History YMMV / EightMM

** [[MalevolentMaskedMan Machine]], who turns out to be a [[spoiler:[[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse bald, bespectacled, harmless-looking man named George Anthony Higgins]]]], is a thug who works for the aforementioned Dino Velvet. When commissioned to make a snuff film, Machine willingly rapes and brutally murders a woman while Dino records, much to the disgust of a fellow henchman. When protagonist Tom Welles investigates the tape's veracity, Machine, on Dino's behalf, captures a smut clerk who had assisted Welles, in order to convince the latter to give them the tape, before killing the hostage anyway. In his final confrontation with Welles, Machine taunts the latter by explaining that he enjoys killing and that he is [[CombatSadomasochist sexually aroused by violence]]. Furthermore, Machine admits with [[CardCarryingVillain pride]] that he commits atrocities [[ForTheEvulz of his own volition]], rather than because of any suffering he may have endured.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: When Tom Welles is tearfully asking [[spoiler: why Mr. Christian paid to have the snuff film made]], we're not seeing funny LargeHam Cage. His rage is ugly and animalistic, and there's a lot of palpable anger and exhaustion in his voice. After seeing Cage ham it up in films like ''Deadfall'', ''Face/Off'', and ''Vampire's Kiss'', this scene is a reminder that he's capable of a powerful performances if given the right material.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: When Tom Welles is tearfully asking [[spoiler: why Mr. Christian paid to have the snuff film made]], we're not seeing funny LargeHam Cage. His rage is ugly and animalistic, and there's a lot of palpable anger and exhaustion in his voice. After seeing Cage ham it up in films like Deadfall, Face/Off, and Vampire's Kiss, this scene is a reminder that he's capable of a powerful performances if given the right material.

* CompleteMonster: [[MalevolentMaskedMan Machine]], who turns out to be a [[spoiler:[[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse bald, bespectacled, harmless-looking man named George Anthony Higgins]]]], is a thug who works for [[MadArtist Dino Velvet]]. When commissioned to make a SnuffFilm, Machine willingly rapes and brutally murders a woman while Dino records, much to the disgust of a fellow henchman. When protagonist Tom Welles investigates the tape's veracity, Machine, on Dino's behalf, captures a smut clerk who had assisted Welles, in order to convince the latter to give them the tape, before killing the hostage anyway. In his final confrontation with Welles, Machine taunts the latter by explaining that he enjoys killing and that he is sexually aroused by violence. Furthermore, Machine admits with pride that he commits atrocities [[ForTheEvulz of his own volition]], rather than because of any suffering he may have endured.

*** What really sells that scene is how terrified and exhausted Welles looks. Not only his face battered and cut up from his recent struggles, but his eyes are very wide. When the music stops, he visibly pauses, like he senses that he's being led into a trap.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: When Tom Welles is furiously asking [[spoiler: why Mr. Christian would pay to have such a horrendous piece of film made]], we're not seeing funny LargeHam Cage. He's realistically outraged, and there's a lot of palpable anger and exhaustion in his voice. After seeing Cage ham it up in films like Deadfall, Face/Off, and Vampire's Kiss, this scene is a reminder that he's capable of a powerful performances if given the right material.

** The damn snuff film reel itself.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: When Tom Welles is angrily asking [[spoiler: why Mr. Christian would pay to have such a horrendous piece of film made]], we're not seeing funny LargeHam Cage. He's realistically outraged, and there's a lot of palpable anger and exhaustion in his voice. After seeing Cage ham it up in films like Deadfall, Face/Off, and Vampire's Kiss, this scene is a reminder that he's capable of a powerful performances if given the right material.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: When Tom Welles is angrily asking [[spoiler: why Mr. Christian would pay to have such a horrendous piece of film made]], we're not seeing funny LargeHam Cage. Instead, he's realistically outraged, vicious, and exhausted at the horror of the situation, making Welles' emotions surprisingly palpable. After seeing him ham it up in films like Deadfall, Face/Off, and Vampire's Kiss, this scene is a reminder that Cage is capable of some powerful, emotive performances if given the right material.

** The disturbing use of Aphex Twin's Come To Daddy at points in the movie.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: When Tom Welles is angrily asking [[spoiler: why Mr. Christian would pay to have such a horrendous piece of film made]]. This isn't funny LargeHam Cage, here his rage is realistic, vicious and broken. After seeing films like Deadfall, Face/Off, and Vampire's Kiss, this scene is a reminder that he's a talented, emotive actor when he means to be.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: When Tom Welles is angrily asking [[spoiler: Why Mr. Christian would pay to have such a horrendous piece of film made]]. This isn't funny LargeHam Cage, here his rage is realistic, vicious and broken. After seeing films like Deadfall, Face/Off, and Vampire's Kiss, this scene right here makes you realize "Damn, Cage has chops!"

* CompleteMonster: [[MalevolentMaskedMan Machine]], who turns out to be a [[spoiler:[[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse bespectacled, harmless-looking man named George Anthony Higgins]]]], is a thug who works for [[MadArtist Dino Velvet]]. When commissioned to make a SnuffFilm, Machine willingly rapes and brutally murders a woman while Dino records, much to the disgust of a fellow henchman. When protagonist Tom Welles investigates the tape's veracity, Machine, on Dino's behalf, captures a smut clerk who had assisted Welles, in order to convince the latter to give them the tape, before killing the hostage anyway. In his final confrontation with Welles, Machine taunts the latter by explaining that he enjoys killing and that he is sexually aroused by violence. Furthermore, Machine admits with pride that he commits atrocities [[ForTheEvulz of his own volition]], rather than because of any suffering he may have endured.

* CompleteMonster: [[MalevolentMaskedMan Machine]], who turns out to be a [[spoiler:[[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse harmless-looking, overweight, bespectacled man named George Anthony Higgins]]]], is a thug who works for [[MadArtist Dino Velvet]]. When commissioned to make a SnuffFilm, Machine willingly rapes and brutally murders a woman while Dino records, much to the disgust of a fellow henchman. When protagonist Tom Welles investigates the tape's veracity, Machine, on Dino's behalf, captures a smut clerk who had assisted Welles, in order to convince the latter to give them the tape, before killing the hostage anyway. In his final confrontation with Welles, Machine taunts the latter by explaining that he enjoys killing and that he is sexually aroused by violence. Furthermore, Machine admits with pride that he commits atrocities [[ForTheEvulz of his own volition]], rather than because of any suffering he may have endured.

* CompleteMonster: [[MalevolentMaskedMan Machine]], who turns out to be a [[spoiler:[[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse harmless-looking, overweight, bespectacled man named George Anthony Higgins]]]], is a thug who works for [[MadArtist Dino Velvet]]. When commissioned to make a [[SnuffFilm snuff film]], Machine willingly rapes and brutally murders a woman while Dino records, much to the disgust of a fellow henchman. When protagonist Tom Welles investigates the tape's veracity, Machine, on Dino's behalf, captures a smut clerk who had assisted Welles, in order to convince the latter to give them the tape, before killing the hostage anyway. In his final confrontation with Welles, Machine taunts the latter by explaining that he enjoys killing and that he is sexually aroused by violence. Furthermore, Machine admits with pride that he commits atrocities [[ForTheEvulz of his own volition]], rather than because of any suffering he may have endured.

* CompleteMonster: [[MalevolentMaskedMan Machine]], who turns out to be a [[spoiler:[[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse harmless-looking, overweight, bespectacled man named George Anthony Higgins]]]], is a thug who works for [[MadArtist Dino Velvet]]. When commissioned to make a [[SnuffFilm snuff film]], Machine willingly rapes and brutally murders a woman while Dino records, much to the disgust of a fellow henchman. When protagonist Tom Welles investigates the tape's veracity, Machine, on Dino's behalf, captures a smut clerk who had assisted Welles, in order to convince the latter to give them the tape, before killing the hostage anyway. In his final confrontation with Welles, Machine taunts the latter by explaining that he enjoys killing and that he is sexually aroused by violence. Furthermore, Machine admits with pride that he commits atrocities [[ForTheEvulz of his own volition]], rather than because of any suffering he may have suffered.

* CompleteMonster: We have TheSociopath and {{Sadist}} MalevolentMaskedMan Machine. Machine takes part in snuff films to feed his depraved appetites and he is the one who rapes and murders an innocent woman on camera. When the tape is investigated, Machine is willing to kill more people, and commit more rapes on camera. When he attempts to murder the hero, he even gleefully whispers while strangling him how hard he's getting from the violence. Machine has no FreudianExcuse or reasoning for his action and he serves to show how [[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse a monster can come in the most innocuous of guises]], particularly when you see under the mask [[spoiler: Machine is a bald, chubby, harmless looking man named George who asks "were you expecting a monster?"]]

* CreepyAwesome: According to many people, Dino Velvet.

* HeReallyCanAct: When Tom Welles is angrily asking [[spoiler: Why Mr. Christian would pay to have such a horrendous piece of film made]]. This isn't funny LargeHam Cage, here his rage is realistic, vicious and broken. After seeing films like Deadfall, Face/Off, and Vampire's Kiss, this scene right here makes you realize "Damn, Cage has chops!"

* MemeticMutation: The scene where Welles watches the snuff film has been used in some hilarious YouTube videos where Nic Cage watches his own scenes, mostly from ''Film/TheWickerMan2006''.

* CriticalResearchFailure: Many have criticized the film for trying too hard to recapture what made Film/Se7en so popular, despite the fact that both films actually have the same screenwriter.

** And there's also snuff film director, Dino Velvet, who has people murdered and tortured in his films for his own satisfaction. The fact he's also implied to be a necrophile doesn't help either.

** For others, Machine.

* SoOkayItsAverage: While few would argue that the film is outright ''bad'', it mostly got this reaction from audiences and critics alike: it is a dark and competently made thriller with a solid cast and an original subject matter, but the fact that the screenplay tries so hard to recapture what made Film/Se7en popular ultimately makes it feel like a mediocre rethread of it.
** Though alot of people fail to realize that both films share the same screenwriter.

* EsembleDarkhorse: Warren, despite being a very minor character, has become very popular with fans, mainly because he's played by Creator/NormanReedus.

* EsembleDarkHorse: Warren, despite being a very minor character, has become veyr popular with fans, mainly because he's played by Creator/NormanReedus.