Starring - Helena Wagner, Claudio Morales (In the Land of the Cannibals), and Cindy Jelic Matic (In the Land of the Cannibals)
Release Date - 2004
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Gut-munching terror unleashed"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
Cannibal films are hit and miss with me. I typically enjoy the American cannibal film in which a man or family engages in the consumption of human flesh. These films are usually fun and offer up some real entertainment. The most popular of these films are the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series among several others. The more popular cannibal films usually come out of Italy and are known for completely reinventing the sub-genre with films like Cannibal Ferox, Zombie Holocaust, and Cannibal Holocaust. I am open to all sub-genres of horror but the Italian cannibal sub-genre is one that I don't often check out. That changed recently when Intervision got their hands on the Bruno Mattei sleazy cannibal film from 2004 called Mondo Cannibal. The film is often confused for the 1980 Italian cannibal flick Mondo Cannibale aka White Cannibal Queen. I reached out to Intervision and they were nice enough to send me a copy for review.
The film follows news anchor Grace Forsyte (Wagner) as she puts together a news team to travel to a remote region of the Amazon in search of cannibals as a way to save her career and her failing television station. Along for the ride is another television personality that is also known for his exploits dealing with Amazonian tribes. The team goes further and further into the jungle randomly crossing paths with cannibals in an effort to find a full tribe in the act of consuming flesh. They periodically send their recordings to the station for airing which is met with reluctance but the executives know that cannibalism sells. However, the further and further into the jungle the team goes the more brutal and monstrous they become when they willingly murder the indigenous tribes and rape their women. In turn, the real cannibals look less grisly in comparison. 
Italian cannibal films are known for being inexplicably realistic and brutal pushing the boundaries of what seems real and what is fake. That is one of the many reasons I kinda stay away from the sub-genre because they tend to have more shock than they do substance. However, Bruno Mattei's Mondo Cannibal delivers on the shock and the substance which makes me want to reconsider my stance on the films. The acting in this film is solid across the board with the entire cast giving it their all. I especially enjoy Claudio Morales performance. His character really makes the film what it is and I could not imagine anyone else in this role. The story for this one is one we have saw so many times in this particular sub-genre, especially in the early 80s. A group of people go in the jungle, encounter cannibals, and few, if any, live to tell the tale. This is the sub-genre's go-to story line and for good reason. However, what sets this one apart from the others is the need to follow the story through and not just toss blood and gore at the viewer. Sure, we have blood and gore but the film follows a story instead of just filming kill scenes. Finally, the film has a lot of on screen kills ranging from gun-shots to stabbings and it even includes a few disembowelings. The practical effects for these are also good with the film showing some very impressive gore. Sadly, the film goes for the shock factor and kills a live, juvenile alligator just for entertainment purposes. This did nothing for the story line and was only added for shock value. I am fine with killing an animal for survival or humane purposes but not for entertainment. Overall, Mondo Cannibal is a great addition to the cannibal sub-genre that follows a linear story and gives us some great gore. I recommend this one unless you have a soft spot for animals. 
No comments:
Post a Comment