THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE Part 2: FULL SEQUENCE

The Human Centipede II: Full Sequence (2011)
Directed by: Tom Six
Written by: Tom Six
Starring: Ashlynn Yennie, Laurence R. Harvey, Maddi Black

FILM

The Human Centipede Part 2: Full Sequence

STARRING

Laurence R. Harvey
Ashlynne Yennie

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY:

Tom Six

RATING

RUNNING TIME

88 Minutes

The Hughes Verdict on the most talked about horror of 2011

“The Human Centipede is only a fucking film!”…….is a sentence that has been uttered by many horror fans this year, especially those like me who were mighty pissed off at the decision to ban

the sequel from the British public. Speculation of the explicit content has spread like wildfire over the internet and I have seen and read arguments aplenty from fans with some believing that people are sick to want to watch this kind of shock “gore-porn” and then from others who believe its their right to watch what they want and they should be treated like adults and not children. Anyway like I have said countless times, the ban means nothing in the year 2011 especially with the aid of illegal download and for a while it seemed like The Human Centipede 2: Full sequence was heading for the title of most pirated film, but the BBFC relented and after being shown a version with a few cuts, the most talked about horror of the year is finally released this week to the British public, but was the hype and wait worth it all!……..

“The Human Centipede is only a fucking film!”…….is also a line that is uttered in this very film. When its said you get a feeling that it was an added line by director Tom Six, a kind of sticking his two fingers up to the industry that has caused him so much hassle over the last six months. Its also one of the strongest piece of dialogue this sequel offers simply because its telling you that The Human Centipede 2 is not a sequel, its not even a re-make, this folks is a whole new franchise and it took me by surprise because I am probably the most perfect guy to review this film.

“Why?”

Well despite everything, I was not a huge fan of the original. I thought the hype was much bigger than the actual film I got to watch. I remember reading one review which stated that “it was the sickest horror film ever made” which after the watch made me believe that whoever that critic was, surely has not watched many horrors. The original for me was a dark comedy that simply was not “sick” enough. Before those reading this believe I am not right in the head for wanting to see such shit, I am I believe a sane person but when you promise “ass to mouth” then I expect to see “arse to mouth”, and the fact The Human Centipede offered nothing just the thought ringing through your head, then of course I was disappointed. Again those who think the film was sick then answer me this, how can a film be that bad when its shown on the ScyFy channel most nights at 9pm?

Having watched the sequel or whatever you want to call this second film then I believe Tom Six heard the despair from hardcore horror fans and thought “if you want to be shocked and see arse to mouth then this time I am going all the way” , and I am telling you now, The Human Centipede 2 is everything the original was not. This is a proper horror film, lacking any sense of humour and is ugly from beginning to the very end. In fact I go as far and say this is the most ugliest horror film I have ever seen, from the lack of humanity from the characters, to the lack of imagination in the horror scenes that seem to on and on. After the credits rolled I can not imagine anyone liking this film. Yes they may watch it and like me think “why the fuss?”, but the unpleasant taste you get in your mouth is nothing but bitter!

The film starts like Blair Witch 2. Seriously! We see the end of the first film (not Blair Witch smart arse) and reminded in what happened to the original Human centipede. The camera pans out from the screen and we see the main character Martin watching the film on his laptop! Yes like the Book Of Shadows we are immediately told that the events of the first was in fact all a film and that this guy is obsessed by watching it! How obsessed? Well he just loves wrapping sandpaper around his penis and masturbate while watching the film on a loop! The fact we actually see him doing this must wank…sorry…rank as one of the most tasteless scenes of the horror year but can I say that the image we see is nothing compared to what follows.

Martin who is played wonderfully by new face Laurence Harvey who will no doubt become a pivotal face in straight to DVD horror for many years. Its plain obvious that something is not right with Martin a man living with his bullying mum who is still traumatised by suffering sexual abuse when he was a kid from his father. We get to know this story from the fact that his mother blames him for the absence of his father and her husband, and from an equally weird psychiatrist who tries to help this man to no avail!. Martin’s only joy in life is his pet centipede, and of course a certain film which I assume you know.

Its here that the film does a good job in actually showing you how a sick film can actually disturb an already fragile mind. I find it quite ironic and funny that one of the reasons the film was originally banned is because of a similar reason. One of the lines I have picked up from the statement the BBFC released is that it would “would involve risk of harm within the terms of the VRA” and yet the Human Centipede 2 does explore this issue. Here we see a mentally wrong man getting obsessed by a sick film and the film goes and shows how such imagery can affect such a person. Now I am not saying Tom Six is a genius but even those who complain about this film must sense the irony!

Martin works as a security guard where he just sits there planning his work of art. With no dialogue coming from his mouth, the mute Martin goes about his job by attacking anyone who walks into the late night parking area. His plan is to outdo Dr. Heiter and create a human centipede of 12 people and for the first 55 minutes we see him attacking innocent people by bashing them on their head and taking them back to his abandon warehouse. He even manages to convince a star from the Human Centipede film, actress Ashlynne Yennie to the warehouse where she too gets back into the groove of her worst nightmare.

Hand on heart and I will say that the first hour is tame to what I expected. There are basic killings and of course a bit of sandpaper on penis, but there is not much to write home about. Its when the film hits the hour mark of a 90 minute film you finally get to see what all the fuss is about and its here that you can see where some will shake their heads at what they are seeing. You see Dr. Heiter was a German scientist/surgeon who knew what he was doing, Martin doesn’t and with his rusty box of tools this madcap human goes to work and tries to create the vision set out in the first film.

A staggering tooth scene will leave you breathless and weep for the joys of Marathon Man and horror fans who love the the sick stuff will be in their element at what is on offer, but for me well the last twenty eight minutes left me rather cold. I know this was supposed to be disturbing but apart from the tooth smashing everything else was just OTT. I mean how can any genuine fan be disturbed with this. I really believe that despite all the press and his vented fury, Tom Six was rubbing his hands with delight at the negative press. I swear I could hear him laughing from behind the camera because its plain obvious he set out to shock and he achieved more than that.

But the question again I have to ask is was the hype worth it? Again I have to say no! Yes we do actually get to see the ass to mouth this time and of course when the shit hits the fan we get to see it, but those who gathered round to see the infamous Two girls and a cup! viral clip will just watch on without a feeling of disgust. Also the repetitive tone of the last half is one that many will find more of a turn off, I mean once he creates his masterpiece, where does the film go from there? Oh look!, even more ideas of an attempt to shock. I was not once taken aback by what I was seeing. It was too daft and unbelievable to taKe hold of me, I mean you simply can not compare the disturbing image of say the rape scene in Irreversible which I had to glance away and not look. Why? Because that felt real, here its just cartoon horror and I think even those who called this “sick” without seeing a frame will be stunned at how not disturbing this is!

The weird thing about it all is that the best scene of the entire film is one of simple horror that frightened me more. Again I have to point out that Martin is not a surgeon so his way of knocking his “patients” out is a brilliant set-piece that feels out of place and hints that if Tom Six really wanted to, he could make a good horror.

Once again though even after a hour since the credits roll I am left with a feeling of waste! While the first one was too much full of dark humour, the second one is too much of the dark stuff and what we need is a film that strikes the balance between the two, something maybe the already planned third film will offer even though I very much doubt it!

The biggest shame is that The Human Centipede 2 is not at all frightening or too gruesome to offend. Its not a patch on A Serbian Film which hits its own headlines last year and both films have a “new born baby” scene but in this film you will be to busy laughing at the outcome and its that scene alone which sums up everything Six was trying to achieve here. Outrageous over the top horror that will generate massive headlines and if watching a woman getting raped while being the tail-end of a twelve-person Centipede while the rapist has barbed wire wrapped around his penis is your cup of tea then jump on board.

As for me, well this week I sat down and watched the most disturbing film I have ever seen and it was called Fred The Movie, a film, my children told me was funny and I had to see it. If the BBFC need advice in banning a film then please turn their attention to that piece of crap becaue they have wasted to much attention on a film which is not worth it, a film that if someone asked me was it shocking? I simply would reply “not really, it was rather boring!”………………

Rating: