With the likes of ‘Videodrome’, ‘Vacancy’ and the recent ‘Sinister’, the idea of a snuff film within a film is nothing new. ‘Gut’ sets out not to reinvent the genre but reinforce it.



Two friends Tom and Dan (Jason Vail and Nicholas Wilder) share the same work and inhibitions. That is until Tom’s family life with wife Lily(Sarah Schoofs) and daughter Katie (Kaitlyn Mueller) begins to take away his day to day life of friendship and after work gatherings with his friend.

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Torn between the two he tries to stray away from Dan and his dark evenings of watching “more torture porn” but when a new DVD from an anonymous trader is handed to Dan, they both gather to watch it. What unfolds on screen is the slicing of a woman and her pain. Disturbing to watch Tom leaves and begins to disassociate himself from Dan but one thing still remains… The reoccurring memories of what he’s just watched.



Affecting his sleep, his sex life and parenting skills, the video becomes more than a problem for Tom and when newer copies of the film arrive. The urge to find out what’s really happening affects the pair in ways they would never expect.



Dan’s goofball persona becomes more grounded and Tom turns into a much darker person than he was in the first few scenes. This character development is part of director Elias’ greatest achievement. If this was not portrayed as well as it has, this low budget psychological thriller would be a completely different affair. Vail plays the moody protagonist well and by the time the quite shocking reveal occurs, his turn from loving family man to brooding psychotic is utterly believable.



The film leaves little room for dialogue with an unsettling score and almost silent movie type quality, this is a trick used to perfection and not an overused gimmick. The uneasy score and dark tone are powerful tools and make ‘Gut’ the slice of dark macabre horror that will keep you up all night with it in your mind.



As with most low budget films, the secondary cast come across as amateur (which is certainly true) and the scenes look like they are filmed on a mini DV in comparison to the plot turning moments and artistic flair spent on the snuff and eroticism mixed within this feature. This inconsistency in style may be just through lighting and texture but can be a turn off, especially within the first 10 minutes spent in the ‘office’. However for brilliant special effects of the snuff film make you question if it’s real itself.



But as compared with other genre favourites including Cronenberg’s ‘Videodrome’ show how successful ‘Gut’ is and from an independent little known director to be on the same level as Cronenberg’s mastery is an accomplishment to his work.



‘Gut’ is definitely a film of taste and patience. To which you’ll need plenty, but rest assured, the pay off is worth the 91 minute running time and while the last 5 minutes are argueably not needed (the videotape scene would have ended it perfectly) it certainly isn’t unwanted.