A corpse that farts its way to freedom is the hero of this surreal comedy.

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In a film that defies categorization, a stranded man finds a companion in a flatulent corpse. By utilizing the body as a multi-purpose tool, he navigates a hostile environment while grappling with his own social anxieties, creating a bizarre yet surprisingly poignant exploration of human connection and personal trauma.

Swiss Army Man, the 2016 directorial debut of Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, centers on Hank Thompson, a man nearly driven to suicide on a deserted island. His fate shifts when he discovers a corpse that, through incessant flatulence, provides propulsion across the water. As the body—which Hank names Manny—begins to speak and exhibit strange, magical abilities, the two embark on a journey toward civilization. The film uses Manny’s body as a surreal Swiss Army knife, serving as a source of fresh water and a compass, while Hank attempts to teach his companion the complexities of human life.

The narrative is deeply rooted in Hank’s own psychological struggles. While he constructs elaborate, makeshift scenarios to help Manny understand concepts like love and social interaction, these efforts mirror Hank’s own isolation and his unrequited obsession with a woman named Sarah. The film’s tone is intentionally jarring, blending crude bodily humor with themes of grief, social anxiety, and the desire for belonging. This juxtaposition of the grotesque and the tender is a hallmark of the Daniels' vision, which they developed through multiple Sundance Institute labs between 2013 and 2014.

The production itself was as unconventional as the script. Principal photography spanned just 22 days in 2015, across locations in San Pedro and Humboldt County. To ground the performances, the directors had composer Robert play music on set during filming, a rarity in cinema. While the film’s premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival prompted some audience members to walk out, it ultimately earned a 73% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that despite its bizarre premise, the committed performances of Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe lent the film a tragic fragility that elevated it beyond mere shock value.

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