When you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares right back at you.

Folks, this film is as nasty as its reputation. I've seen very, very horrid/weird stuff like Aftermath, Nekromantik or other vaguely offensive movies but this one takes the cake. I wont say it's good ("good" being an adjective not once approximately insinuated in the film), but I can't say its bad, hence the 5. I'll take it for granted that people reading this review are well aware of the plot, so I won't go through writing about it.

Worst thing about this film is that it's very well produced. Sure looks like this endeavor got a very comfortable budget, and all the people involved are professionals. The latter parts of the movie that aren't sunk in darkness are somewhat beautiful. If you don't listen to the dialog, or anything that happens on screen, there is about a total of 15mns worth of "normal" exchanges and heartfelt relationships throughout the whole film. The main actors are very (not to say pros)convincing. Yet beneath the pretty varnish of inspired lighting and settings (still talking about the first 20mns), this film traumatizes. And while repugnant and depressive, it's pacing and editing drags you to the very end. Quality production overall (but that's hard to confirm, since you'll probably only see it once).

This movie should be (is, in some countries) illegal, and should not be watched by people under, or at least 25/30. One has to have a mature approach to the content in order not to be scarred by this flick.

Here's a none-offensive way to think about it : the Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian people were ravaged by war (1992), and this is their catharsis. Civil war is not about tanks and bullets : its about the desecration and destruction of people. That's about how brutal and merciless this film really is.

It asks all kinds of questions. Mostly to the audience and it's voyeurism. Its a movie about the making of an extreme film, so it involves the viewers and confronts them with their responsibilities...by pretty much the first frames. Smart move for a hard subject (the only redeeming quality of the film).

Isn't that why we're watching horror films in the first place?

The first and foremost question this film asks is - what can one hope for when witnessing the deepest abysses of human depravity?

Can't think of a better answer than : nothingness.

It's one of the only film I've watched that was completely devoid of any human value or respect, but one of the only ones that dealt directly with evil and depravity (to such an extent that it becomes almost a parody at some points, and that certainly helps the afterward-coping).

I watched it once, used up a full week to think about it and get it out of my system, tried it a second time and stopped half an hour in. Now I enjoy Wes Andersons' movies even more.

Be warned.

"A Serbian Film" played at the Brussels Festival of Fantastic Film, and I simply had to watch it because it came with all kind of warnings like "this movie contains extremely violent scenes that might shock some people." Okay, usually I'm not the least bit impressed by this sort of clever tricks to lure more people to the theater, but in this case it must have some kind of significance, because the regulars at this festival are quite used to seeing extreme bloodshed, perversity and madness. If the organizers of this particular festival felt there was a necessity to provide additional warnings to this crowd of loyal genre fanatics, than this must be an exceptionally shocking film. And it is Well, let's just say there are certain sequences that are too revolting for words, but naturally the film itself is nothing extraordinary or even half-decent viewing material. The explicit pornographic footage is shocking merely for the sake of shocking and the most controversial sequences (one involving a newborn baby) are totally redundant and have absolutely no adding value.

Personally, I'm having difficulties understanding what exactly the makers of "A Serbian Film"wanted to accomplish here. Thanks to films like "Hostel", half of the world already thinks that East-European countries are rotten places and that all the people living there are sick and violent psychopaths. With this film, writers Aleksander Radivojevic and Srdjan Spasojevic only seem to confirm and intensify this sordid reputation like they are proud of living in a country the rest of the world thinks is a hellhole. Both gentlemen were present at the Brussels Festival to promote their film to die-hard cult audiences and naturally they were asked why they felt the need to make such a heinous and disturbing movie. They replied that the movie contains a massive amount of frustrations that are irrevocably linked to living in Serbia, like continuous economic recession, post-Yugoslavian war traumas and political instability. Okay, I can relate to that, but is shooting a brutal and vicious pseudo-snuff film really the right way to process this oppressed anger?

The story introduces retired and literally hung-like-a-horse porn star Milos. He's worried about not being able to support his wife and son these days, but then he receives an offer he can't refuse. The sleazy Vukmir wants Milos to play the lead part in his supposedly experimental and artistic motion picture and offers him a paycheck he can't possible resist. The only condition is that Milos doesn't have any insight in the script and shoots his scenes on a day by day basis. Quite obviously Vukmir is producing a snuff movie and forces Milos, whether or not under the influence of drugs, to do extremely nasty stuff to his co-actresses in front of the camera. Undoubtedly, "A Serbian Film" is deeply unpleasant and grim, but the film isn't so much disturbing as it is gratuitous and provocative. You could tell the makers were proudly smirking when people stood up and walked out of the theater before the film was finished. The depiction of sex and violence are disgusting, but especially the tone and narrative are mean-spirited. And yet, all "A Serbian Film" is pretty well-made with imaginative camera-work and rough but professional editing. The soundtrack is terrific (that is, if you like loud and boisterous techno/dubstep tunes) and the acting is pretty decent. The film contains at least four sequences that I'll never ever forget in my life. Yikes.

An ageing porn star is given a chance to do something a little different, a movie that will take him in a whole new direction.

I was warned, I was warned by people who will probably read this review, I said I'd post it after watching it.

Initially there are a few interesting moments, and a few scenes where you're think you're in for something good, sadly as it progresses, all that is wiped, and lost in among a slurry of blood and gore. It simply goes too far, there were some decent ideas, but the realisation was just loathsome.

I wish I hadn't watched it, this has overtaken The Human Centipede as the movie I wish I could unsee. I am struggling to agree with those that class this as an art film, that's a joke, it's purely a sick fest, a movie about exploitation and depravity of the highest order.

I ordered this on dvd, I genuinely plan of chucking the disc at the bottom of a skip, in the hope that nobody picks it up and tries to watch it.

Detestable.

1/10.