fine Mr Tarantino for his part in its production. The makers of this film are evidently devoid of any moral responsibility to society in lacking the foresight to realise that there really are sick, perverted monsters out there who could use such material as a blueprint. Had the torture scenes featured children or pregnant women there would (hopefully) have been moral outrage. As it stands, Eli Roth has sailed as close to that precipice as he possibly could and so far seems to have gotten away with it.