Ravenous

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best and most Unusaul Oddballs films of 1999.
Review: When an Soldier (Guy Pearce) survived one of the last Mexican Wars, now having thoughts and nightmares about it, that happen in his tragic life. Now his superior (John Spencer) sent him to an Isolated Military Outpost with a group of Oddball Officers, Soldiers and Civilans (Jeffery Jones, Sheila Tousey, Stephen Spinella, David Arquette, Jeremy Davies, Neal Mc Donough and Joseph Running Fox). Days later, A mystery man by the name of Colqhoun (Robert Caryle) came down from the mountain and he tells a stroy about a group of people and Colqhoun myself being trapped in a Snowbound and when there`s was no food left, they start attacking on eachother. Colqhoun and the Officers and Soldiers go with him to see, is there any survivers left in the another side of the Mountain but as it`s turns out that Colqhoun is a Cannibal and that he feeds on Humans to make himself stronger. When Colqhoun almost kills everyone expect the Scared Soldier has to fight and live to Kill Colqhoun but The Cannibal has plans about The Soldier turning him into a Cannibal.

DVD`s has an sharp non-anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an Strong Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (Also Dolby Surround 2.0 Sound). DVD`s Extras are:Three different commentary tracks by Director:Antonia Bird and Co-Composer:Damon Albarn. The Second is a Solo Commentary track by Actor:Robert Caryle. The Thrid is most entertaining Commentary track by Screenwriter:Ted Griffen and Actor:Jeffery Jones. Almost Ten Minutes worth of Deleted Scenes with/without Commentary and more extras. The film was a Box Office Flop, back in the winter of 1999. This film did recieve Good Reviews by Critics but it was Mismarket by 20th Century Fox. The film has an Oddball Score by Micheal Nyman and Damon Albarn. Some might be turned off by the film Gory Violence but This is a Impressive Film. Cleverly Directed by Bird and Extremely Well Written by Griffen. Strong Performances by Pearce and Carlye. Fine Performances by Jones and Tousey. Arquette and Davies been giving Small Roles in this Black Comedy Thriller. This is Extremely well-directed by Bird. Arriscope. Grade:A.

Rating:
Summary: Ravenous is a good movie
Review: The thing about Ravenous that you can't get around is that it has powerhouse performances by three of the greatest actors in film: Robert Carlysle, Guy Pierce, and Jeffrey Jones. if you like those actors, just trust your instincts and watch this movie.

The plot itself, some complain, is contrived or silly, and they blame the 'indian legend' that the film vaguely uses to explain everything. if you haven't seen it yet, you should just know that there really is an indian legend such as the one that the movie is based on, and don't let that little detail [tick]... you off.

The truth is that the film is very well made, quirky, and quite scary. if nothing else, it's one of those movies that you think about for a long time after you see it. I generally have too weak of a stomach to view movies with scenes as horrible as the ones in Ravenous, but I was glad I watched it afterwards. I think that I'll go rent it again tonight.

Rating:
Summary: A Biting Social Satire
Review: Even in the film genre of horror, cannibalism seems to be somewhat taboo. However, its scarcity on the silver screen seems to be due less to censorship and more to the difficulty in dealing with the subject in a literate and--ahem!--tasteful manner. With that in mind, 1999's RAVENOUS is definitely a rare and delectable treat.

One of the best things about RAVENOUS is its dreary ambiance. The dismal tone of the subject matter is established right from the beginning, when the film's protagonist, Captain John Boyd (Guy Pearce)--a reluctant hero of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848)--is banished to a dilapidated , middle-of-nowhere Army outpost in the Sierra Nevadas as a punishment for cowardice. In addition to being coldly isolated from the civilized world, the outpost is staffed by a wildly eccentric group of characters who, like Boyd, have obviously been stationed there to keep them out of the way.

Not long after Boyd's arrival at the fort, a seemingly malnourished stranger (Robert Carlyle) staggers onto the grounds spouting a story about snowbound travelers, starvation, and cannibalism. When he hints that there might yet be survivors at his gruesome campsite, Boyd's commanding officer, Colonel Hart (Jeffrey Jones), leads his motley crew on a rescue mission. And, of course, this is when the film gets to the "meat" of the story....

Now, all of this may sound like the set-up for a rather grim movie, and while RAVENOUS is indeed rather grisly at times, it is also dotted with lots of wry funeral-parlor humor. In fact, under its ensanguined facade, RAVENOUS is really a biting satire (excuse the pun) that takes rapier-like jabs at things such as modern material consumption and contemporary moral and political expediency. And in its use of generally repulsive concepts and imagery to make the audience feel just a bit queasy about paradoxical Western social philosophy, RAVENOUS succeeds quite well.

Although it is a good film, not every viewer will enjoy RAVENOUS. Some horror fans may be put off by the ironic humor and sociological subtext, and many mainstream viewers will simply not be able to see far enough beyond the gore to even find the humor and subtext. However, for film aficionados who have a palate for satire or horror of any flavor, RAVENOUS can be quite succulent.

Rating:
Summary: Billy the Kid Meets Dracula
Review: It's generally not worth the bother to review a "cult movie" unless you're a certified member of the cult in question. This is especially true of _Ravenous_, a hybrid of the Western and the splatter flick. Since I happen to enjoy both Westerns and splatter flicks, you'd think this would be my cup of tea.
Nope. Not even close.
The biggest problem with _Ravenous_ is that it doesn't know it's cinematic trash. Instead, the film attempts to offer an American history lesson. Fat chance of getting any fascinating historical tidbits here, though. History buffs will be quick to point out the film's ludicrous inaccuracies and anachronisms, starting with the design of the Army fort. (This would probably be the best way for most viewers to remain awake, but why bother?)
Meanwhile, the plot degenerates into a ham-handed, know-nothing message about Anglo-American conquest and domination of the West. The insistent left-wing moralizing should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with director Antonia Bird's oeuvre. In the end, _Ravenous_ comes across as self-important twaddle. Worse, it's just plain dull.
Western/horror hybrids have been doomed ever since Billy the Kid met Dracula, and this one's no exception. But I'll add two extra stars for Guy Pearce's understated performance, some nice cinematography (of the mountainous Czech Republic, where _Ravneous_ was filmed) and one of the best musical scores in recent years. Which makes a total of ... two stars.

Rating:
Summary: Wickedly Delicious!!!
Review: Underrated, this is a hardcore, dark, macabre masterpiece. Guy Pearce (Captain John Boyd) is a soldier, who, though decorated, is actually a coward. After faking death in a battle against Mexicans, he is tossed among the dead in the enemy's encampment. He crawls out from a beneath a pile of oozing bodies and successfully takes the base from the enemy. His commander knows he isn't a real soldier and so, as he is disgusted by the sight of him but for politics sake can't reprimand him, the captain is sent to an isolated military outpost called Fort Spencer. Living there is a skeleton crew assisted by several indians and everything goes fine until a near dead man(Robert Carlyle) staggers into camp during the middle of a very cold winter. After being warmed up and fed, he tells a grisly tale of desperate cannibalism as he and the party he was traveling with got punished by the elements and were forced into a cave. A select small band soldiers and one indian set out to assist the remaining people in the cave, who by chance might just still be alive and so the movie truly begins. Nothing is quite what it seems as the twists and turns reveal the terrifying realities of the plot which eventually climax in a very satisfying and unexpected ending. The acting is excellent all around but especially with Guy Pearce and Robert Carlyle. The weak nature and mental struggles of Guy Pearce are incredibly believable and completely balance the innocent appearance yet sinister nature of Robert Carlyle. The cinematography creates a creepy, desolate atmosphere as the ingenious soundtrack(as good or better than that of Suspiria) by Damon Albarn and Michael Nyman truly fits ever scene and action, allowing for a true horror experience to be felt. With moments of twisted humor tastefully spread throughout, this is the total horror package and definitely not a movie to be rented...it should be purchased.

Rating:
Summary: What does it mean " great canibbalism film" ???!!!
Review: What does it mean a "great cannibalism film" ??!! Is "CAnibalism" now a genre of movies, like for example comedy, horror, suspense, drama, etc ...?? This movie is a bad joke, an unbeliavable display of bad taste as I have seldom seen before. I'm not a little bit shocked by the free violence displayed all along, that's not the problem. The problem is the sheer stupidity of the screenplay, the kind of movie that you cannot stop thinking: "Oh, boy, why did someone spent some budget on this ?"

Rating:
Summary: Vampire movie with an unlikely setting
Review: Ravenous is a simple translation of the vampire myth to the setting of America in the 1800's. Not exceptionally original, yet better, perhaps, than a standard vampire movie for the treatment it gives the underlying philosophy.

A vampire movie or story can be approached in two ways, either as horror, or as an a semi-enjoyable fantasy story with trappings of lustful behavior and violence. The Vampire myth itself is an entirely different matter. Human beings in history are able to treat each other like prey animals. There are numerous cases of this kind of behavior, perhaps the most famous being the stories of Vlaad the Impaler (from which the legend of Dracula is drawn) who drank blood from goblets.

It is the philosophical position in a primitive setting that might makes right. This position is mitigated only by the fact that human beings have extensive instincts towards socialization which cause them to band together in a common cause. In a situation where resources are limited (that is to say, reality), human beings compete against other creatures for those resources; violently, forcefully, and with finality. Whe humans form overarching social structures, they become, psychologically, much like a single organism, with wishes and interests serving not just themselves, but their group. When groups come into conflict, they conflict as different creatures--as different species; similar to ants. Cannibalism is the natural extension of this underlying attitude. The destruction of the enemy in an environment of limited resources is less destructive if the dead or captured are reclaimed as food. The nagging suspicion that human beings are all part of the same species prevents most groups from cannibalism, but reduced to desperation, many groups will pursue that course. The vampire is a civilized exploration of that avenue. The concept being that not only will the destruction of an enemy result in your survival, but also in strength--in eternal life. The duality lying in the punishments you recieve--inability to go out during the day, the lust which keeps you apart from humanity forever.

A vampire story is all well and good, but it romanticized; a victorian concept of the cannibal. In Ravenous, the basic themes are brought to the fore with simpler superstitions (such as native american lore about cannibal tribes) which ties much more closely to real human cannibalism. The added mysticism creates the literary edge to bring these issues out in the story.

The story itself might be thought of as horror, but this is not strictly the case. Ravenous catalogues the travels of a civil war veteran who, after accidentally drinking the blood of the dead when he's shoved under a pile of wounded from battle, discovers the hidden strength, or what-have-you that another man's flesh can bring. He is reassigned to the frontier and meets there another cannibal. The struggle which then takes place is that of a decision: are men in separate commmunities which are themselves separate organisms or are all men humans who should not prey on each other, but should collectively work to overcome obstacles such as limited resources.

This movie is not for people who are offended by the consumption of human or the sight of blood. It is probably intended as a horror movie, and therefor is frightening to many. I personally enjoy it. The soundtrack particularly as a clumsiness which is startlingly appropriate.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Movie
Review: An odd, yet yet ingenious idea. Cannibalism in the California mountains during the 1840s. Great performances by all especially Guy Pearce. Being a big fan of LA Confidential this one was a far different character. Cursed by his cowardness during the war with Mexico he's constantly having flashbacks early on to the brutal battles and how he survived(you'll like that one). Soon he decides he had better escape but runs into the American counterattack on the Mexican base. He takes advantage of the situation by capturing the Mexican commanders. Instead of haning him for cowardness he's given a medal and treated like a hero. But his company commander knows the truth and wants him as far away from him and his men as possible. He sends him to a fort in the California mountains run by a skeleton crew. Soon a stranger is found passed out outside their fort. But he isn't what he seems.

Ravenous has a peculiar combination of black humor and one of the best musical scores for a movie I have ever seen. Don't get me wrong the music isn't the best for any movie but it just fits into the movie so well its amazing. An eerie western mix that was brilliantly put together. The black humor might push some away, but for me it made it much more fun to watch.

Ravenous no doubt deserves to have better track record than it does. One of the most interesting tales I've yet to come across in a movie. When someone has the words odd, peculiar, and eerie all in the same review you know it isn't an ordinary movie and this is by no means an ordinary movie.

Rating:
Summary: An Acquired Taste
Review: "Ravenous" has the dubious honour of being a big studio film with a troubled history, which would normally earn it some kind of audience. Going through three directors (two jumped ship before star Carlyle suggested Brit Antonia Bird for the job), a troubled shoot and some decidedly dodgy marketing from 20th Century Fox (comical farce it is not and the trailer gives away one of the film's biggest plot twists!), it is amazing how "Ravenous" hasn't achieved its deserved cult status as yet. Which is a shame, as through the angry-looking gore and the queasily-black humour lies an absorbingly sharp film.

Director Bird, who collaborates with Carlyle and co-composer Damon Albarn quite often, and writer Ted Griffin plump for the satirical nature of the script, with cannibalism portrayed as a metaphor for consumerism, as well as throwing in a few political asides ("Ben Franklin once said: Eat to live, not live to eat," Carlyle's Colquhoun ponders at one point). Bird also chooses to not resort to cheesy heroics or 'hilarious' farce, but bravely plays up the seriousness of the destructive nature of the characters. She is aided in this task via wonderful performances from Guy Pearce as the reluctant hero, the under-rated Jeffrey Jones and the ever-wonderful Robert Carlyle.

True, gore is never everyone's cup of tea, so to speak, but those aching for something a little bit different/substantial as opposed to those prone to insatiable bloodlust will gain something from the "Ravenous" experience. Well worth a look.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent thriller
Review: First of all, this movie involve cannibalism and it is quite gory but defenitely not as gory as those Italian Horror masters (Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, Sergio Martino) but it still annoys people. I guess that is the reason why this movie flopped at the box office. But the movie itself is excellent. About a group of military posted in the far corner of Sierra Nevada who must defend themselves against cannibalist millitary personels. Robert Carlyle is super creepy as the cannibal. The music score is great and the DVD is wonderful. Great picture and great Dolby 5.1 surround sound. This movie deserves a second chance through its DVD releases.