That’s probably why a lot of horror fans will want to see this movie: because of the controversy surrounding its rating and its supposed level of gore. While Frontier(s) isn’t as graphic as a lot of old school Italian horror, it is certainly one of the most visually disgusting, as well as disturbing, horror pictures in recent memory (only rivaled by Maury & Bustillo’s previously mentioned Inside). Much blood is spilled and the various methods of torture and violence are beyond anything seen in popular American “torture-porn” such as Saw and Hostel. The tone of the film is very down-trodden and, because of that, helps to create a very bleak atmosphere, perhaps heightening the intense violence more so.
But there is method to Gens’ madness. The film has a large underlying subtext of racial equality and equal rights among both races and genders. It may play out like a lot of other revenge thrillers, but by tossing in some neo-Nazis and … gasp… a point that goes beyond senseless violence makes for a film that has more on its mind than blood & guts. The movie, as a whole, plays largely as a metaphor. At that, the violence is necessary no matter how ugly it gets.
I can’t say Frontier(s) is for everybody as those uninterested in this type of subgenre will be very tempted to write it off as nothing more than 108 minutes of “torture-porn.” But it really is so much more than that. Frontier(s) is a beautifully directed, shot, acted, written, and, at times, horrifically violent genre picture that is every bit as good as you’ve been hearing.
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