C



Senseless intrigued me with its concept, but ended up being one of those films where the concept is simply better than the finished product. The plotline is simple, yet very effective. An American economist on a business trip to Europe is kidnapped by some ideologists who punish him for the crimes of his country by taking away his five senses - one by one in some gruelingly simple, yet brutal ways.

Unlike some other brutal, but effective horror films, I thought that the violence in this one was actually somewhat gratuitous. Now there's nothing wrong with gratuitous violence in some films (Piranha 3D!), but it didn't really fit the otherwise very earnest storyline. Sure, they had to deliver on the premise, but did they actually have to graphically show the mutilations. Now I'm a horror fan and in the right films, I am all for blood, guts and gore, but this movie tries to come across bearing a serious message and by grossing out the viewers it dilutes its effect. That said, the violent images are sparse, but VERY effective. The ways they deprive him of his senses are so shockingly mundane and right to the point that it literally hurts watching. I am usually not one of the wimpy kind and I have seen A LOT in horror movies, but Senseless was one of the very few in my life that actually made me feel uncomfortable and cringe several times. Just imagine a hot iron having an encounter with a tongue. Or a coffee spoon with an eyeball. There are others, but I won't spoil them all. So, those looking from some really effective torture scenes will "enjoy" this. Certainly felt much sicker than, say, Hostel.

That said, unlike Hostel this movie's prime goal was to make some statement or a message and that's where it mostly fails. I enjoyed the main character's flashbacks to the past as they enriched his character a lot. However, Jason Behr is simply not good enough of an actor to carry a role like this one convincingly. Joe Ferrerra did a very good job as the main kidnapper, though and he steals all the scenes from Behr when they are both in them together. Too bad that Behr is by far the movie's main focus, though. Moreover, the ending simply leaves the viewer feeling emotionally empty. The movie didn't affect me in any way (except for the cringy scenes) and while I found the torture extreme I just didn't feel for the character. The movie that tries to be important comes out as the exact opposite Too bad as this had potential.