Tagline: Activism is dangerous. Director: Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever) Starring: Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Aaron Burns, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Daryl Sabara Genre: Horror / Splatter / Cannibal Exploitation Runtime: 100 Minutes
When audiences think of the "torture porn" boom of the mid-2000s, Eli Roth’s name sits near the top of the list. With Hostel (2005) and its sequel, Roth redefined American horror for the post-9/11 era—gritty, realistic, and relentlessly cruel. But for nearly a decade, Roth had been nurturing a different kind of nightmare: a return to the gritty, documentary-style shockers of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
That passion project finally materialized in The Green Inferno -2013-. Released initially at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2013 (before a delayed theatrical run in 2015 due to distribution issues), the film is Roth’s love letter—and modern update—to the infamous Italian "cannibal boom" subgenre, most notably Ruggero Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust (1980).
Here is everything you need to know about the production, plot, controversy, and lasting legacy of The Green Inferno -2013- .
In the pantheon of modern horror, few films have sparked as much visceral revulsion, walkouts, and heated debate as Eli Roth’s brutal love letter to classic Italian cannibal cinema: The Green Inferno -2013-. Released initially at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2013 (with a wider theatrical rollout in 2015 due to distribution delays), the film positioned itself as a return to the unrated, grindhouse-style terror that defined the video nasty era.
For the uninitiated, The Green Inferno -2013- is not merely a movie; it is an endurance test. It is a cautionary tale about activism gone wrong, wrapped in the graphic, unsimulated-looking violence of Cannibal Holocaust and Cannibal Ferox. But why, over a decade later, does this specific entry in Roth’s filmography continue to generate curiosity and controversy? Let’s dissect the plot, the production, the themes, and the enduring shock value of The Green Inferno.
Beneath the blood, the film is a dark comedy/satire. It mocks "Social Justice Warriors" and the concept of "Slacktivism" (performative activism for social media clout).
The Green Inferno did not start a new cannibal revival (a proposed sequel, The Green Inferno 2, was produced without Roth’s direct involvement and released in 2015 to poor reviews). However, it cemented Eli Roth’s reputation as a preservationist of extreme cinema. By remixing the tropes of Deodato and Umberto Lenzi for a post-9/11, social-media-obsessed audience, Roth forced a new generation to confront the ethical questions of the original cannibal films: Are we any more civilized than the "savages" on screen?
For fans of unrated, uncompromising horror, The Green Inferno is a must-watch—a fever dream of blood, bamboo, and bad decisions. For everyone else, it’s a reminder that some movies are designed not to entertain, but to scar.
Final Verdict: A savage, problematic, and undeniably effective piece of grindhouse horror. Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach.
Rating: R (for aberrant violence, disturbing gore, language, sexual content, and drug use)
Run Time: 100 minutes
Streaming Availability: Often rotates on Shudder, AMC+, and for digital rental.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Revisiting Eli Roth’s The Green Inferno (2013)
If there is one thing Eli Roth knows how to do, it is making an audience squirm. Released in 2013 (though delayed for wide release until 2015), The Green Inferno is Roth's blood-soaked love letter to the "cannibal boom" of the late ’70s and early ’80s. It’s a film that doesn't just want to scare you; it wants to turn your stomach. The Plot: Activism Meets the Abattoir The Green Inferno -2013-
The story follows Justine (Lorenza Izzo), a naive college freshman who joins a group of student activists. Their mission? To travel from New York to the Amazon rainforest to protest a logging company threatening an indigenous tribe.
In a cruel twist of irony, their plane crash-lands in the jungle, and the survivors are captured by the very tribe they were trying to save. What follows is a brutal game of survival where the "civilized" world meets a society with very different culinary habits. A Homage to Horror History The Green Inferno EN – FEFFS
The Green Inferno (2013) - A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction
The Green Inferno is a 2013 American horror film directed by Arthur Harari. The movie follows a group of student activists who travel to the Amazonian jungle to document the deforestation caused by a proposed highway. However, their plane crashes, and they are forced to trek through the jungle, only to find themselves being stalked and hunted by a cannibal tribe.
Plot Summary
The movie begins with a prologue that showcases the brutal and inhumane treatment of indigenous peoples in the Amazonian jungle. The story then shifts to a group of student activists, led by Harold, who embark on a journey to document the deforestation caused by a proposed highway in the Amazon. The group consists of Harold, his girlfriend Olivia, and their friends, including Lætitia, a French photographer.
As they fly over the jungle, their plane crashes, and they are forced to trek through the dense forest. Initially, they are excited to explore the jungle and document the destruction caused by the proposed highway. However, their excitement is short-lived, as they soon realize they are not alone in the jungle.
The group stumbles upon a cannibal tribe, who have been living in the jungle for centuries. The tribe, fueled by a desire to protect their land and way of life, begins to hunt the group. The students soon find themselves fighting for survival, as they try to navigate through the treacherous jungle and evade the tribe.
Characters and Cast
Themes and Symbolism
Reception and Reviews
The Green Inferno received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its intense and suspenseful moments, while others criticized its graphic violence and perceived colonialist undertones. The movie holds a 5.8/10 rating on IMDB and a 23% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Trivia and Behind-the-Scenes
Conclusion
The Green Inferno is a tense and suspenseful horror movie that explores themes of environmentalism, colonialism, and survival. While it received mixed reviews from critics, it has gained a cult following among horror fans. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the movie, including its plot, characters, themes, and reception. If you're a fan of horror movies or are simply interested in learning more about The Green Inferno, this guide is for you.
Plot
The film follows a group of student activists who travel to the Amazon rainforest to document the destruction of the environment. However, their plane crashes in a remote area, and they are forced to trek through the jungle to find help. As they journey deeper into the forest, they stumble upon a cannibal tribe that has been living in the jungle for centuries.
Cast
Reception
The Green Inferno received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising its intense and graphic violence, as well as its commentary on environmentalism and the clash of cultures. The film holds a 74% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 6.5/10.
Themes
Trivia
Watching the movie
If you're planning to watch The Green Inferno, be prepared for:
Overall, The Green Inferno is a disturbing and thought-provoking horror film that explores themes of environmentalism, cannibalism, and cultural clash. If you're a fan of extreme horror or are interested in exploring the genre, this film may be worth checking out.
Upon its premiere, The Green Inferno -2013- faced immediate backlash. Critics were divided sharply into two camps: those who saw it as a clever satire of privileged activism, and those who dismissed it as racist, misogynist, and utterly nihilistic.
The Case for Satire: Roth argues that the film is a dark comedy. The activists are cartoonishly self-righteous—one character brags about being "vegan for five years" before being eaten. Their slogans and social media posts do nothing to stop the machetes. Roth’s thesis seems to be: "You want to save the natives? What if the natives don’t want to be saved, and what if they eat you?" By making the victims unlikeable, he forces the audience to confront uncomfortable questions about white savior complexes.
The Case Against: Critics point out that The Green Inferno -2013- replicates the exact racism of the films it claims to critique. The tribe is depicted as a monolithic, expressionless, sadistic horde—devoid of culture beyond mutilation. Unlike Cannibal Holocaust, which featured a lengthy prologue condemning the cruelty of Western documentarians, Roth offers no real native perspective. The indigenous actors are essentially props for extreme gore sequences.
Furthermore, the film has a real-world consequence problem. During production a decade earlier for a similar genre film, real indigenous actors were reportedly exploited. While Roth denies this specifically for his film, the ethical questions remain: Is it ever okay to depict real tribespeople in such a degrading, violent light for entertainment?
To understand The Green Inferno -2013-, you have to understand its DNA. Between 1977 and 1981, Italian directors like Umberto Lenzi (Cannibal Ferox) and Ruggero Deodato produced a string of films that blended mondo documentary realism with extreme gore. The crown jewel was Cannibal Holocaust, which was so realistic that Deodato was arrested and forced to prove in court that he hadn’t actually murdered his actors.
Roth has repeatedly cited Cannibal Holocaust as a major influence. He even named his film after the fictional location in Deodato’s masterpiece (the characters in Cannibal Holocaust travel to "The Green Inferno" to find the lost filmmakers). However, Roth made two critical changes for the 2013 version:
Upon its wide release in 2015, the film holds a 35% on Rotten Tomatoes (based on 83 reviews) but a significantly higher 45% audience score. On Metacritic, it sits at 41/100.
Common criticism: "It wants to be a political satire and a cannibal movie, and it fails at both." Common praise: "No one directs visceral, tactile horror like Eli Roth. You feel every cut."
While critics were lukewarm, the film was a modest financial success. Made for approximately $5 million, it grossed over $12 million worldwide—by no means a blockbuster, but profitable enough for Roth to later produce a sequel (which remains in development hell as of 2025).