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Best movie ever!

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Italian director Antonio Margheriti's goriest film is this, a so-called "video nasty" that was banned here in the UK back in the '80s at the height of the cannibal phase, when anything with the word "cannibal" in the title was removed from sight in the shops. Yet, while a unpleasant film - considering the subject matter, that's unavoidable - CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE isn't really that gory or, indeed, horrific. Margheriti shows his penchant for the action genre over the horror throughout, with plenty of cool fist fights, shoot-outs and siege situations which are invariably more exciting than the horror elements the film has to offer. Sure, there are half a dozen moments of graphic bloodshed which made this film a nasty, but don't be fooled: this is just as much an action flick as it is a horror.Margheriti has long been one of my favourite directors and once again he creates an above-average, always interesting, genre picture. Even during some long pauses in between the action and bloodshed the film grips us with the macabre situations thanks to the strong, realistic characterisation and a plot which is a little more original and unique than most. Instead of heading off into the South American jungle like Lenzi or Deodato, Margheriti instead brings the cannibalism to the American streets of Atlanta, Georgia, which leads to some new and interesting situations, including a city-wide battle between the police force and the cannibals themselves. Here the cannibalism is seen as a biological virus (just how it works is explained only through some theoretical garbage, a throwaway line designed to bamboozle the viewer) which is spread by being scratched or bitten by an infected victim, just like zombies or vampires.Once again Margheriti seems to be working on a relatively low budget but manages to create some impressive, stylish action sequences. There are some great set-pieces in the film including a tense scene in which genre regular Radice is held under siege at a flea market after having bitten a woman at the local cinema, butchering half a dozen security guards/police/Hell's Angels in the process. Also check out the sewer-set finale which is top-notch stuff, very exciting, and the prologue is even a mini-war film set in Vietnam, a theme which Margheriti would develop for THE LAST HUNTER. Once again the dialogue gives us some priceless and memorable lines for the cast to devour, and boy what a cast.The three main cannibals are made up by genre veterans John Saxon, John Morghen, and former blaxploitation star Tony King. Saxon takes the lead role of Norman Hopper, who is bitten whilst rescuing his comrades in Indo-China and tries to suppress his cannibalistic urges before finally taking a bite out of the Lolita-like girl next door. Saxon always seemed to be an actor above the films he was in, a real presence, and his acting as he struggles psychologically with his bodily urges is great stuff and a delight to watch. John Morghen (aka Giovanni Lombardo Radice) is often an underrated actor, playing dirty, perhaps mentally handicapped characters like the boy in CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD. Well it's another nervous, twitchy on-the-edge role for the actor as the most evil of the cannibals and a surprising moving performance by the actor. Tony King (who later would pop up in loads of Margheriti films like TIGER JOE) plays his role completely over-the-top and hammy right until his death, which I greatly appreciate. There's even a police sergeant right alone the lines of Arthur Kennedy in THE LIVING DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE to add to the fun and spout some more insane angry dialogue ("Oh my god son - put it down!" is a particular favourite when he sees one of his officers devouring a woman's breast).To give the film that realistic look, the special effects are handled by Fulci's goremeister Giannetto De Rossi who once again excels with his work. As well as loads of people getting shot, bitten and the like, "highlights" include tongue and eyeball violence and the oft-remembered shotgun blast to Radice's stomach in the sewers at the end of a film, leaving a gaping hole which Margheriti is quick to zoom in on. Top quality stuff and it'll leave you wondering just how they achieved that effect. As per usual for the genre, Margheriti gives us a downbeat ending but what is surprising is the inherent tragedy present in it, it finishes almost like a Shakespearean tragedy. They have to go and spoil it with a silly twist but it still packs a punch in any case. An unfairly maligned action/horror crossbreed, effective in the two genres it manages to cross successfully and another feather in the hat for Margheriti.

In this Italian horror classic, the war in 'Nam drove some people so mad they turn into cannibals. Like rabies, cannibalism is contracted through a bite and spread to others. This is a great premise for a horror film I think, but sold somewhat short due to inconsistent storytelling and a low budget. Even so director Antonio Marghetiti made an interesting and entertaining horror flick. Mostly a horrific post war cannibal movie, there is a good deal of action here also. John Saxon is the lead and gives a very, grim, somber performance. Frequent Italian horror actor Giovanni Lombardo Radice is cool here also as crazed vet ''Charles Bukowski". Although very controversial for the time for gore and violence other cannibal movies like Cannibal Holocaust and Cannibal Ferox are way more nasty then this. I would say this has much more in common with Dawn Of The Dead and Rabid, but with less money and less talent than George Romero and David Cronenberg. In summary Cannibal Apocalpse is a flawed ,but original war/horror flick. Cool movie in my opinion.

Part zombie, part cannibal, part gore equals full of crap. Come on...it just doesn't work. Commando Norman Hopper(John Saxon)rescues a couple of Vietnam POWs who contracted a rare disease that compels them to consume human flesh. One of the soldiers, Charlie Bukowski(John Morghen)bites Hopper in the rescue. War hero Hopper will be plagued with cannibal instincts fighting their way to the surface. Bukowski escapes from a veteran's psychiatric hospital and immediately goes into relapse and a gory rampage begins. A gun battle with police will comprise the meat (no pun intended)of the movie. An overload of ridiculous profanity doesn't succeed in shocking anyone...just laughable. Special effects are just as hilarious. Also in the cast: Elizabeth Turner, Wallace Wilkinson, Tony King and May Heatherly.

I am a great fan of director Antonio Margheriti, whose impressive repertoire includes brilliant Horror as well as great Spaghetti Westerns. His doubtlessly greatest film is the Gothic masterpiece "Danza Macabra" aka. "Castle of Blood" of 1964, starring the great Barbara Steele, followed by the brilliant revenge Western "E Dio disse A Caino" ("And God said to Cain", 1970) with Klaus Kinski, and "La Vergine Di Norimberga" ("Castle of Terror", 1963"). Even though not one of his masterpieces, "Apocalypse Domani" aka. "Cannibal Apocalypse" of 1980 is an original and highly entertaining film. This is quite different to other Italian Cannibal movies that are set in the jungle, as it takes place in the city almost entirely (only the first five minutes take place in the Vietnamese jungle). This film was banned in several countries after its release, but it is not nearly as gruesome as one might expect. It is full of nauseating gore, no doubt, but compared to other contemporary Cannibal-films such as "Cannibal Holocaust" (1980), "Cannibal Ferox (1981) ore "Eaten Alive" (1980), "Cannibal Apocalypse" is actually quite tame."Cannibal Apocalypse" is about a mysterious virus that gives people an irresitible hunger for human flesh. American soldiers have been infected with the virus in Vietnam, and have brought it back home with them... The greatest aspect of "Cannibal Apocalypse" is arguably the brilliant casting of John Saxon and Giovanni Lombardo Radice. Saxon is, as always, great in his typical stoic manner. The best performance, however, comes from Radice who is once again excellent in his role here. Giovanni Lombardo Radice enjoys a deserved cult-status among fans of Italian Horror/Gore films and his role here perfectly illustrates why - his character (of the name Charles Bukowski!) is one of the first infected with the cannibal virus, and Radice excellently portrays the Vietnam veteran's blood-lust and insanity. The film often resembles a Zombie-flick more than the Cannibal-flicks of the time. The people infected, however, are not brain-dead flesh-eaters, but intelligent, thinking people - only with the unconquerable hunger for human flesh... One of the greatest elements of Italian Cannibal flicks were their scores, and even not quite typical, Alexander Blonkensteiner's score is great. "Cannibal Apocalypse" may not be one of the greatest Italian Cannibal films, but it is definitely highly original. Lovers of Italian Horror/Gore cinema can not afford to miss this!