User reviews

Nothing to see here. It's predictable in that it has no story (as I suppose is how these movies are) but even still, I think some plot worth more than a dime would be have been suffice. I don't think the gore to be honest is all that much from what I can see...I know for some it would be too much but I wasn't impressed nor grossed out. To me, Hostel does about the same, in smaller amounts but more stylishly. This movie gets a zero for style points...any sense of character development is simply plodding. There's no real direction or purpose here. A cut here, a nip there...the implausible, downright comical escape which seems (pardon the pun) a complete detachment from the rest of the 'so called' movie. I'd say the ending only serves its purpose in that it finally puts this film out of its misery as well as its disappointment viewers.

I know this was withdrawn by the BBFC, but I can't believe this was even considered for a release. I just finished watching it and it is basically just 2 people (a guy and a gal) getting tortured, raped and abused by a sick deviate! What you see on screen is VERY hard to watch at times (Nipples getting cut off with a pair of scissors, and a rape scene involving both the MALE and FEMALE!)), and the camera never shies away. I must say the gore effects are very well done. I picked my copy up off ebay for 4 pounds, I Wasn't disappointed, I knew what I was letting myself in for, but it is very sick, and most people will absolutely hate it...plus there is ablsolutley no plot whatsoever, why he tortures these two nobody really knows!

How on earth this nearly saw the light of day in the UK, the BBFC would have been slaughtered for letting it through!

Grotesque (2009)

*** (out of 4)

Extremely graphic, depraved and vile film from Japan about teenagers Kazuo (Hiroaki Kawatsure) and Aki (Tsugumi Nagasawa) who are on their first date when they're kidnapped by a sadistic surgeon (Shigeo Osako) who takes them back to his house, ties them up and begins to torture them. As a life-long horror fan it seems every few one, two or three new movies cause a stir but when you finally get around to watching them it's clear that it was all hype and they're usually disappointing. Over the past few weeks I had heard a lot of GROTESQUE and I must say that director Koji Shiraishi has made a very brutal film that lives up to everything that has been said about it. The movie is a vile piece of trash but there's no question that it's well-made and certainly effective. I guess you could say that this is Japan's answer to American series like SAW and HOSTEL but those films don't have anything on this. The torture scenes, as you'd expect, are extremely graphic in detail so I'd say that 98% of people out there aren't going to be able to stomach them. I'm a pretty jaded horror fan and I've seen some incredibly brutal films but this here would certainly rank right near the top. The sexual violence in the film includes an incredibly humiliating situation where the girl is raped in a way that I won't ruin here but it's certainly one of the most unpleasant things you're going to see. The torture devices include a chainsaw, eye gouging and a couple scenes to the male anatomy that is going to have male viewers turning their heads like children. At just 75-minutes the film really doesn't waste any time building up a story or trying the stretch out the characters. In all honesty this is a good thing because a film like this doesn't need any boring backstory and in fact the worst thing about the movie is the one flashback introduction to the two teens. The performances by the three actors are extremely good and very believable. Both victims really make you feel the pain they're going through and Osako is so cold and chilling that he's certainly a character you'll never get out of your mind. GROTESQUE is thankfully going to appeal to very few people and it's hard to recommend except to those who want to see how far you can be pushed with violence and torture. It's hard to stomach but it's effective.

For years I have watched some of the most graphic, intense, and disturbing movies that I can find. This isn't because I'm some twisted weirdo or anything, but because I'm an all-encompassing cinephile that can and has given 10 star ratings to movies from Beauty And The Beast to Antichrist. To truly love all that film has to offer, you have to understand all that film has to offer.

When you watch extreme cinema, you have to know that the violence and imagery is, if used correctly, serving a purpose, which is usually to heighten your senses of pity, disgust, sympathy, repulsion, etc. Also, it's best if the film has some sort of purpose: Salo is a metaphor for how the upper-class treats and exploits those that they deem below them, Hostel is a satire on the image of the ugly American that has been experienced by other countries, and I could keep going.

This brings me to this film, Grotesque. Without ruining the film (it does that on its own), I will say that there is only the slightest bit of back-story (which is lazily done and seems it might have been an afterthought), and no attempt at putting any of this within context. Bottom line: a guy abducts a couple and brutally tortures them. That's it. No point, no reason, no character development, nothing.

Not only that, it's a technically flawed film as well. The cinematography is horrible: hand-held zoom-ins, overdone color filters, and an overall poor job. It doesn't help that the majority of the film is very dark and shot on digital video, so you get that annoying video blur whenever the camera moves. In terms of writing, for the most part there isn't any. When the film finally gets to a point when the characters are saying something other than "Please stop!" or "Why are you doing this?!", they act in a way that makes absolutely no sense. People that would have gone through what they went would never, ever, show the signs of acceptance or gullibility that they do. They would be hardened or almost catatonic. If that's not enough, the finale radically shifts the tone for seemingly a cheap laugh in a movie that hasn't earned or even tried to get that reaction at any time beforehand.

Whenever I see someone review a film with this level of violence and knock it, even if I think it's great, I understand. These type of films are not everyone's cup of tea. When they say it was just pointless violence, however, I usually check out of the movie and assume they did the same with the movie. With Grotesque, I guarantee I never check out of the film. I stuck with it. I assumed there would eventually be a twist or revelation that would give this film a reason to exist. I assumed wrong.

I'm a big fan of Horror and especially import Horror movies, But this wasn't my thing at all. The new wave snuff films (or rebirth of 70's uber violent films) are just not my taste... this movie is a prime example of these pointless torture movies, While in context the aspect of torture in a horror film i.e. Saw, Hellraiser, Texas chainsaw (the original) etc... works great because it's bad people getting their come up-pence or just a cautionary of the cruelty of man but this film is just a fictionalized snuff film with no story what so ever. Watching people getting brutally killed (particularly those who were just there) for the bulk of the movie then.... "the end" after some silly f/x does nothing for me except feeling a little dirty for watching this piece of trash.

If you a fan of Devils rejects, Vacancy and the like check it out but if you are like me a little and like at least a little mental stimulation with your gore fix skip this one.

Have seen a lot of horrors and this isn't one of them, no thrill, no build up and certainly no suspense. If seeing people raped and mutilated is your thing then this is for you. However, have to recommend any of the saw's for a proper build up where you are honestly left wondering whats coming next.

Have never registered with IMDb before and always trusted peoples judgement. I am asking you please trust mine and find something to make you sit on the edge of your seat instead of this excuse to show abuse.

It has since me writing this been banned from the UK purely for its violence, i think it simply should have been banned for the plot. The reason being, there isn't one.

This to me is what Hostel, Saw, and the myriad of other torture porn flicks over the years tried to do. I saw this film back in 2009 and I can remember the entire film vividly. The plot although tenuous is so disturbing and nihilistic that I felt I had to take a shower after the film. We have 3 characters in this film and almost the entire running length takes place in a dark dank underlit torture room reminiscent to a nazi-experiment chamber. I give this film a 7/10 for the sheer nastiness and how relentless the film is in depicting the pain and suffering of the two young youths abducted. This film has guts and guts is what you will see. I am not surprised the Nick Cage thought this was a snuff film because for the life of me this felt so bloody real. After the film I was so disturbed and depressed that I couldn't walk home alone. This hasn't happened since the original Halloween for me but I was just a kid than. If you couldn't handle Human Centipede, Serbian film or the Antichrist than stay far away from this one. You have been warned!!!!!

A doctor with sickening and depraved needs kidnaps a teenage couple and forces them to play his depraved game of physical and psychological torment and agony, whilst constantly teasing them with promises of eventual survival and release. This film will no doubt stimulate debate, particularly In the 'English speaking world', as to what Is acceptable In movies and what Isn't (Japanese cinema Isn't very well represented outside of Japan, so the current and most popular genres of modern Japanese cinema are largely unknown to the outside world). How this film passed the censors Is beyond me, yet 'Grotesque' Is apparently available to buy and rent In most countries.It has very realistic scenes of male and female rape and the most terrible kinds of torture Imaginable. The whole thing has only the three characters and apart from the opening scenes, we never go beyond a couple of rooms throughout the whole movie.If you enjoy extreme physical & psychological torture, then this Is certainly the film for you. Sadly, there's no story to It - we just watch the agony of the two Innocent kids!

Well, having heard mention of the BBFC banning on Twitter, old school curiosity got the better of me. That compounded by being told I'm not allow to, made me watch it.

I have to say I'm surprised they even bothered going to the expense and effort of submitting it to the BBFC. I can't see them ever passing it really. Its competently made, and fairly well filmed considering (compared to the Guinea Pig films at least) but really has no emotional content or story. Pretty much just the couple and the torturer, and about 3 locations. Admittedly I saw it with no subtitles but there was obviously not much going on story wise, just abuse and torture in a fairly unpleasant way. As usual for these types of movies, fairly boring and pointless, interspersed with endurance pushing scenes of torture. The only bit of amusing fun gore was the absurd scenes at the end. On the whole not really recommended.

Maybe I'm getting old, but I really can't work out anymore what or who this type of film is made for.

Just watched and only because it is banned and therefore had to seek it out and say a big ' f#@k ' u to any board who try to stop me from watching a film unless of course it involves snuff, real animal killings or kids. Anyways, the film was quite well shot and the acting for what it was - was good. All and all the production values are great. I wouldn't say gore wise this over-tops anything else that is out there especially from Japan (thinks Ichi the killer) but it is as full on as it can go.

what turned me of was that the movie is very mean spirited and has no other feature than to show the torture and brutality inflicted on our two victims. The story is very basic even for a slasher with very minimal exposition. Two people are kidnapped and tortured in full on ways - that's it I didn't learn anything here nor did i come away entertained so one has to ask why was it made - who was the director thinking this would please audience wise. The film is at the very edge as far as a film can show and if that is the sole purpose then congrats to the film makers but this isn't my type of film and i doubt it would be a repeated view for many sane people out there. This is a one time watch if that and only if you are curious about it.

With no real contexts, all you are left with is graphic torture after another and if that is all that entertains you when you watch a film..well....i am frankly a bit scared of you. I don't mind the occasional torture scene liking films such as Hostel, Texas Chainsaw, Inside, High Tension, Martyrs, Frontiers and the Saw franchise but for all there faults they all give you some story, breathing room between the torture scenes, production, some meaning and actually entertain. If being locked in the same room for and hour and 15 minutes while you watch the most extreme close ups of sadistic torture without anything else to it thrills you then maybe this movie is for you.

I am trying to stress i am not opposed to gore, i am personally just opposed to gore alone with no other meaning besides thrilling those sickos that like this stuff and revolting everyone else - simply to revolt. That's not film-making to me.

For me, there is no redeeming factors to this movie besides some production value and the debate it will create around censorship and going to far in film. Regardless of the film just being mean spirit, the film is actually just a bad film. If your curious due to it being a banned film in 2009 (i can't believe a film is banned in this day and age) or just like a bit of gore than seek it out and have a look but i don't think this is a film that many will sincerely enjoy and watch again. The only merit here may be to other film makers regarding the production value and Japanese horror theater but to the casual viewer there is nothing here for you - but it doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to watch it.

well i have seen this film at an unofficial screening,and i knew that i am neither disgusted nor thrilled by the body horror scenes (cutting of organs, blood-wash etc), i can really 'keep that as just a part of the narrative' as it were, and evaluate the film for its cinematic virtues. so i am not going to judge the film for not meeting any expectations of disgust/excitement,but rather point out that

it really has no plot, and no visuality to speak about, i guess the film crew relied on the snuff-ish scenes to make up for the costs,because other than them, the movie is devoid of anything at all worth mentioning. as a counter-example, i could speak about ring (both USA and jap. versions), saw series, 28 days/weeks later, all of which present various points of view, subtexts, sequences of elaborate cinematography etc., and which all, in my opinion, deserve being watched several times in ones life time. so believe it or not, its not my elitism, extreme high modernist tastes etc. by all means, this film is a crap

A physco torture a new couple in extreme manner with any revenge motive...this is story and screenplay of the movie without twists and turns..i dont recommend to this film for weak heartened peoples...

Everybody was hyped when Gurotesuku was banned in the United Kingdom...me included.

I was expecting the Japaness "August Underground", in term of shock and violence, but it's not.

The plot is just a excuse to show some violence: a maniac kidnaps a couple and tortures them.

The movie had good special effects, but it's NOT that violent for enter in the annals of extreme cinema, don't trust comments like "Gorey as *beep*, U ARE A PERV IF U WATCH DIS !" Gurotesuku is the perfect example how banning a movie can make it popular on the internet and international market.

Want a real shocking movie ? Check out: Cannibal Holocaust and the August Underground trilogy.

"Grotesque" is a Japanese horror movie directed by Koji Shiraishi year 2009. This film only runs for at least 70 minutes.

Not much plot is in this movie. A sick doctor kidnaps a couple and torture them in different ways, often in gory ways.

As a torture movie, this film can clearly be classified as a "torture-porn", or more likely "gorno". With a lot of torture throughout this film, it can also be called a modern variant of the infamous "Guinea Pig"-film series, especially the first two movies being "Devil's Experiment" and "Flower of Flesh and Blood", which "Grotesque" seems to pay a homage to.

Like other films like "Ichi the Killer" and "Murder-Set-Pieces", this film was said to be available in Norway with an 18-rating, only to get banned later by Medietilsynet (the Norwegian answer to MPAA). Even on the Danish DVD I have it clearly says that this film is banned both in Norway and the UK.

In the UK this film is banned by BBFC, because this film has minimal narrative or character development and features more humiliation, brutality and sadism.

Absolutely NOT for weak stomach and any viewer under the age of 18.

So, can you manage to stomach through this Japanese hell of a movie, which is even worse than "Hostel" and "Saw" altogether?

Grotesque is a challenge of the visual senses, horror for the visually challenged, where at one point at to stop, then resumed viewing it later. The plot is simple, yet from the doctor's crazed point of view, the premise is rather intriguing. A young innocent couple who are going steady, I guess, after dining out, are kidnapped by this brilliant maniacal surgeon, who has them tied up in his basement, what have you and tortures the living f..k out of them. His reasons are, for his own sick entertainment, to see how much they can endure or hold out, before they give up, and accept the inescapable fate of death. Also he wants to test their love against each other. I'm not gonna tell you what he does to em', but it's a lot to take. I'll leave that to the imagination of us sick ones to conjurer thoughts and images. For some of you, you'll be screaming for a re watch of Audition or even Hostel, which would come as a relief, as it would a comedy, after trying to get through this. This is a movie, you don't undermine for it's shocking violence, where each sick torturous act out shocks the last (some torturous methods, mirroring the ones in Daddy's Little Girl), and don't think for a second, cause of it's 73 minute running time, that it lessens the amount of horror you expect to see. You don't get away that easy. Actually in it's early part, I was actually disappointed as awaiting the real moments of shocking violence, where I guess my expectations were fading, or I was dubious, but with the buzz of that chainsaw sounding, I was quickly corrected. It's a film, really for the toughest of the senses. I'm not kidding. I'm never been so unnerved or discomforted by a film such as this, truly my heart was beating a lot through this intense view. This unsettling view isn't helped, when the actors don't overact. They put just the right amount of acting into their believable characters. One shocking tease to the film, involves a scene which at first, you don't think is a dream, which for one victim counts as a double whammy of a downer. This whole merciless film has nasty intentions, a lot of people will find it repellent, where the stronger ones will see the view through. The burial scene of our ill fated lovers at the end was memorably bizarre, it's actually the strongest image of the film, I can't get out of my head. But with all I've said, what it all boils down to is a movie almost wholly based on torture, saved for two scenes. This doesn't constitute for good horror, but for it's qualities to shock, unnerve and intensify, I must praise this nasty piece of horror, for what is, despite it's degrading or immoral themes, upon two human beings. God forbid, this one spawns a sequel, I for one, don't think I could stomach it.

It's funny because if Grotesque wasn't banned in the UK then I don't think I would have bothered watching it. No one would probably have even heard of Grotesque if the BBFC slapped an 18 certificate on it, but because they refused it has turned into something of a cult hit. It's a curiosity piece for connoisseurs of carnage but those looking to get truly disturbed are likely to be disappointed. I don't quite understand the reasons for the ban as Grotesque shows us nothing that we haven't seen before. In fact, it's so over-the-top in its ideas and execution that it's more likely to illicit laughs from viewers more than anything.

If you look at Kôji Shiraishi's earlier found footage horror, Noroi: The Curse then you'll find an expertly executed chiller that relies on atmosphere and imagery to produce genuine scares. Grotesque is pretty much the opposite to Noroi. I can't believe it's made by the same director as Noroi which is quite possibly the scariest film I have ever experienced. The only thing scary about Grotesque is how bad it is. To sum it up, it's two people in a room getting tortured by a psychopathic doctor. They were just walking back from their first date and a crazy man bops them on the head and they have to sexually excite him with their will to survive.

It's a terribly thin plot which only the thick and the psychotic would appreciate. Somehow though it isn't as boring as it sounds. It's only 70 minutes long but even still, a film set in one room with only three characters could easily drag, but Grotesque zips along quite merrily. This is the only redeeming quality of the film, it's never boring. But maybe that's because I was just waiting to see how far my cringe threshold could take. I won't spoil anything, but I was thrashing about like a that's sheep about to get sheared in a scene which involved an eye. I hate eyes and this scene is almost up there with Zombie Flesh Eaters.

It's just a series of gore scenes really and I have to say that the special effects are very good. The acting was also better than I was expecting, with the doctor being particularly menacing and convincing. It's also pretty well-made for the most part, although parts did look very amateur. In the end though Grotesque is just a pointless exercise in shock. It ends up being so melodramatic and ridiculous though that it just becomes funny.

Grotesque is worth one watch if you're curious and a hardened horror nut. Most people will know what their getting themselves into and at least there's more entertainment value in this than seriously sick stuff like the Guinea Pig and Slaughtered Vomit Dolls films. This one does have a dark sense of humour but the plot is non-existent and the characters are un-investable. The amount of gore and depravity is quite shocking at times but even still it's almost instantly forgettable as soon as the credits roll.