Review of A Serbian Film (2010) by Peter F — 12 Oct 2010

Already doing the rounds all over the internet as the most vile, disgusting, deplorable, depraved and just plain wrong movie ever committed to film. "A Serbian Film" certainly is all of these things in many respects but then again it wants to be all of those things and more.

The BBFC censors have already had a field day with the film by editing and censoring it so it can be released on DVD with an 18 certificate, even horror movie festival Fright Fest refused to show a censored version of the film earlier this year....So the film has gained all the credentials it needs to be lumped in with the old video nasties crowd aswell as being coupled with Lars Von Triers "Antichrist", a recent film that had some trouble with the censors and viewers at the Cannes film festival.

"A Serbian Film" tells the story of Milos a retired porn star who is now a husband and father but is struggling financially. When Milos receives a phone call from a former colleague named Layla, she tells him of a business deal that will put an end to his finacial troubles and will bring him out of retirement. Milos meets with Layla who explains that the opportunity involves working for a new director named Vukmir who views pornography as somekind of philosophical artform and wants Milos with his legendary status as a porn god to be the star of his "art" film.

After meeting with Vukmir Milos agrees to work with the director despite being apprhensive about the fact that he doesn't understand what exactly the filming will entail.

What follows is a series of shock for shocks sake scenes starting off fairly tame albeit in the pornographic sense of the word tame, each following scene outdoing the last one by being more graphic and grotesque with every sexual taboo subject covered ...rape, necrophilia, incest, paedophilia, etc, etc, etc. One scene in particular will stick with me for a long time to come despite the fact I really don't want it to, it really is a very sickening scene to witness and I have no doubt it is the number 1 reason as to why the film has been on the BBFC's chopping block.

So for all it's shock value what else does "A Serbian Film" have to offer?...well nothing is the short and simple answer. Takeaway all of it's gruesomeness and you're left with no film to speak of, the film has been tagged as part of the tiresome Torture Porn genre which is actually giving the film some undeserved credit as yes there is lots of porn but no torture to speak of. The feeling I got from watching this is that the director Srdjan Spasojevic wanted to create something akin to the French film Martyrs which transcended the Torture Porn motif and became something else entirely all of it's own. A Serbian Film lacks the thought provoking nuances and deep backstory that were present in Martyrs and is merely all about the shock and awe.

Will appeal to those who are of the mindset ..."you must watch this film it's the sickest thing ever dude", those of us who have far more mature tastes will be better off giving this one a wide birth.