Srpski film (2010) Reviews

• A friendly warning

  figueira-g2012-08-16

  Consider this not exactly as a review, but as a warning from a friend, in case you haven't seen this film yet and are curious about it. There are already many good reviews here dealing with the cinematographic, technical, cultural etc aspects of this film, so I won't add anything new there. This is not about the film, but about you, the potential viewer. As many other reviewers, I've seen a significant amount of "extreme" or strong horror movies. Fear and shock are powerful emotions, and films are a safe and entertaining way of experiencing them. Some of them left a deep impression in me, sometimes for a few days, but that eventually vanishes. With this film, it's a different story. It may leave permanent scars in your mind that will ruin some of the best experiences of your life, such as witnessing the birth of your child or lying in bed caressing a son's hair. Violent and obscene thoughts will keep intruding, and it's scary for me to think how much this can affect some people. If you think that you may belong to this group, don't risk it. There are many good films out there, and you may go on living without watching this one. Otherwise, go and watch it, but just remember that images can not be erased from your brain aftewards. This is why this is so different. The fear does not come during the movie. It comes after. And it is too real.

• Every exploitation trick in the book . .

  meccanici2010-07-25

  This review contains spoilers - and descriptions of scenes depicted in Srpski Film. A baby is graphically birthed on screen by a large bald man. The mother lies prone, and pushes the baby out into his hands. He then takes down his underwear, and rapes the screaming newborn baby - on screen. A man is shown violently anally raping (onscreen) a young child - his own son, after he is injected with massive doses of a powerful sexual stimulant. The boy - presumably also drugged - lies face-down, bleeding profusely from his anus as the man continues a sustained sexual attack. Evidently, this is art. The thing that bothered me the most about Srpski Film isn't necessarily its use of deliberate shock, and taboo busting scenes designed to offend. It is the way in which Srdjan Spasojevic tries to cover his dubious tracks by passing it off as some kind of artistic political allegory about life in Serbia. I was aware of the fact that I was increasingly annoyed as I watched this film - mainly because the filmmakers use every trick in the book, and obviously some new ones to batter the viewer over the head with aggressive imagery, in order to make enough social fuss to draw in viewers. It doesn't necessarily make it a good film, although it is admittedly well shot, and well acted. It almost reminded me of seeing footage of beheadings on the internet. It's supposed to be profound in some way, but ultimately it is just irredeemable pain and destruction, and contains no social commentary at all. Realistic torture and extremely graphic rape scenes usually make a negative impact on the viewer, because they are horrific and unpleasant subjects. Using babies and children does not make it artistic, independent of your cultural origins - although some people claim that it is art. I saw another review of this film that evidently recognised genuine "art" in every single frame I, like some of the other reviewers - have happily watched horror and exploitation movies for years - but so what? It doesn't make any difference whatsoever. Sub-genres come and go, and the recent tide of shocking torture films are more akin to a test of the viewer's resolve, than the slices of entertainment they used to be. Fair enough - if you don't like them then don't watch. I am a film fan. I definitely love film. I just don't love this kind of film, or the thinly veiled attempts to disguise absolute exploitation as something profound.

• Crueler than cruel, darker than dark, more vile than vile entertainment

  Meven_Stoffat2011-01-12

  A Serbian Film is an ugly, cruel, nihilistic and depressing movie- one I regret having seen. I definitely recommend you stay away from it- no matter how much you love "shock" movies, or if you can take "sick, shocking stuff". Mind you, I can stand shock movies. One of my top films of all time, Cannibal Holocaust, is a film that is considered a "shock" film, but it's more than just a film with shock scenes, as the ending challenges the viewer to question our corrupt morals nowadays. A Serbian Film does not do that at all, it exists only to subject its viewer to ugly, vile, and repugnant stuff that would make the Saw movies look like a teddy bear's picnic. A Serbian Film follows Milos, an ageing porn star who has taken a bit of a break from the "biz" live a nice life at home with his lovely wife, a translator, and his son, who is enrolled in singing classes. One day he is called to lunch, where he is offered a chance at redemption- a new porn film. His agent has not much info since the company prefers to keep its details secret, which leads him to question if he should do it or not. After his wife pushes a few buttons, he reluctantly agrees to star in the film and gets good and ready for the shoot. But things don't sound right- for starters, the man in charge seems to be a little sinister, and the moment the shoot starts, things don't seem right. The shoot is taking place in an abandoned children's hospital, and the whole atmosphere is creepy and disturbing. The situations involved are some of the weirdest he's ever seen. After an oral sex shooting day, he slowly begins to figure something is wrong with the shoot. It isn't until a nightmare he has, and an unpleasant shooting day where he finally decides to to leave the shoot for good. His decision is final after he is shown a video of a newborn infant being penetrated, which the director calls "newborn porn". Then, from there, things get worse as he finds out he has done sick things unconsciously after waking up with no memory. If you felt uncomfortable reading the second paragraph of the synopsis, I don't blame you, I felt uncomfortable typing it. I decided not to type the rest of what happens since there is absolutely no need to mention such disgusting, demoralizing and repugnant content. I'm sure most of the other reviews on here have done the deed, and without a doubt this film disturb even the toughest and most macho. I can't come down on the film too hard though, because I'd be lying if I said it wasn't well done. The cinematography is well done and there are some nice, dark and creepy moments here. The acting is pretty good, especially from Milos, and that's where it stops. It's too bad a good concept got wasted on sacrifice of good storyline for sick, disgusting and shocking moments. This takes up half of the film, and is just unnecessary and absolutely demoralizing. Likelihood I'll ever watch this movie again? Definitely never. To quote Ain't-it-Cool-News' review of "Chaos", "Why do we need this s--t anyways?"

• Nastiest Film Ever...Most Probably!!!

  Nightmare-Maker2010-07-26

  OK, I finally got round to watching A Serbian FILM. I consider myself to be in the heavyweight division when it comes to having seen the most hardcore of horror/shock films, i.e, Slaughtered Vomit Dolls, The Gateway Meat, Murder-Set-Pieces, Irreversible, Men Behind The Sun, All the Cannibal films, Nekromantik....you name it, I've probably seen it. Now, I have to say, NONE are as nasty as this beast! Im not going to say what happens in the film, but even for me, some was hard to watch. BUT the actual film is GOOD!...If you can get through it. The basic story is about a guy called Milos, who is a retired porn star, who in his day was the best actor in the business. Now he is a bit skint, so when he gets offered one last job, offering him enough money to set him and his family up for life, he just can't turn it down. He asks what the film is about, but the employer is reluctant to tell.....what happens is indescribable!!! Like I said it is very hard to watch in some scenes, but the film is actually really good, and the acting is solid throughout. You got to think, the poorer European countries, are rife with crime, and money goes a long way. So if you are having hard times and a massive money offer comes your way...How far would you go! For me 8/10, but I can't recommend it, simply for the content in the film. But if you think you can take it, and can appreciate it for the film it is, go for it!

• Throw In As Many Taboo Subjects As You Can In A Story That Had Potential And You Have A Profit

  Chrysanthepop2011-03-19

  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 'Irreverible' 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. Srđan Todorović does a fine job as retired pornstar Miloš. Sergej Trifunović does tend to be over the top to the point of being a caricature but that was perhaps the intention. This is not the kind of movie that I would revisit. Though it pretends to raise some questions it only ends up being another pretentious extreme movie.