CANNIBAL MUKBANG (2023)

4 stars

The Movie Partnership. Digital. Out Now

At a small corner store, Mark (Nate Wise) is doing a bit of shopping when he sees the attractive redhead Ash (April Consalo). He is quite shy but speaks to her somewhat awkwardly then claims he has an appointment. As he is walking away from the store, he is hit by Ash in her car and awakens in her apartment. She perkily attends to him and offers him an aspirin for his headache.

She tells him he needs to eat. He tells her about his boring customer service job – for a company that Ash says sponsor her. She is a mukbanger – which in case you don’t know, which I sure as hell didn’t, is someone who posts online, eating large amounts of food for people to watch, often also talking to the audience at the same time. It apparently originated in South Korea in the 2000s.

She loves that he has actually heard of the practice – and he also loves the food they are eating.

Later he is watching her videos and fantasises about her. Despite them exchanging numbers, she doesn’t contact him initially, much to his disappointment, but then she does and they start a tentative relationship. However something is a bit ‘off’ about her – Mark is about to find out what, when they go on their first actual date at a restaurant, and she suddenly demands he leaves.

Later, consoling himself in the park, he sees Ash and another man, who tries to force himself on her – things rapidly go west as she snaps his arm and smashes him in the face… then starts to eat him! Mark gets dragged into things as he helps her move the body. ‘It’s normal’ she claims about eating the body. Back at her apartment he begins to realise what he is getting into. She claims she only kills people that society can do without. Rapists and the like – as she starts to chop the body up.

Can he resist her despite what he now knows about her? He is soon drawn completely in. Can he go against her demands? How far would you go for love?

Of course, with a film with ‘Cannibal’ in the title you kind of knew where this was heading. However this plays with your expectations – a romantic comedy horror about relationships, toxic masculinity, gory killings… and food.

Both leads are excellent – especially April Consalo, who is both friendly and scary! Director Aimee Kuge has crafted an impressive and stylish film in her debut – working from her own clever script, which despite the subject matter, never goes too far, as it explores the central duo and their relationship, though there are some realistic and gory make up fx along the way. Gorgeously shot by Harrison Kraft, with a notable score Alex Cuervo.

Steve Kirkham