By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2 cats
Director: Aimee Kuge
Starring: April Consalo | Benjamin Frankenberg | Clay von Carlowitz | Madeleine Ours | Nate Wise
Year: 2024
Running time: 104
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27480944/reference/
Brett says: “I go to festivals. I watch movies. I write reviews. I don’t make up the titles, so give a guy a break. From the mind of first-feature writer/director Aimee Kuge, CANNIBAL MUKBANG stretches the boundaries of mukbang entertainment: the online trend of eating while other people watch a broadcast of it. While the title is an instant attention-grabber or an immediate “no thanks” to select viewers either way, the content of the film begins as a somewhat light-hearted serendipitous boy meets girl encounter despite providing a fairly spot-on title spoiler for the awkwardness that’s sure to ensue. Mark is effectively portrayed as an uncertain, clumsy guy who seems to have stumbled into a potential romantic jackpot with Ash, even though it’s obvious to the audience there are blanks that need to be filled in about this mysterious beauty.
“The first act is an effective slow burn full of hints of irony that–pardon me–gnaw at the audience’s anticipation for a big reveal. However, as the young couple gets to know each other and the truth is finally made evident about love interest Ash, the film exits the initial slow burn mode and enters raw–oops, I did it again–and sensationalist territory. Essentially, the series of heinous acts of cannibalism are given a fairly lengthy spotlight with justifications provided behind each act. The cherry on top is an attempt at a tricky moral dilemma providing the dessert.
“There are certainly some effective production design choices and careful direction that set up major potential here. Though the description on paper can easily give off vibes that this could be a travesty from start to finish in the wrong hands, the film does have its moments and isn’t a full-scale dive into decadence for decadence’s sake. When the movie does attempt its unhinged stages, however, it seems like a bit of a reach into the shock cinema domain that comes up short. Much of the principle behind film falls a little flat with the caricatures it draws instead of offering depictions of the antagonists that are more fleshed out. I did it again, didn’t I? 2 CATS OUT OF 5”