From the bringer of all things that shouldn't be committed to film, director Jörg Buttgereit really went out of his way to make a film that makes you question your sanity. This is not a film for the faint of heart or for those who have unhealthy thoughts about death and suicide. These extremely touchy subjects are shown here in all their unpleasant glory. The drawn out opening scene of a man preparing for and eventually overdosing in the bathtub was something that took me completely unaware and sets the morbid tone throughout. This film (as with the rest of Jörgs films) continues to push the envelope thoughout with the upsetting and intense scenes only escalating in severity until its brutal conclusion. There are a couple pauses for respite here brought to you by intermittent timelapse shots of a real human corpse in various stages of decay and one particularly difficult part where you're forced to stare down a huge drop from a bridge for a significant length of time while it ominously lists names. Those observant enough will realise pretty quickly they're reading the names of real people who have jumped from this location, making this vertigo inducing scene all the more uncomfortable. There isn't much positive to say about this movie as it's fully intended to be deeply unsettling and disturbing, a common theme in Jörgs films that have cemented his place in horror infamy. I would encourage anyone to watch his films but would strongly caution anyone willing to give this one a try.
Review of The Death King
