Five years after he shocked the world with his controversial gut-muncher Cannibal Holocaust, director Ruggero Deodato returned to the jungle to deliver another dose of nastiness in the form of brutal adventure Cut and Run.
In this entertaining slice of gory, exploitative action, Lisa Blount plays Fran, a TV reporter who, along with her cameraman Mark (Leonard Mann), travels to the Amazon where she hopes to interview Colonel Brian Horne (Richard Lynch), the supposedly dead right-hand-man of infamous cult leader Jim Jones, whilst also attempting to locate her boss's missing son Tommy (Willy Aames), who is being held in the jungle against his will by evil drug traffickers.
Despite once again dealing with the themes of reportage and the media, Deodato stays clear of any attempts at a Cannibal Holocaust-style social commentary, preferring instead to concentrate on giving viewers a bloody good time (and I mean bloody!). Large amounts of graphic violence (which includes numerous decapitations and impalements, a disembowelment, and a guy being completely torn in half); frequent scenes of rape and female nudity (including welcome nekkidness from the gorgeous Valentina Forte); and a whole lot of nonsense involving a tribe of bloodthirsty natives (led by bald genre favourite Michael Berryman): all of this takes precedence over narrative cohesion, but it matters not a jot, 'cos you'll be having way too much fun to care.
In addition to all the gory mayhem, we are also treated to a dreadful cameo performance from Karen Black, a nifty turn from ER's Eriq La Salle as a fedora wearing informant, an effective synth score from Goblin's Claudio Simonetti, lush cinematography by Alberto Spagnoli, and, perhaps best of all, a chance to see Willy Aames display his complete lack of emotional range in some unintentionally hilarious dramatic scenes.
Nowhere near as horrific as Holocaust, nor quite as gruelling as Deodato's Jungle Holocaust, Cut and Run is still a worthwhile example of the jungle adventure/survival horror sub genre—just make sure that you watch the uncut version for full effect!
In this entertaining slice of gory, exploitative action, Lisa Blount plays Fran, a TV reporter who, along with her cameraman Mark (Leonard Mann), travels to the Amazon where she hopes to interview Colonel Brian Horne (Richard Lynch), the supposedly dead right-hand-man of infamous cult leader Jim Jones, whilst also attempting to locate her boss's missing son Tommy (Willy Aames), who is being held in the jungle against his will by evil drug traffickers.
Despite once again dealing with the themes of reportage and the media, Deodato stays clear of any attempts at a Cannibal Holocaust-style social commentary, preferring instead to concentrate on giving viewers a bloody good time (and I mean bloody!). Large amounts of graphic violence (which includes numerous decapitations and impalements, a disembowelment, and a guy being completely torn in half); frequent scenes of rape and female nudity (including welcome nekkidness from the gorgeous Valentina Forte); and a whole lot of nonsense involving a tribe of bloodthirsty natives (led by bald genre favourite Michael Berryman): all of this takes precedence over narrative cohesion, but it matters not a jot, 'cos you'll be having way too much fun to care.
In addition to all the gory mayhem, we are also treated to a dreadful cameo performance from Karen Black, a nifty turn from ER's Eriq La Salle as a fedora wearing informant, an effective synth score from Goblin's Claudio Simonetti, lush cinematography by Alberto Spagnoli, and, perhaps best of all, a chance to see Willy Aames display his complete lack of emotional range in some unintentionally hilarious dramatic scenes.
Nowhere near as horrific as Holocaust, nor quite as gruelling as Deodato's Jungle Holocaust, Cut and Run is still a worthwhile example of the jungle adventure/survival horror sub genre—just make sure that you watch the uncut version for full effect!