User reviews

The "story" in this annoying little movie consists of home movies shot by one of two serial killers. The camera follows them around as they indulge in all manner of disgusting deeds, whether they're putting human victims through pure hell or just raising trouble in general. (For example, they act out inside a convenience store.)

Prefiguring the "torture porn" genre began by movies like "Saw" and "Hostel", "August Underground" works like a mash-up of "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" and "The Blair Witch Project", except that it *really* ups the ante in terms of extreme human depravity, and that it lacks any sort of craftsmanship whatsoever. It may be one of the most disgusting movies that this viewer has ever seen. Its fans may argue for its sense of immediacy, or the fact that it's so vivid and so committed to portraying filth on film. But it's still impossible to want to spend time with the characters here. Apparently, the movie *does* have some sort of script, by Allen Peters and director Fred Vogel, but it feels like it was ad libbed for its interminable 71 minute run time. The effects are plenty tacky, but still have the power to thoroughly distress an audience.

If one really wants to see a serial killer epic based in some sort of reality, they're much better off watching or revisiting "Henry".

Three out of 10.

I am not sure this would be classified as a 'true' horror movie. Instead, the horror in this movie lies in the fact that it is something 'new'; the somewhat of a shock you get because everything is so unexpected. For example, you are afraid of bugs, they are ugly and disgusting – Now imagine this bug in a different form. Maybe it has a different color and makes weird noises. You will remember this bug because it is so different, and the difference from other bugs you are used to makes it even more disgusting. This is how I would describe this movie.

The two main protagonists seem to consider themselves to be at the top of the food chain; the world is their playground and the people in it are there solely to be used for entertainment. The protagonists do everything in a really nonchalant way, and regardless of how friendly others are towards them, they always see them as objects rather than people. This is the biggest reason why I raised my eyebrows, and questions like 'What are they doing, and why?' popped up in my head.

At first, I was not really sure I wanted to watch this movie, because of what people said about it and how extreme it is. In all honesty, the movie is not that brutal and chaotic as I expected. The pure violence portrayed in this movie is not as out of this world as someone might expect. We are so desensitized to this type of extreme violence nowadays that we get to see hammers, chainsaws and axes being used to chop off this and that even in mainstream Hollywood movies. It is not the visual violence that is disturbing in August Underground, but the concept of it and the atmosphere. It is more connected to the real world than in other movies, and the fact that this actually can happen (and probably has) in the real world, together with the previously mentioned attributes makes this movie quite unique and disturbing in a way we rarely see.

This might be the second worst thing to happen in 2001

OK, I heard about this series of films a while back, and read up on the director, the production company, what they have done since etc.etc. I don't really have a strong stomach for violence, but i do like to be shocked. And, to be honest, it took me a while to get round to picking this ( the trilogy ) up and preparing myself for what i'd heard was a pretty shocking ride. I was quite cautious putting it on, and expected to either turn it off or fast forward at some point. well, what a let down. Granted, it is pretty vicious, but not in a way that is going to disturb anyone, at least anyone of a reasonable disposition. I can only see anyone really enjoying this if they are using this purely as a means to fulfil some sort of need for pointless aggression, which is just what this film is, pointless. I have given it 3 stars, and that is purely down to some of the dialogue being, and i am sure many will disagree, quite witty, and i am sure it was not scripted at all. i can't believe there was a script involved in this full stop. Also, the apparent lack of motivation for any of the events in the film could be considered interesting if it were handled in a more professional fashion. I believe the director quotes 'Henry; as one of his prime influences, more precisely the home invasion scene. Well, that scene, and film in fact, is pretty shocking, and i'd recommend that over this a thousandfold. I can't quite work out what the director was aiming to achieve with this, because a certain connection with the situation, or characters, is required to engage the audience enough to care about what happens, and this just isn't the case. you don't care, you are just waiting for the next shocking thing to happen to see if it repulses you, and quite frankly it doesn't do that. I started to watch the sequel, which appears to have a far more sexual motivation, but had to stop due to having something better to do, and i don't think i'll bother watching the rest.

I don't think vogel is totally talentless. He can't direct, clearly can't script a film and his acting sucks ( there seems to be a pre-occupation with ridiculing victims because of their weight, when none are anywhere near as fat as he is, which is quite unfathomable ) but put him with a team of competent, talented film makers and i reckon you might get something really good out of him. Having said that, avoid this unless you really feel the need to watch it, i expect the reasons that most people would want to see it are because of the supposedly shocking and outrageous violence. Well, it isn't shocking, and neither is the sequel ( of what i have seen ), only a bit sad and misguided.

This is one of the more "famous" exploitation films of the new century. Too bad it sucks.

It's about a psychopath serial killer who is followed by his friend with a bad video camera, filming his every move. There is no plot - we just see Peter, the killer, roam around and act like a jerk and sometimes kill people.

The most shocking part of this movie is the first 15 minutes, when we see a girl who has been tied up and tortured. Her dead boyfriend is in a bathtub in the next room. It's a fairly effective use of gory special effects and a chilling example of the hidden lives of serial killers.

Once they leave their house for the first time, however, the movie falls apart. After that, they just turn into stereotypical frat boys who wander around and do immature pranks and annoy people. The script is stupid and unrealistic. I have never seen a movie go from disturbing to boring quicker than this one.

The acting is terrible. Peter, the main character, has a super annoying laugh that I guess is supposed to be psychotic, but just makes me want to turn the volume down. We never see the guy holding the video camera, which is good because he mostly just makes bad jokes and acts like he has low self-esteem. They are more believable as pathetic losers than hardened killers.

The lesson of this movie is that psychopaths are actually lonely frat boys who are desperate for friends.

How to describe this film? Try the home invasion scene from Henry, directed by GG Allin and shot through the lens of the Blair Witch Project. In a word: nauseating. I came out of the experience feeling physically ill, although I'm not sure if that was down to the relentlessly sea-sick camera work or the scuzz-fest content. Probably both. I ended up watching big chunks of it on fast-forward because (despite the gross-out set-pieces) much of it was quite tedious. From what I've read about the film makers, they're serious about what they're doing and have a genuine passion for the horror genre. However, I struggled to find any real insight or anything remotely worthwhile in this film. At this stage in the game, I guess it's about pushing the envelope, and on that level this film maybe scores. On the other hand, I don't really care and life's too short.

Too bad I can't give this 0 stars. It's an unwatchable mess. Poor, abysmal, awful, and other descriptive adjectives meaning bad in terms of direction, acting, dialog, setting, tone, plot, and etc. It's even bad etc.

There's no way for me to wrap my head around why anyone, even hardcore gore fans, seem to like this movie other than the somewhat impressive FX in such a low-budget pic.

As far as a plot, there's no sense to anything. Before you say: "But, subliminal, isn't senselessness the point?", I already know that. The thing is that the point is missed completely. If you watch a movie like Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Requiem for a Dream (not comparing those two movies against each other, by the way, just using them for emphasis as very different films that understand there's a point to be made behind the senselessness they portray), you can easily understand how the idea can be handled in an effective manner. This, whatever it is, is a laughable attempt. Laughable, that is, if it didn't bore you to tears first. Don't go near it or you will be haunted by the ghost of an hour and change of runtime wasted, which is a lot more disturbing than this garbage was supposed to be.

Fred Vogel's August Underground is a misunderstood, underrated success in horror film-making that is unheard of in the mainstream. I hated it before I had ever even saw it, but the hype is well-deserved. It's the most grueling film I've ever sat through, and I had to take several breaks. There are times that you think you're watching a real "snuff" film, and the result is shocking and sickening.

It deserves praise for doing what I didn't expect - it portrays the serial killers as immature, ugly, obnoxious, despicable scum. This is the way they (and murder) should be portrayed, not the Hollywood route of glamorization (Hannibal Lecter, Patrick Bateman, Norman Bates, Travis Bickle, etc).

"August Underground" is an unbearably vile experience, but that's mainly because it's so realistic. This looks like a genuine snuff film. With absolutely no build-up we see a girl being tortured by a deranged serial killer, while his friend conveniently films everything. The acting of both the killers and the victim is incredible, and so are the make-up effects. I'm assuming all the dialogues are improvised, if only because the two main actors are also credited as the writers. The main criticism to this movie is that it has no plot, but that's kind of the point. Would an actual serial killer's video diary have a plot, or would it just be random, unrelated vignettes like these? With that said, I did wish director Fred Vogel would have come up with a slightly more intriguing ending. That's something "The Blair Witch Project" (the inevitable comparison) did well, cutting away at an interesting point. This movie just ends on a total dud. "August Underground" is an interesting gimmick, but it's not exactly something I'd rewatch.

From the plot summary, you might think that August Underground might be like a heinously gory version of the Belgian semi-classic 'Man Bites Dog', but you'd be wrong as August Underground is nowhere near that good. The film apparently has the intention of being a phony snuff film, and indeed the violence looks graphic and realistic, but it's all really cold and pointless. There is a sex scene at the end of this film that really sums it all up; it's about as far from being erotic as it gets, so it's extremely difficult to get involved with it, and the same goes for the violence. Violence that is simply shown gives the audience no reason to care, and so overall; the film is really rather boring. There has been a slew of direct to video trash films like this one over the last few years, and despite the fact that August Underground seems to be reputed to be one of the better ones; it really isn't. The only good thing I can think to say about it is that director Fred Vogel succeeds in creating a home video style look to the film through the use of a hand-held camera; but like the worst film ever made, The Blair Witch Project, this really only makes it so that the audience can't always see what's going on; which only succeeds in being irritating. Overall, I can't really recommend this film. I'm a fan of sick filth, but it didn't do anything for me. I'd recommend seeing something else instead.

Only the very hardest viewers need apply to this indie. It is the absolute closest thing to genuine snuff you will ever see. Far more unsettling and realistic than the over hyped Guinea Pig series. Obviously without the use of a simple tripod August Underground assaults the senses from the first minute to the last. The movie comes off as something found stowed away in the recesses of a twisted serial killer's private collection of home videos because the basic plot is two college aged psychos tape their carnage. The acting is amazingly real, the effects are nightmarish. What makes it so realistic is the amateur way it comes off, ironically. With bad blips of home editing, camera shots up in the air and unsteady and the absence of any opening credits it's hard to believe what you are seeing is a full fledged movie. The camera person never makes an appearance but his sick laughing at his victims along with childish banter with the one killer we do see makes this feel like a homemade episode of Jackass that enters the zone of murder.

This is not a movie that most people would be able to handle. It takes a strong stomach and a numbed mind for this truly is one of the most extreme and violent pieces ever to make it to video.

I was teasing my x-girlfriend about a movie which was so horrible that I hadn't even dared watch it myself, so naturally she wanted to see it. Now she's not some heavy metal chick that's used to seeing hardcore stuff, but a more preppy babe type, the kind who likes the color pink and light blue.

But oh my, what a boring viewing experience. Halfway through she wanted me to turn it off, not because she was shocked, but because it was difficult staying awake to this stuff. The main issues are that there's simply nothing interesting happening at all, and that there's left no room for empathy towards the victims. Just a lot of yelling, screaming and laughing, going on and on, which is incredibly annoying, just like stepping in a dog's leftovers is annoying, but never really frightening.

Slightly amusing was the part where a female victim was forced to eat her brother's genitals, but at that time we were so detached from the movie, that even that failed to shock.

Had someone given this to me on a black, unmarked, slightly worn VHS tape, telling me I could not let anyone know where I'd gotten it from, it would surely had much bigger impact. Downloading it as a film that everyone has said was the worst, most shocking thing ever created however gives you a few expectations which were never really satisfied.

Oh man, I hear about a movie and even though I know I'm going to dislike it, I still have to see it. This is RAW, in some parts it really does come across as real, other places not so much. As others have stated continuity/editing are a problem. The almost constant maniacal laughter form the cameraman got annoying in short order. I've seen a lot of extreme horror and rarely enjoy it, but I believe in freedom of expression, but why do we need these kind of movies to begin with ? Personally, I feel a little revulsion with myself when I have these types of movie experiences. To those of you who wish to see this, it is readily available on the internet archive website. Good Luck. 👍

I suppose I'm only half-serious. It is just a movie, after all. And believe me, you do need someone to tell you this. August Underground ain't no joke. I can't recall ever seeing something so low budget have such authentic qualities. And not in a lame CGI kind of way. I mean, this is pretty much how I would imagine a scenario like this going. Revolting displays of torture on the innocent, by pathetic, juvenile, madmen, with power issues, which got out of hand a long time ago. This is a totally realistic, and a bit unnecessary look at what goes on somewhere, to someone, every single day. This one is just graphic in the worst way. Don't get me wrong. I love a good gore-fest, as much as the next person, but who in the hell is this movie for? People like that? possibly. Not so much for me, though. That said, the qualities I already mentioned sorta, technically makes this abomination one of, if not The most successful film the Horror genre has ever seen. Just a thought. So, anyway. In a scene from the movie, Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer, Henry, and his bff, Otis filmed themselves torturing, raping, and murdering a family, and later, they watched the footage with glee. some 15 or so years later, some dude, along with his bff figures it would be a swell idea to make an imitation snuff film, which would be inspired by this one notorious scene. The end result would most likely send most gorehounds running for the hills. It really is that vile. I'm not so sure it was a swell idea, but I've certainly heard worse, because bad ideas don't usually get 2 sequels.... LOL, wait a minute. Did I just say that? Nevermind. And you'll most likely want to nevermind the sequels. I've never seen them, and I never will, or I'll at least try to hold off as long as I can. The part of me that fancys sick gore flicks is glad I finally saw this, but like I said before, August Underground ain't really my cup o' tea, as far as B-Horror goes. I would totally recommend the more traditional stuff, like Beyond The Darkness, or Basket Case. But if you must see them all, then, by all means, see them all.

This wasn't at all what I expected when I threw it one one night out of boredom. I'm a huge gorehound, and because this film (and, perhaps more notably, its sequels) have a reputation as decent gore flicks, I expected something trashy and violent and bloody, and, as it turns out, I expected a lot more than I got.

Some other reviewers complained about the cold and detached nature of the main characters and their attitudes regarding violence, but I actually felt like that was part of the film's charm, and perhaps what makes this otherwise sub-par gore film worth watching. The callousness displayed by our wicked young heroes is probably the most disturbing aspect of the film, giving Alex and his droogs a good run for their money in the psychopathy department.

This also does manage to feel like a "real" snuff film, being filmed on what looks like an old VHS camcorder, and while that definitely enhances the feel of some of the more brutal scenes (including the less gory brutality such as the gas station bit), the filmmakers, for whatever reason, feel the need to intersperse the actual gore with long, droning scenes revolving around comic book stores or sub- par sex scenes.

As a result, the film falls flat in the actual gore department, with only a couple of scenes featuring the bloody sort of hyper-torture that you'd expect from a film like this. A gore film without much gore is difficult to recommend to anyone, but it's worth watching for any connoisseur of the genre, if only so you can say that you've seen it. And, apparently the sequels are far more interesting than the series' first outing, so maybe this could just be seen as a teaser trailer for the real deal; not much substance here, but just enough to make me want to keep watching in the hopes that the next film picks up the pace.

"August Underground" is about two serial killers who torture,rape,humiliate and kill their victims in a brutal fashion.The main psychopath is played convincingly by director Fred Vogel.The film is pretty much the equivalent to watching a snuff video.The atmosphere is raw and extremely nihilistic and the film pulls no punches with its sheer nastiness.The torture scenes are long,vomit inducing and incredibly shocking.For example Fred Vogel leads the cameraman into a basement where a girl is tied to a chair.She is naked,crying and covered with her own p*** and feces.After that both killers pick up a hitchhiker along the road.The woman is degraded and beaten to death.Another instance finds them assaulting and killing a convenience store clerk and two customers.In between they go to the slaughterhouse,a tattoo parlor and a rave where they are beaten up themselves."August Underground" clearly looks like an amateur home video,but the story is tightly scripted.The gore is truly sickening and the special effects are quite realistic.So if you're a fan of "Cannibal Holocaust","Scrapbook" or "The Untold Story" give this one a look.Recommended only for fans of extreme cinema.8 out of 10.

I actually obtained a copy of this from a friend who said it was 'something I might like'. I am an avid horror fan so I just assumed it was an old 70's b movie that I hadn't got or something. Oh my, how shocked was I!?

For the first 30-40 minutes I thought this was real. I contemplated turning it off, phoning my friend and asking him where he got this sh!t from, before deciding whether to hand him over to the police. This is amateur horror at it's very best. It cannot be long before Vogel is snapped up to make a 'big' picture, this guy is an evil genius. If you like the extreme side of horror, and I don't mean Scream and Friday the 13th, then you gotta check this out. I cannot recommend it enough.

Pretty much every review of this I've read has been very negative which is surprising but I kinda understand though I don't share that opinion. Don't get me wrong its not the "sickest film ever" either. Not even close.

I think the film wasn't actually that boring even though mockumentary films can easily be very tedious. There was a lot of stuff happening though some of it was kinda pointless. The concert scene and the statue scene mostly(the statue part was actually kinda funny). It probably would've been a lot more tedious if they had just spent the entire film with the torture. Its an interesting look into the life of these two guys who are some what believable. At least the acting is decent.

Another big thing that people are whining about is the mockumentary style of shooting i.e shaky hand-held camera with shitty video quality. It doesn't make me sick but if you get motion sickness easily then I don't see you enjoying this movie. I actually am a big fan of that style but I guess its a matter of taste.

Overall it seems to be popular to hate this movie even though it really doesn't deserve that much hate. The acting is good and the special effects are well done. Its not bad, its pretty average and has something different to offer. Don't expect a deep plot or social commentary though, just sit back and enjoy some mockumentary fun!