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Cannibal Ferox
1981 93 min Italy 18+
★5.5
Adventure, Horror
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Trailers
Description
Three friends out to disprove cannibalism meet two men on the run who tortured and enslaved a cannibal tribe to find emeralds, and now the tribe is out for revenge.
Starring
Giovanni Lombardo Radice
Actor
Lorraine De Selle
Actor
Danilo Mattei
Actor
Key opinion
Cannibal Ferox is a quintessential Italian exploitation film that leans heavily into graphic, naturalist violence to shock its audience. While it is praised by genre enthusiasts for its technical competence and the standout performance of Giovanni Lombardo Radice, it is frequently criticized for being a derivative imitation of Cannibal Holocaust that relies on gratuitous animal cruelty.
| Originality | The inclusion of authentic animal slaughter is widely condemned as grotesque and gratuitous, overshadowing the film's artistic merits. | |
| Acting | Giovanni Lombardo Radice delivers a chilling and highly effective performance as the sadistic antagonist Mike. | |
| Originality | The film functions as a technically competent but ultimately derivative exercise that mimics the established tropes of the cannibal subgenre rather than innovating them. | |
| Acting | Opinions on the lead performances are polarized, with some viewers finding the cast competent and others labeling the protagonist's portrayal as unnatural or expressionless. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative's shift from an anthropological adventure to a torture-filled horror spectacle leaves some audiences feeling the structure is illogical or poorly balanced. |