RAVENOUS by DeWyNGaLe Rating: B+
The topic of cannibalism is a very serious one, and you hardly see the topic taken as seriously as it was in Ravenous as you usually do. The plot of Ravenous is actually quite original, and although disgusting, it was a good one. During the Mexican-American war in the small town of Ravenous, California, John Boyd, played by Guy Pearce, Cleaves, played by David Arquette, Toffler, played by Saving Private Ryan's Jeremy Davies, and Hart, played by Jeffrey Jones, and Martha, played by Sheila Tousey are among the characters that we're acquainted with. When a man who has been in the cold for some time now, the people take him inside to keep him warm and safe. The man is Colqhoun, played by Robert Carlyle, a man who has a long, eerie story regarding how he came to be at Ravenous, California. After Colqhoun shows up, so does the idea of cannibalism. You can pretty much see where the film goes from here, but I do not want to reveal too much. The film is quite unpredictable, and I enjoyed that.
The leading performances by Carlyle and Pearce are simply amazing. Carlyle in particular played a great villain, and he was also a very believable and realistic villain. Carlyle plays the part to near perfection, if not perfection. He is most likely the best villain I have seen since the Joker, played by Jack Nicholson, in Batman. Carlyle will also play a villain in the upcoming Bond film, The World Is Not Enough, that will be in theaters this November. Pearce was great as John Boyd. I don't want to reveal too much about either one of the character's because there isn't much to tell, and if I do, the entire plot will be given away.
Unfortunately, we don't get to know any of the supporting roles very well. The supporting characters generally have around seven to eight minutes of screen time, which was very disappointing to me. The stunning performance by Carlyle made up for the absence of the supporting characters though. Jeremy Davies is quite honorable in the few moments he is the film. He plays the most effective supporting role. We didn't know much about him at all, but we saw him the most. Arquette delivers a few laughs and sort of brightens up the film in a few dark places. Arquette's character doesn't go anywhere either.
Ravenous was a great movie, and it was very well put together, but I do not approve of the film at all. It is one of the most gruesome movies I have ever seen and it should not be viewed. It may sound like I am over exaggerating, but this movie could without a doubt influence potential psychotic people to try and eat other people. If the film was bad and the theme of cannibalism wasn't taken as seriously, then it really wouldn't have mattered, but the topic is not presented lightly at all. Do not expect a lot of fun or funny moments in Ravenous. It is extremely dark and unfavorable, but it was pulled off very well.
The film does not tone down on the blood and gore at all. We are shown a lot of flesh being eaten, people being brutally murdered for their flesh, and the site of blood shows up everywhere and all the time. Very disturbing images that are almost unforgettable are still fresh in my mind. I couldn't even look at the screen for parts of the movie. This is your warning. If you cannot stand the site of blood, you will not be able to watch this movie without getting an upset stomach.
The Bottom Line- Without a doubt, one of the best snack movies ever. (Yeah right!)
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