Burning Palms is too sick to attract the masses, but he's onto something subversively valid, and the film is never boring.

Landon's sardonic view of human nature and deft filmmaking skills - plus a raft of sharp portrayals - keep the viewer from pondering the preposterousness of certain situations and instead encourages going along with the fun.

Never quite achieves the balance of melodrama and dark comedy for which it's aiming.

Making his directorial debut, screenwriter Christopher Landon struggles so mightily to offend that he forgets to supply a rooting interest in his characters.

Built-to-shock anthology film.