Socially awkward customer service rep Mark (Nate Wise) bumps into the vivacious, outgoing Ash (April Consalo) at a convenience store, before Ash bumps into Mark with her car. Waking up at her place, Mark thinks it’s the last place a guy like him should be, but Ash allays his initial panic by not freaking out at the small detail of the metal plate in Mark’s head and then reveals that she’s an Internet celebrity in the bizarre world of mukbanging, a subgenre of online videos involving consumption of vast quantities of food for a hungry audience.
As their unlikely liaison blossoms into something potentially serious, Mark finds out more about Ash, his curiosity leading him to discover just how she sources her delicious fare. Ash is luring society’s undesirables to their doom, turning them into tender morsels and Mark, as an initially unwitting accessory, is now along for the ride. As the bodies pile up and their relationship is tested, will love win the day?
Blood. Sex. Food. So goes the tagline for Cannibal Mukbang. And there’s no denying that all three of those can be found in Aimee Kuge’s fusion of romantic comedy, vigilante thriller and gore flick. Meet cute turns into meat cut as Ash transforms from manic pixie dream girl into mad as hell destroyer of predatory incels. It’s a bold narrative decision but the skill of the writing – complete with uncompromising origin story – plus an enthralling, complex performance from Consalo – works to keep the viewer gripped, if not always totally on side. In the same situation, I can’t say I wouldn’t have been helping Ash rid the streets of scum. Don’t be judgey.
Although the movie spends most of its time focused on our dubious, nervy hero and the object of his affection, the supporting turns are given space and time to land, including those of Kathryn Whistler as Mark’s online therapist Dr. Klein and My Bloody Banjo alumnus Clay Von Carlowitz honing his corporate douche routine as Mark’s boorish brother Maverick, who will ultimately prove pivotal to the plot as the mayhem escalates.
Cannibal Mukbang succeeds on an impressive number of levels, delivering on the carnage for the gorehounds but also hitting the mark time and again as an accomplished romantic comedy (okay, the most twisted romantic comedy you’re ever likely to see, but it still works beautifully). It has an acute understanding of that genre’s tropes, replacing the usual sugary montage of rictus grins and differing date locations with a succession of gleefully mounted murders, perfectly reflecting this film’s dark yet amusing vibe.
And there’s not just spoofing afoot. Dig a little deeper and Kuge’s screenplay has many things to say about toxic relationships, addiction and the struggles in breaking the cycle of dependency. Having been fed the forbidden fruit – well, forbidden meat – Mark is confronted with the shocking revelation that nothing else will truly satisfy, leading to him quitting his (admittedly rubbish) job and ignoring most other things in favour of Ash.
Taking this on its title alone, you could be wondering how quickly it will head down the Troma route. As a genuine fan of many flicks from that particular filmic stable, I’m not of the opinion that choosing that kind of style is a bad thing, but Cannibal Mukbang’s anarchic moments come from a vastly different, far more intriguing place. The shocks and the laughs are earned and the emotional stakes possess an uncommon authenticity, bolstered by the chemistry between the two leads.
Aesthetically, it’s also a cut above. Careful choices of lighting enhance the mood and the quirky costume design belies the fact that it’s also brilliantly calculated to spark our pre-conceived expectations about character. The cinematography is noteworthy too, whether it’s conveying the cosy cocoon of Ash’s home, the shabbier urban surroundings or a superb, grainy flashback sequence which economically, brutally outlines a defining event in our mukbanger’s past.
A piquant debut, Cannibal Mukbang is an unexpected delight, blending its genres with aplomb and serving up an appetising treat for the more discerning horror palate, especially one that enjoys a combination of the sweet and the savoury. Its unwillingness to compromise on its ingredients extends to a final course which may not be everyone’s cup of tea but, even as a Yorkshireman and therefore committed tea drinker, I’ll admit there are gourmet experiences which can’t be rounded off with something comforting. This is one of those experiences.
Chow down on this with gusto. Aimee Kuge has cooked up a storm.
Cannibal Mukbang (2023) featured as part of SoHome Horror Pride 2024.