'The Human Centipede (First Sequence)' review

Akihiro Kitamura in "The Human Centipede (First Sequence)" (Credit: IFC)

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Two American girls (Ashley C. Williams, Ashlynn Yennie) on vacation in Europe get stranded in a deserted area of Germany. After wandering around in the dark they stumble upon a house and seek refuge from the owner, Dr. Heiter (Dieter Laser). Big mistake. A former specialist in separating conjoined twins, the psychotic Heiter has become obsessed with conjoining people together to make a human centipede. Along with Japanese tourist Katsuro (Akihiro Kitamura), the girls will be part of the centipede’s “first sequence.” The details are grotesque but, according to the film’s promotion, “100% medically accurate.”

The buzz: Who says there are no original ideas left in horror? This nasty piece of perversion from Dutch filmmaker Tom Six has collected top prizes at horror showcases Fantastic Fest and Screamfest, leading to much chatter online about its salacious premise.

The verdict: If you’re expecting a good movie, you probably want to get your head checked. If you’re expecting an über-sleazy shocker, you might be disappointed. The most sensational aspects of “Human Centipede” are spoiled by its marketing campaign—Dr. Heiter will achieve his plan, and you will see the three victims attached centipede style—and the straight-faced execution is surprisingly muted. The action, limited mostly to Heiter’s home, alternates between dull and ludicrous (often both), staged with minimum flair on a tiny budget. There’s some brief surgical gore and a couple of memorably gross moments, but overall this is no match for “Hostel” (thankfully), let alone some of the most extreme entries in the cult cinema canon. Williams and Kitamura (whose dialogue is entirely in Japanese) make the most of their stock victim roles, while the hilariously named Laser comes off like a cross between Jeremy Irons and Udo Keir, working with too little to successfully create a classic horror villain. Of course the premise will be enough to lure in shock cinema fans. If you like that kind of thing, you won’t want to miss the movie. Just don’t be surprised if you feel more boredom than revulsion.

Did you know? One question lingers past the closing credits: how the hell did Six find actresses willing to do this? Check out a spoiler-heavy interview with Williams on the horror site BloodyDisgusting.com for answers.

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