Plot and Style
A 1,000-year-old vampire with an obsession for removing men’s genitals is the central figure in this body horror film, which is shot in a deliberately trashy 1980s synth-heavy style.
The film opens with a graphic scene set on a quiet back road, where a balding vampire, who has lived for a millennium, lures a middle-aged man into his car under the pretense of a quick sexual encounter. The vampire’s head lowers into the man’s lap.
“Not quite so hard,”the man pleads, but his request goes ignored. Within the first three minutes, the audience is confronted with the sight of a severed member — the first of many such dismemberments. The film’s aesthetic is characterized by abundant red smoke and a synth-driven soundtrack, creating an over-the-top and intentionally ridiculous atmosphere, though it elicits genuine startled reactions at certain moments.
Performances and Characters
The acting is not of the highest caliber, with performances that do not reach first or even second-rate levels. Nonetheless, Hjörtur Sævar Steinason delivers an engaging portrayal of the vampire Hjörtur, embodying a weary nihilism punctuated by occasional spiritual torment. One night, Hjörtur becomes interested in a young woman named Hulda (played by Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir), who is under pressure from local police investigating the death of her brother due to a drug overdose. After witnessing Hjörtur split a local thug’s skull in two, Hulda is understandably terrified. However, Hjörtur reassures her that his predations are limited to men.
Among the officers pursuing Hulda is Jens (Jens Jensson), a uniformed policeman nearing retirement. Jens’s wife is a religious zealot who wears a tracksuit and broadcasts apocalyptic warnings on television, proclaiming that the end is near — a fate that seems imminent for some residents of Reykjavík.
Thematic Elements and Impact
The film does not offer any deeper meaning or metaphor related to vampirism. It functions as a midnight movie, focused on the spectacle of Hjörtur removing the genitals of his male victims, alongside another vampire who consumes the internal organs of a still-living victim. While the film contains a significant amount of graphic and unsettling content, it lacks substantive impact or thematic depth. However, certain scenes, such as Hjörtur eating a hotdog with the remark
“I don’t eat processed meat”, may achieve cult status due to their unique and memorable nature.
