I've made some questionable decisions in life, but watching The Human Centipede trilogy in one day might top the list.
At some point between part 2 and part 3 -probably around the time when someone screamed while crawling- I paused, looked at my screen and quietly questioned my life choices. Meanwhile, my friend, Frances, kept asking why I keep watching messed up stuff.
But curiosity is a powerful thing (I saw an edit on Instagram and I downloaded the series immediately). And so is being able to say "yea I survived The Human Centipede, all three parts. In a single day"
Source
Some movie haunt you because they're emotional masterpiece. Others haunt you because you can't unsee what you've seen👀. The Human Centipede falls into the second category. I went into it expecting something disturbing (after all, it earned its reputation as one of the most grotesque horror films ever made). But this isn't your typical slasher or jump-scare fest. This is surgical horror, with a side of psychological unease. And somehow, it's deeply repulsive and oddly fascinating
A trilogy that starts with silence and surgery, then spirals into greasy chaos and full-blown political insanity
The Human Centipede, directed by Tom Six is a trilogy with one revolting unforgettable concept: surgically connecting humans mouth-to-anus. The first film dropped in 2009. And somehow, it only gets worse (or better?) with each sequel
🧵 Part 1: Surgical precision meets madness (2009)
This is where it all began, with a demented surgeon, a basement and a surgical plan that should've never left his twisted mind. Dr. Heiter, the antagonist, is terrifying not because he's loud or violent, but because he's cold, calculated and disturbingly calm.
Dr. Heiter is a retired surgeon with a wild dream: connecting three humans mouth-to-anus, into one digestive system. A "human centipede".
Now here's the thing: the idea is disgusting, but the presentation? Wierdly calm. Almost elegant. The house is clean, the lighting is clinical and Heiter talks to his victims like he's about to teach a biology class. It's less jump-scare and more "why is this happening in such silence?". It's the kind of horror that doesn't scream, it whispers directly into your spine. There's barely any music, which makes every sound (footsteps, restraints, muffled cries) hit like a punch.
The victims barely get to talk (literally, thanks to the.... placement), which somehow makes the tension worse. And the movie doesn't really explain why Heiter wants to do this. He just does. It's not revenge, it's not silence. It's pure chaotic evil
Source
🧠 Part 2: Obsession gets dirty (2011)
Oh boy.
If part 1 was horrifying in a clean way, Full Sequence is like someone spilled every horrible thing onto a filthy garage floor and filmed it. Filmed in black and white (thank God 🥲), the story follows Martin, a mute parking garage attendant who becomes obsessed with the first movie. So what does he do? Naturally , he decides to create his own humam Centipede -only bigger. Twelve people this time
This movie is in black and white, which is honestly a mercy. I don't want to know what half of those fluids actually looked like. It's gorier, louder and 500% more chaotic than the first one. There's barbed wire. There's a staple gun. There are some sounds I wish I could unhear. And there's Martin, wheezing and sweating like a haunted potato, with absolute zero chill.
I paused once. Not to take a break -just to stare into space and let my brain catch up. It didn't help
But I'll say this. Part 2 leans fully into the idea that The Human Centipede isn't just horror, it's meta horror. The villian watched the first film and said "you know what? That wasn't enough". That's unhinged and somehow, kind of brilliant in its own twisted way
Source
☠️ Part 3: American Carnage (2015)
By the time I got to Final Sequence, I was numb. Emotionally wrung out, dehydrated. And then the movie yelled at me
Set in a U.S prison in the middle of nowhere, this one swaps the surgical horror for political chaos. The warden -played by the same actor from part 1, but on a new level of unhinged- decides the best way to discipline inmates is to create the largest human centipede ever. Like.... 500 prisoners. You can't make this stuff up (Actually, Tom Six did, and I have questions)
Everyone is yelling. Literally everyone. For the entire movie. Its sweaty, offensive, ridiculous and completely bonkers. At one point, there's a discussion about whether sewing people together counts as "American justice" I'm not even joking.
By this point, the series isn't even pretending to be serious horror. It's parody. It's satire. It's a full-blown carnival of bad ideas dressed in patriotism and leather boots. And it's kinda.... fun? In a "What am I even watching anymore" sort of way.
Source
🧷 Final thoughts
So, three films. Three different moods
- part 1 is quiet horror with surgical vibes
- part 2 is filth, obsession and the inside of a nightmare
- part 3 is loud, political satire dressed as a horror sequel
Would I recommend this sequel to just anyone? Absolutely not. This is niche content, best watched with a strong stomach and a slightly twisted sense of humor. But if you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how far horror can go -if you love when movies break all the rules, throw them into a blender and serve the result with a side of chaos- then yes, this ride is for you
Just maybe.... not all in one day 😅
Have you watched anything as unhinged as this? Would you ever dare to?
