Review of The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009) by Pamela K — 18 Mar 2014

I really don't usually watch films like The Human Centipede: First Sequence because I prefer my horror films to rely more on suspense than shocking visuals as a source of thrills. Also, the story in The Human Centipede: First Sequence sounds more like a joke than a legitimate film. But one day I decided to watch it for some reason.

The Human Centipede: First Sequence made for very uncomfortable viewing. As I've avoided watching any of the films in the Saw series because I am not an avid fan of torture porn which was what The Human Centipede: First Sequence was said to be. But in certain areas, I was somewhat impressed by The Human Centipede: First Sequence.

Surprisingly, The Human Centipede: First Sequence succeeds at building tension without excessive blood and gore. Before the film reaches its midpoint and begins using all the grotesque visuals it has been recognised for, it builds up a lot of intensity by using a tense and low musical score lightly while it allows viewers to adjust to its atmosphere of empty fear which is controlled all by Dieter Laser and how Tom Six directs the film. Honestly, I'll admit it is convincing because the cinematography is very slow moving and intense, allowing the film to have thrills gradually seep into it instead of throwing them in the viewers face like with many other horror films of modern day. So at least in that area, Tom Six makes some achievement.

However, once The Human Centipede: First Sequence turns into a film which rests all of its horror on visual elements, I lost the feeling of all the tension that had been built up. I had been chilled waiting for something to happen, but once it did it had become just a series of loosely jointed story dynamics relating to a sick creation in the film title and not to the insane nature of the character that created it, Dr. Josef Heiter. I know that the film is supposed to be more focused on the titular Human Centipede, but the most horror success in the film comes from that one character. Once he creates his pet, the story goes back and forth between them as well as with the investigation attempting to find the missing tourists Lindsay and Jenny, and the focus proves to constantly be shifting. The pace of the film speeds up and the story takes place in quick scenes which move somewhat speedily between each other in contrast to the earlier slow pace of the film, and so the second half is where the film lost all its potential and quality. I didn't feel thrilled anymore, I felt sick. And films that make me sick without having a good reason why annoy me, so I found myself somewhat annoyed at The Human Centipede: First Sequence. The film shows off potential in the first half but turns directionless, sickening and repetitive in its second act and loses sight of true horror cinema. And this boils down to Tom Six who wrote and directed the feature.

Tom Six succeeds at creating a sickening film by making it a realistic feature which is shocking from a visual perspective, but all the chills and thrills I felt in the first half of the film descended into disgust and a lack of entertainment. The skilful way he built the tension of the first half is gone in the second and is replaced by the torture porn qualities that many critics condemned it for. Tom Six proves that he can build an atmosphere and shock viewers, but he also proves that he cannot carry a film to the end on his own knowledge and instead turns his feature into a boring and unappealing joke. While it is convincing and clear that Tom Six has done quite a bit on a low budget, whatever psychological thrills that there could have been are replaced by a lot of screaming and scattered disgusting story dynamics which go in circles with the rare surprise until the end. Tom Six would have to actually be a pretty sadistic man to write and direct such a disgusting film, so I think there is some of him in the central antagonist Dr. Josef Heiter which is Tom Six's own creation and the real source of horror. If he had come to his senses and made the film a mix of character study of Dr. Josef Heiter and his creation then it would be smarter. But no, we are left with a film about people sewn together and ingesting each other's sh*t. Brilliant.

At least some benefit comes from the performance of Dieter Laser.

Dieter Laser's lead performance is a very freaky one. He is like a German Hannibal Lector who roams freely about his own compound and looks like a German Armand Assante, and frankly he himself is more scary than The Human Centipede: First Sequence itself. The film is chilling for its grotesque visual qualities, but the real fear is created by the nature of Dieter Laser's character. His performance is an intimidating one which is fearless, but I can't say the same for myself watching him. I was very fearful of him because he is the true heart of all the horror in The Human Centipede: First Sequence and his performance was actually excellent. He is the true haunting image I will take away from the film.

And even though the performances of Ashlynn Yennie, Ashley C. Williams, and Akihiro Kitamura don't require much from them except a lot of screams, they still all contribute their own part to the success of The Human Centipede: First Sequence, even if it doesn't succeed in the end.

But despite a thoroughly dedicated performance from Dieter Laser which is haunting and unforgettable, Tom Six squanders the potential of The Human Centipede: First Sequence and his ability to create a strong horror atmosphere on a lot of repetitive torture porn and an indifferent ability to focus on the best aspects of the horror he has created.