Honestly, I may never eat at a Brazilian steakhouse again, thanks to The Cannibal Club. Guto Parente’s latest award winning film provides biting satire of Brazil’s upper class, along with extreme nudity, sex, violence, and blood. And, of course, cannibalism.

extreme nudity, sex, violence, and blood

Cannibal Club follows Brazilian one percenters Otavio and Gilda, a wealthy, politically-connected couple fond of fucking, murdering, and then eating their employees. Otavio, played brilliantly by Tavinho Teixeira, belongs to The Cannibal Club, an exclusive group of Brazilian elites. Gilda (Ana Luiza Rios) accidentally learns a secret about the club’s leader, Congressman Borges (Pedro Domingues). Gilda’s knowledge threatens the couple’s safety, as they must now rely on the oppressed workers to protect themselves against an ever more powerful force.

Despite being set up like a Troma film, the production quality is anything but. Cinematographer Lucas Barbi delivers a beautiful array of scenes juxtaposed brilliantly against the grisly subject matter. I daresay no cannibal film has ever looked this good. Barbi utilizes a “one percenter gaze” to show us this twisted world through the eyes of its most elite citizens. A moody, soft jazz score accentuates the film while salacious shots linger on the handsome, hardworking employees. Gilda’s attention turns to a plate of grilled meat, punctuating how she views the hired help.

Not that you’d expect differently, but it’s worth pointing out that The Cannibal Club is far from subtle. The wealthy literally derive pleasure and sustenance from the blood of working people. The symbolism, themes, and satire are all very much in your face. That said, unlike other socially conscious horror films, Parente also pays attention to the story. Granted, some elements feel edited out of place, and motivations are not always clear. On the whole, the story progresses in an organic, entertaining way. You might even forget that the horror elements are really limited to a small chunk of the total runtime.

appeals directly to that oft-neglected cannibalistic erotophonophilic cuckolding fetish crowd

This last factor might be the film’s biggest negative. And, honestly, it’s more a problem with the marketing than the film itself. While the film entertains with dark humor and blood-soaked sex and butchery, it sadly falls well short of “one of the goriest films in years.” That’s not to say the imagery isn’t disturbingly sexy. Watching a nude, middle aged latino carving up a body as if he was chopping steaks might be … wait, where was I going with this? Oh right. This film appeals directly to that oft-neglected cannibalistic erotophonophilic cuckolding fetish crowd. Beyond that, hopefully you find something revolting about it to tickle your horror boner.

Cannibal Club hits theaters March 1st and will be available On Demand March 5th.