- Director: Aimee Kuge
- Writer: Aimee Kuge
- Stars: April Consalo, Nate Wise
REVIEW
With a title like Cannibal Mukbang, you’d be forgiving for thinking it would be a B-grade, splatter, and gore film that you’d have a few laughs and just forget about it. You’d be wrong, though, because Cannibal Mukbang is a thoughtful, Mumblecore, bitter-sweet romance with a little bit of vigilante thriller throw-in and, of course gore and the consumption of humans.
Mark (Wise) customer service rep for a meal kit company random meets Ash (Consalo) in a convenience store, he is instant struck by her… and her car. Waking up at Ash’s, the two get to know each other a little, Mark’s timid, anxiety ridden world is blown up by Ash. Mark’s customer service job pales in significance, especially when Ash tells him that she gets paid to mukbang (eating large amounts of food for an online audience). As the relationship progresses, Mark finds out what Ash’s favourite food is and how she gets it.
Aimee Kuge does a fantastic job in balancing this film. The writing is spot on, and she manages to flow seamlessly from bitter-sweet romance to murder and back again. The film just has such a great rhythm to it. Kuge, with the help of cinematographer Harrison Kraft, captures the intimacy of the film, whether it be relationships, food, or cannibalism. There is a fantastic section involving Ash’s backstory that is one of the coolest sequences I’ve seen in a film for quite a while.
The film also succeeds on the back of Consalo and Wise. As Ash and Mark, their chemistry is so good that you immediately start rooting for them as a couple, regardless of what happens. Consalo’s Ash is a force of nature, a parody of a manic pixie dream girl, and she plays it perfectly. Wise’s Mark plays the perfect foil, and he just hits the right note from the get-go.
Whilst the 3rd act doesn’t quite stick the landing, Cannibal Mukbang is a very good film that asks some questions about relationships and still manages to be a fun and entertaining horror film. Aimee Kuge is definitely one to watch.
Cannibal Mukbang is available on digital and On Demand March 25 and On Blu Ray April 22.
Ryan Morrissey-Smith
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