I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Tomas Milian begins his topsy turvy relationship with Umberto Lenzi in perhaps the duo's classiest pairing, taking more than a little inspiration from A CLOCKWORK ORANGE with Milian playing just as morally bankrupt of an anti-hero.ALMOST HUMAN (aka MILANO ODIA) really works and contains enough action, violence, nudity, and sharp-witted dialog to keep most B- movie lovers entertained. It's not quite realistic enough and a little too over-the-top to really attract the same foreign film aficionados who would do better with similarly-themed ASHES AND DIAMONDS. In a lot of ways, the ODIA becomes so dark and disturbing (even warranting its release in the United States as a HORROR movie) that things often slingshot back into black comedy.Milian's main stooge Gino Santercole (dubbed by Michael Forest) gets in most of the funniest lines such as "it was worth killing a couple of people for this money!". He's an interesting character, being a very loyal henchman through and through with little qualms graduating from low level criminal to kidnapper/murderer. The same cannot be said for secondary stooge Lovelock, whose constant crises of conscience make him a subject of amusing taunts by Milian in his most unhinged performance yet.Somehow, Milian so makes the character believable and human enough... charming, cunning, arrogant, and determined... that he somehow remains likable even after killing and abusing so many people (including his own friends and girlfriend). Strindberg as his middle-aged (though quite fetching) girlfriend isn't the most believable either, but their passionate albeit pathetic excuse for a relationship provides even more interest in this multi-layered movie. Henry Silva's also on-hand as a hard-nosed inspector not-so- hot on Milian's trail, charming in his own way though not enough to make us really root for him.All in all, it's an interesting film and a little smarter and more plot-driven than you'll usually find in a high octane Italian crime film as the cycle tended to gravitate into the mid-70's. It's one of the few cases though where I'd recommend the slightly edited U.S. version from Joseph Brenner over the Italian as it does inject a little more pathos and creepiness than the Italian version.

Umberto Lenzi's Almost Human is a film that takes in all the best elements of seventies Italian cinema and blends it all into one deliriously entertaining thriller! Umberto Lenzi is, of course, more famous for his cannibal and zombie films; but I have it on good authority that his real talent lies in police thrillers, and even though this is my first Poliziotteschi from Lenzi; it appears that would indeed be the case. The film takes obvious influence from successful American films such as Dirty Harry, but it's also obvious that Lenzi has added his own spin on the sub-genre, as the sadistic director implants a lot of scenes that wouldn't be out of place in an exploitation film. Almost Human is graphically violent throughout, and that is certainly no bad thing! The film follows a career criminal known as Giulio Sacci who realises that he's not making a lot of money out of small time crime and so hatches a plot to kidnap a wealthy man's daughter and hold her for ransom. It's not long before Milan's toughest cop; Inspector Walter Grandi gets on the case and sets into motion a bloodthirsty chain of events! The cast and crew is like a who's who of Italian cinema. Lenzi himself has directed a number of the best Italian films, while nobody will disagree that films such as The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh and The Case of the Bloody Iris make Ernesto Gastaldi one of Italy's finest scriptwriters. The cast is superb, and benefits from two strong lead male performances. Thomas Milan, perhaps best known for performances as Django and a starring role in Fulci's Don't Torture a Duckling, gives a sadistic and charismatic lead performance, while Henry Silva is his opposite number. There are support roles for the likes of Anita Strindberg and Ray Lovelock, and just to top things off; Almost Human is scored by the great Ennio Morricone! The plot is superb and continually delivers the unexpected as the lead character descends further into bloodthirsty insanity. Lenzi does a good job of presenting a dirty and gritty atmosphere for the film, and ensures that the film feels like a police thriller with several car chases and shootouts. Italian films are known for being cheap and nasty; but that isn't the case here, as the production values are good and the film always feels professionally made. Highly recommended for the fan of Italian cinema!

Umberto Lenzi, best known (at least among horror fans) for the ultra-gory/ultra-campy CANNIBAL FEROX - brings us a straight-faced and violent crime story with ALMOST HUMAN. Not a lot of "campiness" or silliness in this one, as we're treated to the story of a degenerate criminal and the lengths that he'll go to to get paid...Giulio is a low-life, low-level criminal who will do anything or kill anyone (and I do mean ANYONE) who gets in his way, including cops, night watchmen, men, women, children, his girlfriend (played by Anita Strindberg - most recognizable from Sergio Martino's YOUR VICE IS A LOCKED ROOM...), his "friends", or anyone else that tries to thwart his plans. After botching a job for one of the bigger bosses, Giulio starts setting his sights on a bigger job that will give him a huge pay-day. He settles on a plan to kidnap a rich Official's daughter for a huge ransom. He enlists two of his low-life pals to help out, and the rest of the film is watching the cat-and-mouse kidnapping "game" play out...ALMOST HUMAN is an enjoyable and competent crime film. The performances are all quite good, there are some decent twists, and for the violence lovers out there - there's plenty of that too. I don't typically watch too much of this sort of thing, but really did enjoy this entry. If violent crime-capers are your thing, you should probably check this one out...8.5/10

Before watching this movie I thought that it could be a worthless movie, a typical Italian commercial movie like many others. But, after wards I watched it I must have changed my mind. I don't know why I always refused to watch this kind of movies of the 70's. I've been very impressed by the action, the dialogs, the acting. It was like I've been watching an American movie with Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson or any other actor of action-movies. Also I think this movie can be considered a precursor of Tarantino pulp-movies. In fact there is a lot of unjustified blood and sometime it let you think to be hilarious. First of all I must point up how great Tomas Milian is in this movie (he is great in a lot of his other movies too): he got the main role and, thanks of his acting, he keeps the audience stuck to the video all along the movie runtime. The other characters are well played by Henry Silva (the cop who shoots the bad guy at the end of the movie even if he was judged not guilty), Ray Lovelock (the bad guy who falls in love with the kidnapped girl) and Laura Belli (the rich man's daughter).A great movie.P.S.: don't let the children watch this movie: there is too much violence!