Do you love to be sickened to the core? Are you a desperate and deranged gore hound? (I know youre out there somewhere) If so, dont bother with this one.
Cannibal follows Max (Nicolas Gob), who initially appears to be a social recluse living in the woods alone. His world is shaken when he stumbles upon a bedraggled, unconscious young lady (Coppejans) next to his home. He instinctively takes her in and looks after her, and eventually forms a close relationship with her (every mans fantasy, right?). As you might have guessed, she turns out to be a Cannibal.
Cannibal is Benjamin Vires debut feature. Its a very modest psychological horror with the horror lingering somewhere in the background. Rather than depending on shocks and gore, Cannibal boosts the tension through complex and engaging character relationships (for the first half at least). Im not going to judge this film harshly just because it wasnt what I was expecting. I love to be caught off guard whilst watching a movie it just depends on how the narrative is delivered, and whether or not it feels appropriate for the material. Here there are only three scenes of violence throughout, with only one being particularly graphic. This didnt affect my enjoyment of the movie, but for those expecting a bucket load of gore, you will be very disappointed.
The first two acts of the film are engaging, tense and above all beautifully directed. The performances are fantastic from the main two actors and the relationship feels entirely believable. I was hooked. During the third act we are presented with flat secondary characters who feel like a pack of clichés, while the story becomes filled with plot holes in short, I was disappointed. It all becomes contrived and badly delivered, with the structure of the narrative making little sense, and this is Cannibals biggest downfall.
The film is directed in an art house (experimental) style. Expect beautifully abstract scenes and striking cinematography throughout, as this is by no means an amateur effort. That doesnt mean its entirely successful though.
Overall Verdict: Director Benjamin Vire is one to look out for in the future. There is talent shining through this debut, its just a shame the core narrative lets it down. Overall its style over substance and would have worked better as a short film.
Special Features:
None
Reviewer: Samuel Barnett