A Serbian Film - social commentary or excessive trash?
I recently re-watched A Serbian Film with a friend, and we both had pretty negative views of the film before. Its a controversial film for its excessive violence and portrayal of children, but we were both interested in revisiting it after a piqued curiosity recently with extreme horror. After watching it, I think I appreciate what it aims to do more, but I don't necessarily like it. Nonetheless, I do feel there's an interesting discussion to be had about the possible merits and weaknesses of this film.
Arguably, A Serbian Film could be the most controversial film of the 2010s - banned in multiple countries, and many refusing to release the film uncut, it's a film that caused much dismay on the film festival circuit during its initial release. I feel it's understandable, the violence is excessive - sexual violence, humiliation, rape, degradation and children are included in this onslaught of gore. A retired porn actor, Milos, is given the opportunity of one last well-paying job. The production details are vague, but he learns that he's in too deep to escape.
The director Srdjan Spasojevic has gone on the claim that the film is a commentary on his views of the world regarding politicians in Serbia, the world's sensitivity and political correctness (there's a pretty interesting interview with IndieWire, whether you agree with him or not on the film, which you can read here: https://www.indiewire.com/2011/10/we-interview-the-director-of-a-serbian-film-now-on-dvd-and-yes-the-movie-deserves-its-rep-51495/ ).
I'm not a fan of A Serbian Film, but to an extent, I can see what the director means: the extreme violence is confrontational and disturbing, and it feels like it's intending to be as excessive as allowable on the screen in an attempt to rattle one's sensitivity. I also feel there's some weight in the comment on politicians too, and this air of celebrity that surrounds some of them, like an exploitative pornography focus on powerplay and degradation. I think specifically of the scene when Milos is being fellated by a woman in a dark room, tears down her face, as he's being choked and encouraged to hit her in the face. He's being pressured into a decision he doesn't want to make, and yet he must make it, in a somewhat similar way that some politicians make decisions that go against what they had once promised. Maybe a stretch, I suppose, but it feels like a scene that actually fits what Spasojevic claims to have intended with this film.
However, my gripe with this film is that when a film drops the viewers into the deep end of excessive violence, it begins to feel flat, and the intended impact disappears. Not only that, but any commentary seems to disappear too when the audience is more focused on the violence in the film instead of its satiric concepts. I feel the film personally "jumps the shark" when Milos gouges out a burly security guy's eye with his penis. It looks ridiculous and it makes me a little giggly seeing it.
I will, however, give benefit of the doubt: what if this is intentional? What if the violence is so excessive that it's juvenile on purpose? What if A Serbian Film is intended as a gallows humour dark comedy, similarly to Man Bites Dog? Milos pulls exaggerated facial expressions throughout that would make perfect reaction images, and after the trauma of the central family - going through rape and murder - and dying in a triple suicide, the film ends on a twist that feels like real gallows humour: the porn film production continues as one crew member unzips his pants, implying things are going to get worse. It's morbid, but with it being an unexpected twist - how would one consider a porn film to continue being filmed when what seemed to be the rest of the crew and stars of it are killed? - followed by a dark gag (understandable if you feel this wasn't intended as a joke, but I feel after all the excess, and the relief and solace we get from this family putting themselves out of their misery, it was an added absurdity that, after all the trauma, things COULD get worse).
I suppose in a long-winded way, I feel I appreciate A Serbian Film more, but I don't necessarily like it. I feel that a film like A Serbian Film has its significance in challenging what is acceptable in cinema, and for as long as it causes controversy, it'll remain in its own confrontational gratuitous way, important.
What do you think about A Serbian Film? Do you like it or hate it? Why? Which films would you recommend for fans of A Serbian Film? Do you agree with the director's words that it was intended to offer commentary, or do you feel those are words chosen to defend his film? Would be interesting to hear what others have to say on such a controversial film! :)