Insanitarium is a brutally gory and fun film. If you like your horror films quick and dirty, this is right up your alley.
The film concerns a man (Jesse Metcalfe) who fakes insanity in order to get himself admitted to the mental institution where his suicidal sister (Kiele Sanchez) was admitted. It seems that the chief doctor of the institution (Peter Stormare) is conducting experiments on his patients, some of which are turning into sub-human cannibals. The brother and sister must escape before all hell breaks loose and people start feasting on one another.
Writer-director Jeff Buhler's ("Midnight Meat Train") film is a blender of many differing influences and styles. There is the obvious parallel to the premise of the TV series "Prison Break" with one sibling getting himself admitted in order to break out his brother, or, in this case, his sister. The film also mixes a thriller with the gore seen in a horror film in the early goings before becoming a full-blown horror film not unlike a George Romero zombie film in the film's second half. Speaking of which, with the main character named Jack Romero and another character named Loomis, Buhler sometimes wears his love of genre on his sleeve.
What I liked about Insanitarium was the love Buhler obviously put into the film, determined to make it a horror film that is both gruesome and funny, yet disturbing at times as well. The pacing is breakneck pretty much from the word "go," the acting is better than expected with Metcalfe and especially Stormare giving credible and often fun performances. On top of that, not only is the plot as credible as necessary, it provides for a plethora of notably gruesome scenes. Without spoiling anything, this film has perhaps more sharp objects stabbed and/or plunged into throats, stomachs, and other body parts than any other film in recent memory. On top of that, the film features decapitation, limb-ripping and eating, and multiple electrocutions.
Sure, it takes a few liberties with the story, but Insanitarium is one hell of a fun movie to watch.
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