August Underground (2001)

Wonderful character development!

Thanks for the memories!

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

The "story" in this annoying little movie consists of home movies shot by one of two serial killers. The camera follows them around as they indulge in all manner of disgusting deeds, whether they're putting human victims through pure hell or just raising trouble in general. (For example, they act out inside a convenience store.)Prefiguring the "torture porn" genre began by movies like "Saw" and "Hostel", "August Underground" works like a mash-up of "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" and "The Blair Witch Project", except that it *really* ups the ante in terms of extreme human depravity, and that it lacks any sort of craftsmanship whatsoever. It may be one of the most disgusting movies that this viewer has ever seen. Its fans may argue for its sense of immediacy, or the fact that it's so vivid and so committed to portraying filth on film. But it's still impossible to want to spend time with the characters here. Apparently, the movie *does* have some sort of script, by Allen Peters and director Fred Vogel, but it feels like it was ad libbed for its interminable 71 minute run time. The effects are plenty tacky, but still have the power to thoroughly distress an audience.If one really wants to see a serial killer epic based in some sort of reality, they're much better off watching or revisiting "Henry".Three out of 10.

There are movies meant to be scary, there are movies meant to shock, and then there are films that do nothing but threaten the limits of nausea and putrid film-making. August Underground is a low budget, and frequently disgusting film that portrays a real snuff film about two men that go on a senseless killing spree for no other reason but sick pleasure. The acts are recorded on a now old-fashioned camcorder to intensify the situation.I will give the film credit for looking very realistic, and being shot with a method I personally enjoy. Shot on video horror films do a great deal to intensify the scene, and make for a very realistic film if done right. August Underground does a good job at making this very low budget independent film look like a black-market snuff film.For those not aware of what a snuff film is, it is a film that is compiled or real murders and torture to human beings. The purpose of their existence is to provide sick pleasure to the person watching them. Apparently, not one has ever been made or sold, and they are just a thing we humans believe exist because we fear the strange. I'm sure somewhere, somehow someone has made and sold one, but there is no record of it.I am a fan of films like The Collector and Saw that are works of the torture porn genre. I am also a slight fan of the 2007 horror film Vacancy which plot revolved around motel murders constructing snuff films. The difference between this and August Underground is the fact that those films all had a story line, thin as it may it was there. This film is nothing but a grotesque picture that exists solely for the purpose of extreme shock, without providing a moral or awareness on the subject of snuff. It's not like this is an hour-long PSA saying this could happen.August Underground was most likely made by people who were interested in the field of film, but didn't think they could pull off making a real film of any specific genre. They took the easy way out and made a film that is just a bunch of compiled murders, ridiculous scenes of animals with large reproductive organs, and senseless acts of torture that make the viewer feel like a sick sadist.What are we supposed to feel from this film? Better yet, what was did this film accomplish by being like this? Screams? Shrieks? Jaw drops? Nausea? Vomitting? Well, it could have all of those, if it didn't add credits at the end. Without those credits, this could've been an even more realistic snuff film. But like everyone, the makers wanted to have their five seconds of fame on the screen. Congratulations? Starring: Kyle Dealman. Directed by: Fred Vogel.

Pretty much every review of this I've read has been very negative which is surprising but I kinda understand though I don't share that opinion. Don't get me wrong its not the "sickest film ever" either. Not even close.I think the film wasn't actually that boring even though mockumentary films can easily be very tedious. There was a lot of stuff happening though some of it was kinda pointless. The concert scene and the statue scene mostly(the statue part was actually kinda funny). It probably would've been a lot more tedious if they had just spent the entire film with the torture. Its an interesting look into the life of these two guys who are some what believable. At least the acting is decent. Another big thing that people are whining about is the mockumentary style of shooting i.e shaky hand-held camera with shitty video quality. It doesn't make me sick but if you get motion sickness easily then I don't see you enjoying this movie. I actually am a big fan of that style but I guess its a matter of taste.Overall it seems to be popular to hate this movie even though it really doesn't deserve that much hate. The acting is good and the special effects are well done. Its not bad, its pretty average and has something different to offer. Don't expect a deep plot or social commentary though, just sit back and enjoy some mockumentary fun!

OK, I heard about this series of films a while back, and read up on the director, the production company, what they have done since etc.etc. I don't really have a strong stomach for violence, but i do like to be shocked. And, to be honest, it took me a while to get round to picking this ( the trilogy ) up and preparing myself for what i'd heard was a pretty shocking ride. I was quite cautious putting it on, and expected to either turn it off or fast forward at some point. well, what a let down. Granted, it is pretty vicious, but not in a way that is going to disturb anyone, at least anyone of a reasonable disposition. I can only see anyone really enjoying this if they are using this purely as a means to fulfil some sort of need for pointless aggression, which is just what this film is, pointless. I have given it 3 stars, and that is purely down to some of the dialogue being, and i am sure many will disagree, quite witty, and i am sure it was not scripted at all. i can't believe there was a script involved in this full stop. Also, the apparent lack of motivation for any of the events in the film could be considered interesting if it were handled in a more professional fashion. I believe the director quotes 'Henry; as one of his prime influences, more precisely the home invasion scene. Well, that scene, and film in fact, is pretty shocking, and i'd recommend that over this a thousandfold. I can't quite work out what the director was aiming to achieve with this, because a certain connection with the situation, or characters, is required to engage the audience enough to care about what happens, and this just isn't the case. you don't care, you are just waiting for the next shocking thing to happen to see if it repulses you, and quite frankly it doesn't do that. I started to watch the sequel, which appears to have a far more sexual motivation, but had to stop due to having something better to do, and i don't think i'll bother watching the rest.I don't think vogel is totally talentless. He can't direct, clearly can't script a film and his acting sucks ( there seems to be a pre-occupation with ridiculing victims because of their weight, when none are anywhere near as fat as he is, which is quite unfathomable ) but put him with a team of competent, talented film makers and i reckon you might get something really good out of him. Having said that, avoid this unless you really feel the need to watch it, i expect the reasons that most people would want to see it are because of the supposedly shocking and outrageous violence. Well, it isn't shocking, and neither is the sequel ( of what i have seen ), only a bit sad and misguided.