The Green Inferno

Considering the fact that the “cannibal movie”, conceived in Italy and enjoying a good run from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s, isn’t exactly the horror genre that inspires the warmest feelings of nostalgia, there was still a fair amount of curiosity in seeing it brought back to theaters in a tribute by a genuine cinephile such as Eli Roth.

Unfortunately the film turns out to be somewhat disappointing. Right off the bat it disappoints fans looking forward to the dirty cinematography that typified productions such as “Jungle Holocaust” (1977) and its cousins. Just the opposite, here we are confronted by a spotless, shrink-wrapped package with an unbearable digital veneer oozing from every pore.

As for the plot, after about an hour of absolutely nothing, we end up in the presence of a matriarchal society that feels like it was ripped from the pages of a fantasy comic book, light years from Umberto Lenzi’s disturbing visions. It’s a world packed with skilled farmers (cows, pigs, poultry, etc.) and chaste teenagers – basically no nudism, no sex, only a bare minimum of savagery. For that matter, when you have to squint to see a boob, it’s legitimate to ask if you’re still watching a cannibal movie. And, as if that weren’t enough, there’s even a truly ridiculous uncut version going around.

Run-of-the-mill actors portray highly stereotypical characters. Worthy of note is Ariel Levy’s vain attempt to replicate the cynicism and villainy of Giovanni Lombardo Radice in “Cannibal Ferox” (1981).

In this world of dull monotony, the one positive note is the total lack of violence against animals.