What exactly is it that possesses people to hike deep into the heart of the backcountry where danger in the form of wild animals, starvation, and exposure to the elements threaten survival around every corner? Perhaps it’s a primal urge inside many of us to test our survival mettle outside our increasingly urban and cushy confines. But if all of the above wasn’t enough, the three characters of veteran B-movie journeyman Mitchell Altieri’s Consumed have the supernatural to contend with.
Cancer survivor Beth (Courtney Halverson) hikes the deep dark woods with husband Jay (Mark Famigilietti). They are celebrating her recovery from cancer with Beth eager to prove to her hubby that she can handle the more advanced trek he’s planned for them.
What he didn’t anticipate was having their tent and gear torn to shreds and slimed in the middle of the night by a powerful supernatural force, forcing the terrified couple to flee. Before they can locate any vestige of civilization, Jay meets the wrong end of a bear trap, cutting their retreat short.
They are temporarily rescued by the borderline-feral Quinn (Devon Sawa) who has been hunting the creature, the “Wendigo”, for some time. He is driven by a potent mix of Marlboros and vengeance for his slain daughter and he’s not above using his new guests as bait. Ain’t camping fun?
The film starts out promising with moody cinematography courtesy of M.I Littin-Menz and a solid turn from lead Halverson, who capably channels Beth’s resolve and duplicity and she struggles with a secret she’s keeping from Jay. Sawa has presence to spare as Quinn, but precious little substance as the most striking of the cast’s trio ends up being woefully under-utilized.
Ultimately, the script fails to rally much audience empathy for Beth and her plight, making this 90 minute film feel far longer than it is and leading to much checking of the watch before the end credits finally arrive. There are some attempts at tying the Wendigo’s pursuit of her to her struggle with cancer, but it fails to add up to anything of substance other than some unusually disturbing nightmare imagery.
That being said, I would be remiss not to point out that the film’s technical merits are quite exceptional. In addition to the aforementioned cinematography, the special creature FX are absolutely outstanding. The scenes involving the creature are quite phantasmagoric, featuring effective use of prosthetics, makeup, well-integrated CGI, and even a brief stop-motion homage to the Evil Dead franchise.
Consumed excels as a demo reel for cinematography, special effects, and not much else. There’s plenty of talent powering this film, but it doesn’t coalesce into anything worth spending on admission or even a rental. Could’ve been worse, but also could’ve been a lot better. Soft pass.
5/10
Consumed will be available in Canada on VOD starting August 20