The film is a brutal survival horror that follows a group of college activists from New York traveling to the Peruvian Amazon rainforest to protest illegal logging. Their idealism quickly turns into a nightmare when their small plane crashes deep in the jungle, and the survivors are captured by an isolated indigenous tribe practicing cannibalism. The story explores themes of slacktivism, cultural clash, and the dark irony of well-meaning Western intervention. Several early scenes establishing the characters' everyday college life were filmed on location in Manhattan, New York, while the jungle scenes were shot in remote areas of Peru and Chile. The film became known for its graphic content and was notably delayed for two years before a wide theatrical release in 2015, despite premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013. Director Eli Roth drew inspiration from classic Italian cannibal films of the 1970s and 1980s, especially 'Cannibal Holocaust'.

Filming Locations:

Columbia University

In the Movie

Scene where the college campus, where the main character Justine and student activists plan their trip to the Amazon. The university setting highlights the idealism of young students passionate about activism, and Alejandro recruits volunteers for his mission to save the rainforest from illegal logging.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at one of the most prestigious Ivy League universities in the United States, founded in 1754 as King's College. The main campus in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan is known for its neoclassical architecture, including the iconic Low Library. The campus at Broadway and West 116th Street is often used for filming due to its photogenic courtyards and stately buildings.

Zabar's

In the Movie

Scene where early New York scenes show the everyday life of college students before their fateful trip to the Amazon. The familiar setting of a delicatessen on the Upper West Side sharply contrasts with the gruesome horror of the jungle that comes later in the film, helping viewers connect with the characters in a familiar urban environment.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the legendary gourmet grocery and delicatessen that has been a staple of Manhattan's Upper West Side since 1934. Located on Broadway between 80th and 81st Streets, Zabar's is famous for its smoked fish, cheeses, coffee, and prepared foods. It has appeared in numerous films and TV shows about New York as a symbol of everyday life in the upscale neighborhood.