Visceral: Between the Ropes of Madness is a dark, brutal, nightmarish tale that packs a very powerful punch for fans of unrelenting, extreme horror.
Unholy shit, what the Hell did I just subject myself to? My senses are assaulted — and what is left of my moral standing is now somewhat askew. Visceral: Between The Ropes of Madness is exactly what extreme horror fans crave out of a flick, epitomizing all that is wonderful about the sub genre.
I recently suffered a dry spell, a painful period of attempting to discover something new to me and something that appealed to my love of gratuitous, horrific bloodshed. I’m almost inclined to say that my prolonged, mind-numbing inability to find some proper horror was worth it, to eventually end up with Visceral violating my television screen.
The film is in no way new. It was originally released in 2012 and proudly distributed by Unearthed Films, but it still somehow managed to fly under my radar.
It’s interesting to note that Visceral was written, directed and co-edited by Felipe Eluti, who also stars. Eluti hails from the South American country of Chile, a place not usually associated with unrepentant extreme horror.
Visceral: Between The Ropes of Madness is the tale of an unsuccessful boxer and his Demon-assisted downward spiral. Eluti does not skimp on the violence, nor make you wait for it, a fact I was beyond pleased with.
The synopsis on IMDb for this fortunate find of mine is about the most unassuming and perhaps misleading descriptions I have ever come across.:
A washed up boxer finally gets his big chance to prove that he is worthy of the Champion’s gloves on his much awaited title fight. [IMDb]
I’ll offer a more accurate one:
Visceral is the overwhelmingly violent look at a disgraced boxer and his rapid transformation into an impulsive, sadistic, maniac. [Danni]
At first, I was a wee bit confused as to what exactly was going on. But I still very much enjoyed the well-executed kill scenes that just kept escalating into very realistic viciousness, demonstrating the talent of the strong cast and crew. When I pieced together what was transpiring within the movie, I began to appreciate it on yet another level.
There’s very little dialogue throughout, and I advise that you do pay close attention to verbal exchanges and even the sound design. There were moments during the film where I uncontrollably cringed from hearing (and seeing) particular methods of torture, adding to the realistic and ominous tone of the film. Eluti does a masterful job weaving the unbridled brutality and hallucinations, allowing the audience to witness him at his most human — and then to his most vile. The boxer’s appearance becomes frenzied, matching his behavior.
This one packs a punch (pun intended), offering outstanding practical effects, sound, music, and some downright demented demises for the boxer’s victims.
A common practice of the once disciplined athlete is to completely bind his prey with thick, unyielding rope — tying incredible knots that would impress even a seasoned sailor. He has no conscience, no love. He is completely devoid of any redeeming values or traits, subsequently giving birth to a nefarious demon dominatrix named Judas that ‘controls’ him.
This bitch Judas is creepy, and the inception of her and her punishments both frighten and fuel the boxer. The sight and sound of Judas is unnerving, too. Just see for yourself.
This movie is maddening and nightmare inducing with its hammer blows to the head, impalings, and unbelievable degrees of sadism. ‘Visceral’ successfully combines all the great elements from favorites like ‘Maniac’, ‘American Psycho’, and ‘Headless’, while remaining unique and presenting its own brand of mayhem.
Just when I accepted the fact the boxer lost all shred of humanity, we witness a flashback of him phoning his mother. I think I’d rather be mercilessly tortured than allow this so-called mother to spew absolute hate towards me as she did him. It’s the one point in the movie where it is possible to feel sorry for him, to empathize.
With a severely fractured relationship with his estranged mother and implied head traumas, it’s not hard to conclude these factors, possibly more, contributed to his sudden and aggressive blood lust.
The final act of Eluti’s bold story had me wide eyed and silent.
The film seriously takes off the gloves (ha!) leading to its finale. A whole new level of sick shit is met, and a shocking violation to a woman’s ocular cavity provides the beginning of a grotesque cresendo. Depraved, almost animalistic acts are plentiful, leaving me to ask, “Where the hell else is this movie daring to venture?”
If you’re a fan of high body counts, erotic evisceration, and compelling extreme horror, then look no further. Visceral: Between The Ropes of Madness is currently streaming on the Unearthed Films Extreme Horror Channel on Vimeo for a limited time and available for purchase on Amazon.
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