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| Man Bites Dog |
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  (6/10)
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Runtime: 95 m |
| Public Rating: 7.00 (32 votes) |
Director: Rémy Belvaux André Bonzel Benoît Poelvoorde |
MPAA Rating:  |
| Genre: Action / Horror / Comedy / Crime |
Year: 1992 |
| Writer(s): Rémy Belvaux André Bonzel Benoît Poelvoorde Vincent |
| Reviewed by: Sinomatictool |
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"Man Bites Dog" is realistic, almost too realistic. The film is in truth more surreal than real, but the primitive styling and shaky "amateur" camera work persuade you to believe this is a documentary. You believe the harshness seen to be reality, with nothing surreal about it. This "mocumentary" wants you to feel horrified and disgusted. If you become too
agitated to watch it, the film succeeds in its goal,(if you simply laugh at it you are sick), but if you sit through the entire movie (and I would recommend you do) the film will give you closure. But remember, even if it appears real, it's done for the sake of art, and what a masterpiece it is!
Ben(Benoît Poelvoorde), a serial killer gives us a behind the scenes look into his sadistic, repulsive form of self-employment- the unpopular (!) job of killing local retirees for cash to help fund his friends film.
Blair Witch, to most was something new and innovative, but in reality was actually nothing more than a well marketed gimmick. Man Bites Dog - without knowing it - has a firm grip on the concept of realistic mocumentaries,
one set to both shock and scare with a limited budget (and involved film crew). This is much more than what the more popular Blair Witch accomplished.
However, Man Bites Dog has a lot of untapped potential. The idea of a satire on reality TV was new back then, but the film makers were inexperienced, and as a result couldn't figure out where to go next. They drag out the concept and abruptly end it without explanation, causing it to become a series of murders that simply ends. There's no climax to speak of, nor are there elements required to progress a story. It's like a scratched record that repeats itself and suddenly ends.
Despite this Man Bites Dog is certainly an impressive effort, even if it lacks any real break from the routine. Its mixture of repetetive homicide and (occasionally) tainted philosophical views go on for far too long. This defeats the film and stops it from achieving its satirical goals. Even reality TV shows have some kind of climax and ends less abruptly. The film thus ends up as nothing more than a study of terrible (fictional) person
and the deranged life he lives.
(Be wary - this film contains very graphic scenes or murder and rape that may be unsuitable for some).
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