# Ravenous (1999)

### reviewed by
Jamey Hughton

    RAVENOUS
    ***1/2 (out of five stars)
    A review by Jamey Hughton

Starring-Guy Pearce, Robert Carlyle, Jeffrey Jones, Jeremy Davies, Neal McDonough, David Arquette, Stephen Spinella and John Spencer Director-Antonia Bird Rated 18A 20th Century Fox

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The tag-line for Ravenous is `You are who you eat', and that couldn't be more accurate. The subject in this deranged and enjoyable horror/comedy is cannibalism, so if you don't have a stomach that can withstand graphic dismemberment's (which there are plenty of), I would advise you to keep your distance. But, for those individuals with an acquired taste for an original story with their carnage, this unique little bloodbath could spell genuine fun.

The year is 1847, and the Mexican-American War is in full swing. Captain Boyd (Guy Pearce) has been dispatched to the base of Fort Spencer. There, he joins an interesting troupe of characters. The commanding officer is Lieutenant Hart (Jeffrey Jones), who informs Boyd of his duties at the Fort. Major Knox (Stephen Spinella) is a careless drunk, Toffler (Jeremy Davies) is a dedicated man of God, Reich (Neal McDonough) is a cocky soldier and Cleaves (David Arquette) is the bumbling idiot of a chef. Fort Spencer is a desolate and uneventful location, until a mysterious stranger arrives at the door, freezing and suffering from malnutrition (ha!).

The strange drifter, who calls himself Colqhoun, is played by Robert Carlyle. He describes to the group how he came to be in their presence. You see, he was part of a six-person expedition when they became lost and stranded by oncoming weather. After eating the oxen and horses, they had to resort to something even more terrifying. Yep... cannibalism. Lt. Hart opts to travel to where the group had taken shelter and look for any survivors, but once there he discovers the real truth. Could it be that Carlyle is not really who he seems....?

Ravenous basically tanked at the box office, a statistic that could have been easily predicted. This movie is not for all tastes. Director Antonia Bird has created a bizarre cocktail of black comedy and bloody horror, and either aspect may possibly disgust the average viewer. In it's inner workings, however, Ravenous is something truly interesting. There is some great suspense and atmosphere at the film's core, backed up by a wonderfully oddball musical score that combines bizarre instrumental work with some genuine excitement. The script is also full of amusing one-liners, usually spoken by the witty Carlyle and centering around the pun of `eating people'. In fact, he even has an argument for cannibalistic actions: `Winston Churchill once said ‘Eat to live, don't live to eat.' '

Which brings me to the cast. I had a minor problem in that most of the supporting players were hideously stupid, but then again, each actor is so convincing with a limited IQ. The stand-out here is easily Carlyle, who many will recognize from The Full Monty (and soon as the new Bond villain in The World is Not Enough). The actor perfectly rounds every corner of his role, showing plenty of depth and craftsmanship, even as he puffs contentedly on a cigar. Pearce plays a cowardly but strong-minded character, much like his role in the excellent LA Confidential, but he doesn't have as much success here. As the protagonist, he shows hardly enough courage to be considered a hero, even despite Boyd's typical spineless ways.

The first act of Ravenous is wonderfully staged, efficiently setting up the domino's so that they can (hopefully) be knocked over with style when the time comes. Alas, there are a few too many garish and unpleasant twists as the movie nears the finish line, but not so much that the film loses complete momentum. There are still the performances and soundtrack to keep it churning - and that, surprisingly, seems to be enough.

There is plenty of icky gore involved. If just the thought of cannibalism makes you feel nauseous, then this movie is not for you. It is what you would call `different', yes, but I also found it engagingly offbeat and entertaining. If you're getting sick of the endless repetition that Hollywood has to offer, try Ravenous on for size. It's a scary, amusing - an overall bloody good time. Bring a napkin and dig right in.

    (C) 1999, Jamey Hughton

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