In "CONSUMED" (2024), Survival Horror And Tragedy Collide (REVIEW)
One of the paradoxes of the horror genre is that it can be a canvas for working through real-life trauma and tragedy. It sounds counterintuitive, that watching something intended to frighten you can actually help you heal, but according to some research out there, it’s true. We can all probably attest to this from personal experience, even if we don’t immediately recognize it. You know those times when you’ve had a bad day and all you want to do is curl up and put on your favorite slasher or creature feature to lift your figurative spirits. While non-horror fans may not agree, horror is such a genre where confrontation of what scares us can also empower us to be more resilient in our own lives. Resiliency is a common thread in the genre as it is the foundation for the archetypal “final girl” and also a personality trait attributed to almost every survivor in these movies. “Consumed”, the newest survival horror film from the directing/producing team The Butcher Brothers (Mitch Altieri and Phil Flores respectively) tackles both the literal and metaphorical examples of resilience, but are viewers going to survive to the end or get eaten up in the process?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
A married couple, Jay and Beth are taking a celebratory camping trip a year after Beth's cancer remission but they find themselves trapped between a wild madman and a skin-stealing monster.
HOW IS IT?
Horror as a metaphor for real-life tragedy is in a way, the most accessible the genre can be. Films that use imagined terrors to personify the more figurative atrocities or traumatic experiences often bridge the gap between filmgoers seeking something scary, but also something impactful. Mental health is often a common link, as are other forms of life-altering situations like cancer diagnosis. “Consumed” tackles the latter by weaving an intimate story about survival that is both figurative and literal, and how resiliency shows up when willpower meets purpose. “Consumed” mostly succeeds in its portrayal of survival against all odds, and delivers some moments that may stick with viewers long after the credits have rolled.
The character at the heart of the story is Beth (COURTNEY HALVERSON), who is celebrating her remission from cancer with her husband Jay (MARK FAMIGLIETTI) by backpacking through the wilderness. Right from the jump, it is apparent that Beth and Jay are in a strained relationship, and those who have been there will know the symptoms. They are quick to get aggravated with one another, Beth with Jay because of his almost asinine level of concern for her well-being doing the most pedestrian of things, and Jay at Beth because of an unspoken resentment felt from a rough 12 months. In a cast of only three, the emotional depth reached within the first act is admirable and compelling as you feel for both parties here, admittedly more Beth than Jay. All of their plans are upended when they are attacked by something in the woods, which leads them to meet Quinn (DEVON SAWA) who is aware of and tracking down said thing in the woods. What proceeds is a mixture of Predator meets The Descent with more than a few nods back to both films. Since so much time is spent with these three characters the viewer must want to spend time with them, and thankfully that is the case with “Consumed”. Beth struggles to decide if she wants to fight or forfeit, a parallel to her experience with cancer and treatment, while Quinn is decidedly committed to hunting the thing in the woods down and sees no other choice but that. Both characters are coming at this from a place of loss, and while “Consumed” is subtle in its suggestion of the thematic elements at play it never feels as if you’re being beaten over the head with them.
Given so much of the story is a “cat-and-mouse” act between the characters and the creature, one thing that does bring the pacing down is the second act. “Consumed” defers to showing the creature until the very last act and in doing so creates a lot of interest along the way. The majority of the film sees the creature as almost a mass of light moving elegantly through the trees like a trail of smoke, which is concerning until it isn’t. At some point, the mass of smoke and light just doesn’t feel as menacing as it needs to, despite the very mortal impacts of the characters' resignation from it. It isn’t until a very trippy third act that we get a better glimpse of this monster, and it is uniquely interesting and terrifying just a shame it took so long for us to see it. That said, the third act does bring the whole film together both thematically and narratively in a satisfying way. It may be a little too joyous for the more bleak-minded, but it doesn’t feel out of place considering the journey that the character, particularly Beth, has been on. What should be praised alongside the stellar performances is also the efficiency of filmmaking here. While it is clear “Consumed” has a smaller budget than a major studio film it never sacrifices the quality of the filmmaking or ideas on display. Sure, we wish the monster was shown earlier, but that doesn’t excuse how propulsive the majority of the film is. The same goes for the technical aspects of the film such as cinematography. The lush, engulfing green of the wilderness adds both a whimsical and claustrophobic feeling to “Consumed” that elevates the tension using what’s naturally available. It is part of a larger trend we have observed where independent budgets are using small casts to funnel funds into the technicality of filmmaking, and we are here for it!
LAST RITES
“Consumed” is a tight and tense sci-fi horror film that leans on emotional performances to propel the action forward. Combining thoughtful and nightmarish reflections on the impact of illness alongside the fun and camp of a good monster movie is a match made in horror heaven.
THE GORY DETAILS
Directed By
Written By
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Where can you watch it?
Consumed will be available to watch in Theaters and On Demand on August 16, 2024!
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