So maybe not so much of a surprise for fans of Eli Roth but
I’ve never included myself among that group. I’m not one of those that have
piled hate upon the writer/director as some have but I’ve also not been one to
sing praises for him as well. I thought CABIN FEVER felt like the middle of a
movie rather than one with an end. I found both HOSTEL films to be tasteless
and self-serving to gore hounds and not horror or mystery fans. And honestly
with the exception of those two films what else has Roth been known for?
He is definitely a fan of movies and I love that about him.
His enthusiasm for making movies is also infectious. Because of these things
I’ve never been one of those people that have wished him ill will or for his
films to fail before they were released. So when I sat down to watch THE GREEN
INFERNO, knowing not just what I felt about Roth’s movies but all of the
controversy surrounding the subject matter and release of the film I didn’t
expect much. What I got was a pleasant surprise.
Let’s start off by making it clear that Roth is not just a
movie fan but a lover of the classic exploitation films of the past. One of the
genres that he loved and talks about were the cannibal movies that came out in
a burst some years ago. Movies like CANNIBAL FEROX and CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST are
must see movies for horror fans and films that have driven people into the
lobby of many a theater in search of something to heave into. When you see some
of the things that have happened in these films you have to wonder going in
just what Roth could add to that.
The film opens with a young college student named Justine
(Lorenza Izzo) waking up to the sound of a small protest group on campus on a
Sunday morning. As she walks outside later she catches the eye of the leader of
the group, Alejandro (Ariel Levy). Attracted but knowing he’s spoken for she
moves on.
Justine ends up having dinner with her father, a career
diplomat for the U.S. and they have the standard idealistic young person versus
cynic world traveled father. They part on good terms though with Justine
letting him know that she’s joined the group of peaceful activists and hopes to
go with them on a “class trip” to South America. In reality the plan is to
disrupt a tree harvesting group that’s tearing down the rain forest and forcing
out primitive tribes in the area.
The group arrives and instructions are given. The group
plans to live stream their activities online as they happen. As they chain
themselves to the trees to prevent them from being torn down, Justine’s lock
doesn’t work. It is then that she realizes that she’s been used. Armed
mercenaries rain down on the group and Alejandro lets them know who Justine is
or better yet who her father is. Rather than be shot the mercs unchain the
group and send them packing back home.
But on the way the plane they are in has trouble and crash
lands. Some members of the group are instantly killed, some injured and others
battered but fine. As they try to find a way to communicate their whereabouts
and get help, a red painted tribe approaches them. These were the people they
came to save. Too bad this is the same group that captures them and takes them
to their village. Not only that but before long they find out the intentions of
this tribe. The noble minded students are soon to be dinner for their captors
as is almost always the case in films of this genre.
The rest of the movie moves back and forth between attempts
by various members of this group to escape and their being fileted or tortured
by the tribe. While the visuals are gut wrenching, figuratively and actually,
there is a certain amount of humor to be found in the predicament of the
bleeding heart (no pun intended) students who came to save this group now being
devoured by them.
Aside from the gore the movie is an amazingly beautiful film
in both color and content when it comes to the jungle scenes on display. The
contrast by the lush green locations up against the red painted natives is eye
popping. While watching the film I was stunned by each shots capture of the
beauty of the land where it takes place. It made the violence feel out of place
and yet appropriate at the same time. More than any film he’s done so far, this
movie showed that Roth does indeed have a director’s eye.
The mystery of the film, whether or not any of these student
activists will survive, plays on you from the moment they are caught until the
end of the film. Their idealism is to be cheered but their activities
questioned. And just which ones are the savages is left to the viewer to decide
once the end credits roll.
I may have to change my opinion of Eli Roth as a director.
This makes the second film he’s been involved with (the other as
actor/producer) that I’ve enjoyed now. Hopefully he will make more films as the
years progress and will make them more along the lines of this one than those
in the past. I wish he would branch out into other genres where the gore isn’t
the focus of what it going on, perhaps a western. He has the talent and this
film shows that. It would be nice to see him use it for more than just blood
and guts. As for this movie, if you aren’t disturbed by extreme gore, then it’s
definitely worth watching.
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