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Ravenous

Ravenous

List Price: $9.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Delectable
Review: It's always got me baffled why a company like Fox 2000 would agree to finance and distribute a film like Ravenous when they obviously have no-idea about what sort of film they are getting involved with. This is a perfect example, Terry Gilliam's Brazil is another that springs to mind, of a film that is so good that it is a crime when it is completely over-looked. How can something like The Blair Witch Project do better than this? The answer? Marketing! Ravenous is a superb piece of cinema. Intelligently directed, well acted, top script, beautiful photography, magnificent music, top notch production. This is true filmmaking as an art form. Best viewed at the cinema, but still a treat on DVD. Ravenous is one of the more enticing dishes the cinema has provided in many a good year. And I say this with the knowledge that my own screenplay, a cannibal saga, was rejected by a major company solely on the failure of this project. A fact I have no problem stomaching.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: great movie for horror fanatics
Review: Not only does this movie have a compelling and interesting storyline, but it also has the one ingredient lacking from so many movies... CANNIBALISM. this is a MUST SEE for any TROMA or EVIL DEAD fans. great comedy aspects and acting make it a classic.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Dark Humor makes a Comeback
Review: Its been a long time since the dark humor of the human condition has been explored and 'Ravenous' does a wonderful job. When I originally saw the film at the theater, it was a gorefest for the eyes, but the plot made you go back for more. When I saw it the second time, I actually smiled a few times. Set in the late 1800's, an honored soldier (who turns to be remarkably as scared as you or I) is sent off to a remote fort in disgrace. The not-so honorable soldier (Boyd) spends his time wallowing in his own tragedy of cowardry until a mysterious stranger arrives on a cold and stormy night. From there, Boyd finds his own strength and heroism as he confronts not only his own demons, but someone who seems to be the Devil himself.

Most importantly, this is a film that makes you stop and think. What would you do to survive? What is the true definition of morality in the face of death? Why is it so easy for one charismatic individual to control the minds of many? Everyone that I have talked to has walked away with different questions about the meaning of human survival and the effects of fear on the mind.

The cinematography is wonderful and the acting is even better. Guy Pearce is the perfect straight man to Robert Carlyle's humorous, but deadly character. Fans of 'The Full Monty' will be surprised. Also Jeffrey Jones (Sleepy Hollow) and David Arquette.

Fans of C.S. Lewis' 'Screwtape Letters' will love this, but only if they can handle the sight of blood and violence.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Mother of all "Offbeat-Sleeper-of-the-Year-That-None-of-
Review: THOSE-BUTTON-DOWN-FORMULAIC-STUDIO-EXECS-COULD- FIGURE-OUT-HOW-TO-MARKET"FILMS!

Antonia Bird, who directed Ravenous, has me totall y convinced of her boundless directorial talent! With this Cinematic Masterpiece, she has distanced herself from the hackneyed pack, having crafted a grippingly intense and bizarrely original film, that absolutely defies any attempt at pigeonholing or labeling it! A Dark Comedy? At times amusing, often deftly ironic, chillingly irreverent, seemingly almost intentionally politically INcorrect, and perhaps, ever so subtly feminist at the core...but certainly, ANYTHING BUT FUNNY!

Juxtapositioning, with flawless style and sobering effectiveness, diverse elements of Horror, Period Western,Action-Adventure,Psychodrama,Suspense and the Supernatural, against a backdrop of some of the most breathtakingly dazzling outdoor scenery imaginable,(Shot near Durango, Mexico)set to a perversely inspired musical score that sould be utilized in Cinema production classes to highlight the full potential of music to shape the ambience of a film and provide the psychological equivalent of running your fingernails across a blackboard during many scenes! Ms. Bird undoubtedly has a way with people! Other- wise, how would she have managed to have coaxed such an array of truly riveting performances from each and every member of a uniquely superb cast! Guy Pearce(L.A.Confidential), starring as Captain Boyd, provided us with an uncannily haunting por- trait of a tormented pacifistic soldier, in the throws of a fierce struggle for his own soul! Robert Carlyle(Full Monty/Trainspotting)was icily convincing as a fanatically focused, but utterly deranged cannibal in uniform! Jeffrey Jones, in a oddly empathetic change of pace role, played mild -mannered Colonel Hart,plagued by an interminable list of human frailities, thusly,he is easily subverted by the sinister Ives.(Carlyle) Despite all of the aforementioned accolades,I feel I must offer a word of caution......Ravenous is undoubtedly NOT a film suited to everyone's taste! Many have complained that it revels in scenes of graphic gore...I, for one, totally disagree with these observations.Compared to Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers,(Which I consider to be an utter abomination!)Ravenous has scarcely a few mo- ments of starkly violent or macabre footage! The difference is, seemingly, that in Ravenous these moments seem so devastatingly repulsive, that they don't go away easily. Perhaps this is the reaction Stone wanted to achieve in Killers..but failed miserably in doing so!

Consequently, I would hesitate to throw out the Welcome Mat on this one! Perhaps, if films like 2001: A Space Odyssey; The Shawshank Redemption; & The English Patient are among your favorites, Ravenous just might turn out to be one of the most valued films in your collection! However, if WATERBOY and ARMAGEDDON (Although en- tertaining in their own predictable way!) are at the TOP of your list....My money would be 10 to 1 against you on this one ! I'd recommend you steer clear of it ! The DVD version was chockful of tantilizing extras ...such as various commentary tracks, but oddly, offered no details of Cast & Crew...a very reprehe nsible oversight! By the way, should anyone out there just happen to know Antonia Bird personally, it would please me to no end if she were to read this review!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Eat to Live, don't Live to Eat ---- Ben Franklin
Review: This is a movie that everyone must see. The only reason the other reviewers gave this movie lest than five stars is because of the gore. I liked the music, the acting, and the great one liners. This movie also raises a lot of questions in my head......

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not bad if your last name is Dahmer
Review: I rented this flick for Guy Pierce, whom I thought was excellent in L.A. Confidential. Earlier I had read some predominately bad reviews by the big name critics about Ravenous. But I never base my opinions on what they say, that it would be very narrow minded of me. And being the film lover that I am, the thought of passing up such a contraversial movie on mere heresay seemed, well, stupid. So what did I think? Ravenous was technically very well made, well scripted and well acted. The story was excellent, quite fresh and new. I was disappointed only in the director's complete misuse of camp. The art of eating human flesh is, I'm quite sure, probably grotesque in nature. Perhaps that is what made the film is so difficult to watch at times. I'm not criticising that aspect, it's everything else that distracted me. Such as the scene in which Guy Pierce kills Jeffery Jones' character. The gore content peaked and really and truly there was no need of it. Horror classics such as the original Night of the Living Dead which involved extreme canniblism in no way lowered itself to campy effects. So what am I saying? See, rent or buy the movie for its thrilling story. Try to overlook everything else.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Oh yes!
Review: I personally believe this film to be a masterpiece. It is superbly acted, well directed, provocatively scripted and memorably scored. Plus, as a bonus, so few people have seen it that it is worth owning to join the small group of people who think this film is a classic

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Psychologically Thrilling
Review: I found Ravenous a great thriller. It really did not hype so much on the gore, but on the mental anguish of Boyd and his coming to terms with what was happening to his surroundings. Robert Carlyle gave me chills with his brilliant performance. Everytime he was on screen, a chill ran up my spine. Pearce was excellent also. He showed skill and determination in resisting the act of cannibalism and his acting was not forced... very believeable. The only disapointing thing was, is that they really didn't delve too much into the reason why cannibalism was started except to mention an indian fable. I would have liked to learn more before everyone was eaten! But besides that...... a great great film

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I own the soundtrack and DVD.
Review: This is an amazing film. The reason it failed at the box office is because people do not want to deal with an issue as disturbing as cannibalism and they are to neive to appreciate the idea of having to eat your dead comrad in order to survive a death threating situation. Basically it is a thinking mans movie and not for someone creeped out by the original Psyco!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Pearce can successfully transform to fit any character.
Review: Guy Pearce is an extremely talented actor. Unfortunately his work in Ravenous seems to have been underrated and unappreciated. The film's disturbing subject matter may have turned off many critics and viewers to the point where they didn't give it a chance. I also do not consider the film to be a dark comedy. The performance given by Pearce lends credence to the psychological trauma that a soldier goes through after serving in a war. I find no humor in that. Every word and gesture from Pearce comes across as honest and unfeigned. Playing the role of Captain Boyd must have been exceptionally difficult because of the dialog. Pearce did not have much dialog throughout the film so his acting consisted mostly of reacting. I believe that acting in its truest form is reacting to the characters and situations that surround you. Pearce has a strong presence that draws your attention the moment he is on the screen. He portrayed Boyd in such a quietly intense manner that I felt his anguish from the opening scene until the credits' rolled. Pearce has a way of expressing every emotion through his eyes. He is very gifted in that way. His sensitive depiction of the tormented Captain was notably successful in this film. You as the viewer could feel Boyd's struggle with his involvement in the cannibalism that took place. Only the most talented actor could take on such a difficult role. What kind of research and preparation could an actor do for a role like this. Still Pearce was able to auspiciously take this character and make him authentic. They say that war is hell. I don't feel that sentiment has more validity in another performance then with the performance of Guy Pearce. He is also one of the most versatile actors I have seen. Pearce is on the top of my list with actors such as Robert DeNiro, Gregory Peck and Laurence Olivier. If you enjoyed him in Ravenous you must see LA Confidential. I also enjoy watching him in a program called Snowy River "The McGregor Saga." The show is based on an epic poem and was filmed in Australia. Every role Pearce takes shows what an amazing actor he is. He can transform himself to fit any character. I am 29 years old and have a preference for classic films. I am cynical when it comes to judging contemporary actors. It seems that we have many cookie cutter stars who have nothing original to offer. Guy Pearce has taken away that cynicism and I thank him.


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