I think the most disturbing and sickest films are made by Europeans and Japanese because they are more attuned to the fact that there is something sick and disturbing about society, and have the means and adequate circumstances to make films about it.
Perhaps they're responding to this sickness, even symptomatic of it, but they're also trying to use film to shake us out of our desensitized, Hollywood imaginary that life is a-ok.
Many watch films to escape life's harsh realities. Perhaps some directors among the groups you mention think it's better instead to shake up this paradigm and make us actually feel or think about something again. Perhaps a film like this isn't even provocative, or confrontational, which would invite intellectualizing (a safe distancing)the extremity is meant to go beyond that and almost physically shock, like a defibrillator, the unresponsive among us back from the dead.
So maybe there's nothing wrong with them. Maybe there's something wrong with us whom require the shock.

I'm American and a long time horror fan. Horror films out here in the States have been and still are absolutely terrible. Most these days are remakes of foreign horror films. Hollywood and the rating system are a joke.
That being said, all the best no holds barred horror films are from the Asian and European region and this movie is no exception.
I don't get scared or shocked very easily but this one left a mark on me. Easily one of my favorites.
Please Hollywood, stop ruining perfectly good horror movies by remaking watered down versions of them. Some of these flicks are perfect the way they are.
Prime example, though I do not consider it horror was Oldboy. Original, perfect. Hollywood, utter piece of trash and barely watchable.
I read not long ago a remake for Audition is in the works. Please say it ain't so.

film makers in other countries actually know why they became a writer or director\producer in the first place. they have the inner need and mostly the talent to make something great. i wish American big budget studios could remember the same things
Rob Zombie is one of the greatest directors today

They're not afraid to really go all out. It's just my personal opinion, but I think a lot of films from the US are made with the mentality that they can only push the envelope so far so that their intended audience and the media doesn't criticize them for this, that, and that. I think it's in the other way round for overseas movies - they make the film for the sake of making the film and people can either love it or hate it; they don't care. Not being PC and caring what the audience thinks is why some of the best horror and torture porn films hail from places like Europe and Japan - the director and producers' of these films aims are to shock, horrify, gross out its audience past the limit and boy do they pass with flying colors.

Because we're not dumb unoriginal limited fcks like you americans.

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