Ravenous (1999)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Antonia Bird

Writer (WGA):

Ted Griffin (written by)

Release Date:

19 March 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Survival is the only option.

Plot:

Captain John Boyd's promotion stations him at a fort where a rescued man tells a disturbing tale of cannibalism.

Plot Keywords:

Fort | Cannibalism | Mexican American War | Cave | Windigo

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Guy Pearce	...	Capt. John Boyd
Robert Carlyle	...	Col. Ives / F.W. Colqhoun
David Arquette	...	Pvt. Cleaves
Jeremy Davies	...	Pvt. Toffler
Jeffrey Jones	...	Col. Hart
John Spencer	...	Gen. Slauson
Stephen Spinella	...	Knox
Neal McDonough	...	Pvt. Reich
Joseph Runningfox	...	George (as Joseph Running Fox)
Bill Brochtrup	...	Lindus
Sheila Tousey	...	Martha
Fernando Becerril	...	Mexican Commander
Gabriel Berthier	...	Mexican Commander
Pedro Altamirano	...	Mexican Commander
Joseph Boyle	...	U.S. Blonde Soldier

MPAA:

Rated R for considerable gore and strong violence.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

Czech Republic | UK | USA

Language:

English | Italian | Spanish | Washoe

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (2000) (cut) (video rating) | Finland:K-18 (1999) (uncut) | Finland:K-18 (2001) (uncut) (DVD rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:MA | France:-12 | Germany:18 (nf) | Ireland:18 | Japan:PG-12 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

ETIC Films

Trivia:

John Spencer's last film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: At one point when the soldiers are in search of the rest of Ives' party, one of them kicks a patch of snow which folds over showing it to clearly be a piece of white cloth.

Quotes:

Ives: [gun clicks] That's sooo annoying.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Blood Pact: The Making of 'Blade II' (2002) (V)

Gaggingly Amusing!

Captain John Boyd (Guy Pearce) has just arrived at Fort Spencer, a "reward" of sorts for his display of cowardice during the Spanish-American war. The fort is manned by a drunk, a pothead, a Native American woman and her brother, a goofy young chaplain, a nonchalant Colonel and a half-crazed soldier named Reich. Shortly after Boyd's arrival, a frostbitten man appears one night out of the snowstorm and is taken in. After a quick and miraculous recovery, the man, a Scotsman name of Colqhoun, tells a harrowing tale. He and a party of five others had been stranded in a snow storm and took refuge in a cave. When their food ran out, they turned to cannibalism. Colquhoun claims to have escaped before he too could be eaten. The men of Fort Spencer quickly mobilize and, guided by Colqhoun, they head off to search for survivors. But, too late, they discover that there are no survivors. Colqhoun is a ravenous cannibal, and may possibly be a mythical beast called Wendigo. Only the cowardly Boyd survives the bloody ambush...but will he conquer the cannibal, or join him?

This is a bitterly black comedy, a weird combination of the Donner Party tragedy, the legend of Scottish cannibal Sawney Bean and the 1978 version of Dawn of the Dead with its comments on consumerism. This film did poorly at the box office due to bad advertising, which is a shame because it's a very well made, well acted and well scripted movie with a cleverly insane soundtrack to boot. Everyone delivers quirky, standout performances, especially Robert Carlyle as the cannibal, playing him as an unhinged Charles Manson type one moment and a cultured, elegant gentleman the next. His performance is totally riveting and shockingly funny at times. He's also incredibly good looking, which doesn't hurt either. Any movie that can fit in a shot of Carlyle's naked butt is a film worth watching.

The humor in this movie will not be to everyone's taste (no pun intended). It is still a movie about cannibalism and features some bloody, gross-out gore, so be warned. But, if you have a strong stomach and a sick sense of humor, you won't want to miss this film. 10 stars.