This is where the film crosses a line for many viewers. Like many Italian cannibal films of the era, Cannibal Ferox features sequences of genuine animal slaughter. Most notoriously, a turtle is dismembered and killed on camera for real, alongside the slaughter of a pig. Even star Giovanni Lombardo Radice expressed regret over the production, noting that he wished he had never made the film, specifically because of the real violence inflicted on animals.

The film was notoriously claimed to be banned in 31 countries due to its realistic gore and genuine animal cruelty, which remains its most criticized element today. Streaming via LK21 and LayarKaca21

: The film features graphic scenes of torture and mutilation, including the notorious "brain eating" sequence.

Deep in the jungle, the group encounters Mike (Giovanni Lombardo Radice), an unhinged and sadistic drug smuggler on the run. Mike and his companion have brutally tortured, exploited, and enslaved the local indigenous tribe while searching for emeralds.