Devoured (2012) User Reviews

a horror film of life

[thomasfazzini · 6/10 · 28 September 2013]

this isn't your usual horror movie. it's slow moving but never boring, easy on the eye but always uneasy.

very well-acted and executed.

i liked the food preparation scenes, and very sympathetic to the protagonist.

it's gruesome, unpredictable, and sad.

if you are tired of slasher/monster/ghost horror,

then i would recommend it. if you're into the over-done gore then give it a miss. i have watched too many horror films to be cynical about this one which tries to do something different, and successfully.

Tip: Devour this movie. Not the food in it though.

[Someguysomwhere · 6/10 · 20 September 2013]

This movie is for the most part contained within a restaurant where Lourdes works as a cleaning woman to make money for her sick son's operation. We see the restaurant filled with patrons only once (early in the movie) and some close-ups of the chef's gloveless, grubby hands preparing food in the kitchen while people at the other end obliviously lap it up. For the most part though, it's after hours or before hours with Lourdes who is usually alone but sometimes with 2 other people who work at the restaurant. One is her boss, a real bitch who enjoys giving her a hard time. The other, a guy, is a first-class jerk who is always coming on to her and whose function at the restaurant beyond boffing the boss seems to be prepping meat (Don't laugh).

Lourdes is seeing and hearing things and believes the restaurant is haunted. We don't know if she is cracking up or actually experiencing certain things. But since we, the viewers, see things that she does not see because she --for example-- has her back turned, this would seem to be independent (of her) corroboration by us, the viewing audience that the restaurant is indeed haunted. Now when not mopping up, having strange experiences, and run-ins with her boss, Lourdes is (1) On the phone begging her mother to speak with her son. (2) Having personal fantasies --no, not that kind. (3) Talking to some guy she bumped into early in the movie when something spooked her and she ran out of the restaurant. (4) Desperately giving blow jobs and who knows what else to patrons for money (so we inferred anyway).

At the beginning of the movie I was captivated by it's style and anticipatory and intrigued by what was starting to happen with this woman; the things she was experiencing. What was behind them? But then the movie seemed to settle into a routine; her going to work, cleaning up, calling her mother, fantasizing about seeing her son and her friend, run-ins with her boss, and some curious unnatural experiences. I say "routine" because things didn't escalate as quickly as I would have liked. BUT THAT'S JUST ME, READER. You may have a different sense of pace should you choose to see the movie --AND YOU SHOULD, since it acquitted itself very well with a very interesting twist and explanation at the end. Well worth the wait. Love, Boloxxxi.

Movie is Slow-Paced & not scary enough

[johnny-335704 · 4/10 · 12 February 2014]

I watched this movie yesterday. When I saw this movie's rating on IMDb, I was suspicious about it. After watching this movie, I came to the conclusion: first, the movie is slow paced & second, this movie is not scary enough. However the acting by actress Marta in lead role is pretty good but sadly it alone is not enough to make the film enjoyable. All the side characters in movie have been given negligible role to play. Movie just focuses on Marta but after a certain time, it loses grip over the plot & pace. The only thing, I can say is if you really have some free time then watch this movie & expect very limited horror only from this movie. It seems the director is trying his hands first time at horror genre.

Don't understand poor scores

[kippies269 · 23 January 2014]

Okay so this film may not be everyone's cup of tea but I would have thought there were enough intelligent people on IMDb to see past the (few) shortcomings and appreciate a breath of fresh air in the horror genre. Yeah its loosely art-house but don't be put off. From the beautiful cinematography to the brilliant performance of the lead actress this really is something a bit different.

I have watched countless horror/thrillers and this one really stuck with me. I really enjoy the less fantastical type of movie where you can actually believe the film could take place in the day to day world and this film does that in spades.

The deterioration of the main character initially appears a bit clichéd until the reveal when we see the full extent of her mental breakdown and understand how and why.

Do yourself a favour, rent or buy it, sit back with a nice bottle and engage your brain, you'll find an entertaining and ultimately satisfying descent into madness that could happen to any one of us.

Only slightly edible

[ksgillihan · 5/10 · 1 July 2014]

Having seen the trailer a few months ago, this movie instantly went on my check-list as a must-see movie. The film starts with an interesting story as a mother works to save money for her ill child who lives far away. Soon she starts to see some strange things and she begins to question her sanity. I liked this direction as the occasional specter would show up unannounced and leave just as quickly. We are left wondering if they are "real" or if they are just "real" to her. From the trailer I expected this film to creep my out a lot more than it did. Granted I have a high tolerance to being scared but I had hopes in what the trailer seemed to promise. Towards the 3/4 mark the film seemed to lose steam as we begin to see what is really going on (if you guessed it like I did) with the main character. What doesn't really make sense to me is why she would just start killing people like mad. Sure she had just lost her son but why the heck does that make her character just start killing people? Didn't seem to fit with the character in my opinion. Ultimately not scary and not shocking.

Great Giallo

[artnude · 7/10 · 26 September 2013]

I consider this film a Giallo which generally means a thriller and specifically an Italian thriller but has come to mean any thriller with high production values where the perp is hidden. I.E. Hitchcock or Dario Argento. This is not a "horror" movie. It is a great character study with beautiful cinematography, a nice story line that gets you invested in the characters and a wonderful atmosphere. I am generally a horror fan but I like Giallos and enjoyed this very much. I would say if you enjoyed movies like Suspiria or Rear Window, you will probably enjoy this. I do not compare this movie to those, but it may give you an idea of the type of movie it is. I was very impressed by the overall quality. That's pretty much why I am writing this review. I watch a lot of movies and a lot are sub par. This movie deserves more attention. No, I am not in any way related to anything to do with the production of this movie. I am just a fan of quality movies and a critic of horrible movies. Call me silly but I think that is what the reviews on IMDb are supposed to be about.

Stupid

[billcr12 · 3/10 · 5 October 2013]

Do not waste your time on this tedious, slow moving, "horror" movie. It is never scary or in any way interesting. Lourdes is a Latina woman working at a French restaurant and hoping to earn enough money to pay for her son's unexplained operation. She is shown mopping the floors and setting tables at the fancy eatery. Along the way, we get flashbacks of her boy and the occasional appearance of ghostly figures. Marta Milans is Lourdes, and she is a competent actress working with a sub-par script. The production values are good and New York is used well as the setting for the story. Unfortunately, the film just drags on and on, and a somewhat decent ending is the only reason for a 3/ 10.

Horror plus Mystery plus Psycho thriller

[in1984 · 7/10 · 19 September 2013]

6.6 of 10. It's rare that you get horror combined with a finely structured mystery and an Irreversible shout-out. That's what you get here. Great relative to most horror, pretty good as a film overall. Had more thought gone into the film's title, it would get another bump up.

There's an unspoken subplot in this film involving what crosses protect you from. But telling you how that turns out will spoil the ending.

The film as a whole could be discussed thoroughly about what other allusions and metaphors the film serves up on modern American society, immigrants, employment, and boss-worker relationships. Horror worthy of showing in a film school.

Not worth the time

[rosecalifornia · 1/10 · 3 July 2015]

Trying to write this without a spoiler - hmmmmm. The story line jumps around unconnected and is not believable (there has to be a small thread of possibility that this movie lacks).

A woman from El Salvador is working to make money to help her son that lives with her mother. The "horror" make-up is really bad. It will really remind you of the stuff you purchase once a year at those pop-up Halloween stores.

The acting is poor. Not sure what else to say about that. And I really enjoy seeing unknowns over "big names" - but these actors just weren't working here.

There is excessive BOTOX. You would think by now there would be a clause in contract regarding BOTOX prior to filming.

And the last few minutes ultimately try to tie together an entire movie that made no sense.

Unclear why there were so many breaks with food, chopping and cooking - maybe to tie it into the title - but it brings nothing to the disjointed movie.

A Diamond In The Rough!

[trnjamesbond · 7/10 · 18 September 2013]

From the minute I started watching this film I was intrigued, we start with a detective leaning over the body of a woman in her early to mid thirties.(from my guess anyway)

Then we watch another detective descend down a flight of stairs of what looks like to be a basement in a restaurant, the female detective moves down a long corridor and then the screen fades to black and the story picks up obviously in the past where the same dead woman is alive and well and is not lying on the floor.

She is an immigrant from Mexico who is living and working in New York City to earn enough money to pay for her son's operation who is ill back in her home country. Things start to go a little awry in the restaurant as the film runs on, from things like shadowy figures and to ordinary objects around the restaurant that turn into more sinister things, such things like a garbage bag that looks like there is a body moving inside of it, but not quite, just plain creepy....

Well I won't go into too much detail, but I would definitely recommend this for a watch to anyone who loves a great thriller and just a well balanced abstract at times tale. I wish I would of ran across this little gem a little sooner, it was wildly entertaining, and twisted macabre fun. Devour is a quaint little flick that I will definitely remember.

Snoozefest-director's mother loves it!

[markastzm · 2/10 · 20 September 2013]

As a "true" horror fan, this one is so damn, very, very, bloody, bloody awful. I found it difficult(impossible) not to fall asleep(3 times, literally) watching this one. The other reviewers are being extremely generous. The camera man and post production people did a good job, I'll say that much. Perhaps, I might rate higher if this had been a fifteen or twenty minute short movie instead of a ninety minute self-absorbed directorial masturbation. I guess it was good for you Mr. Oliver, now will someone finally give me my reach around. I did enjoy your earlier work Lemmy very much, but not enough to forgive you fully for wasting my time here. Think about sticking to documentaries, or maybe getting Wes's help with all your films. This is the type of movie that gives "New York film school style" flicks a bad name. I'm one who loves "New York film school style", but only when done intelligently by those with New York sensibilities, whether born there or not. If I were the professor of a film making class at a university in Texas, and the assignment was to make one of dem stuck up artsy-fartsy hi falootin' movies, I might give this one a better grade than I did here. After reading another reviewer's comments, I would also like to add that I am an enormous fan of Argento's work and this movie has absolutely nothing of the class of any of his works. To make such a comparison is to compare the work of a competent food porn photographer to the work of Manray.

Fantastic stuff

[horizon2008 · 9/10 · 18 September 2013]

I'm sure I've written before on IMDb about how dire most Hollywood flicks are. I constantly search for the alternatives, ie. those flying low, and off the radar, but I must admit of course, that a lot of low budget flicks can be pretty awful.

I came across Devoured online, and while it's not super low budget, these days it's meagre $1.5million ranks as quite low compared to most (effects laden) cinematic garbage stinking our movie houses. Devoured however, walks all over most of them.

From the opening scene of the dead girl surrounded by police, we go back with her to a time when she was alive, I can't say happily alive, because her existence (we come to learn) has been driven only by the need to earn money for her ailing sons medical care back in Mexico. But this isn't some sugary sweet tale of parenthood.

Devoured is darkly atmospheric, and while some may consider it slowly paced I thought it was marvelously done. It slowly builds pity for, and connection with, the leading girl suffering her daily trek, to and from work, to achieve her only goal. And by the time it gets to a scene where she is assaulted by her female bosses boyfriend, her tears are enough to move you to tears (almost) too. I thought that scene was brilliantly done, no words or struggle from her, no change of expression, just tears. Fantastic.

I haven't mentioned yet that some sinister presence means she's not alone in the building at night. The CCTV cameras follow her moves which really makes it feel as if we are there watching her too. She continues to work for minimum wage and send money home to Mexico with a few calls along the way to her mother (and son) telling them she''ll be home soon. All the time though, we know something isn't right with a strange figure appearing in the restaurant at random intervals, along with strange visions and experiences. Each new day is heralded by a scene of some food preparation (this works pretty well), and the atmosphere of what it must be like to be alone in NYC is delivered with stark style.

And then, the ending....

The last ten minutes really bring an excellent pay off. Im not going to spoil it for you, but as a horror fan it certainly hit the mark. This is the kind of gem low budget genre fans spend their time searching for and it's great when you find one that isn't some boring "found footage" thing like Blair Witch or ridiculous teens in a forest slasher rubbish.

EDIT:

I would like to state that in no way am I involved in this movie which has been harshly stated here by jga30328 in a uncalled for personal attack. I have asked him to remove this post or at least edit it. I liked the movie, he didn't. That's fair enough. Attacking someone directly because you disagree with a personal opinion doesn't seem right to me, especially when you've only reviewed one movie in 5yrs of membership lol.

Worth a look!

[misscath-54378 · 7/10 · 18 May 2018]

I will never understand how someone can rate this a 1, unless you have the attention span of a flea. I liked the main character, she was sad and vulnerable and I thought the acting was pretty good. It isn't straight horror, more like part ghost story, part thriller. It kept my attention throughout. It's not the happiest movie, quite depressing actually but well made.

Terrible

[chad-61313 · 1/10 · 18 October 2020]

Boring af. I'd rather have watched 2 turtles cross a football field. Thought the plot would pick up - especially near the end. Nothing scary here - moving on.

Things Are Really Piling Up At Work...

[azathothpwiggins · 9 August 2021]

DEVOURED opens with a police investigation into the death of a woman in a restaurant. The rest is the story of what led up to it.

Her name is / was Lourdes (Marta Milans), a hard working mother, sending her wages home to El Salvador for her desperately ill son. As the nights pass, Lourdes begins to see haunting images and seemingly supernatural phenomena.

The more we learn about her, the darker her life becomes. This all leads to the final shocker, when the truth is revealed and everything spins out of control.

DEVOURED is a suspenseful creeper with several jolts and twists. Milans is fantastic in her unhinged role, and the finale is just plain bonkers!...

Should Have Been a TV Episode.

[fatfil-414-451797 · 4/10 · 20 February 2024]

The basic story is a Hispanic woman is working in the US to raise money for an operation to save her sons life. Her son is with her mother back in their home country. She works as a cleaner/Waitress in a small restaurant, where her boss and the chef are relentless unpleasant to her for some reason. A few weird things start to happen around the workplace. Things moving on their own, things glimpsed out the corner of her eye, the usual fare. Every night she calls her mother and speaks with her mum, although her mother becomes reluctant to let her.

Their are really only 3 actors, the main one being on screen for 95% of the movie. Thankfully she does a convincing job. The other 2 are the owner manager lady and the chef are decent enough.

My main issue with the movie is it is very repetitive. Lady goes to work, staff are mean to her, something weird happens, she calls her mum, then goes home and dreams. This happens 3 or 4 times in the movie and never advances the story much further.

There is, of course, a twist at the end, but if you don't see it coming you really need to watch more horror movies.

If they could edit out all the crap and repeated scenes, it would have made a fairly decent half hour TV episode.

Somewhat of a borefest.

[Patient444 · 6/10 · 19 September 2013]

Devoured is indeed a good movie, I know the title may be a little harsh, but there are 2 kinds of truth here:

1) Is where you just watch the movie, go with the flow, discover what's happening, observe the beautiful and fantastic acting by Marta Milans, the director's choice in every move, overall, the story, you discover the story. And you'll love it, all the little details, and trust me there are many, all the pieces that come on by one, you'll start to feel the movie, connect with the main actor and maybe, even feel a strange symbiose between you and her. The minutes will past, you'll enjoy each and every one of them, hoping to find out some more, waiting to see the destination, the final stop and of course, eventually you will. At that point, you'll add another gem to your collection, for Devoured is a great little indie horror.

2) Now you'll have a different approach, a more realistic one, you won't go head first into the movie, you will stay your ground, and simply enjoy a movie. But then again, what is there to enjoy that much? The acting is brilliant, the story quite slow, the mood is kinda depressing, and the direction is very obvious kinda from the start. Just those new people into horror will be surprised by what will happen, the rest will simply call it "you've seen it once, you've seen it a million times". And most of you did!

Overall, a borefest may be the perfect word to sum up a bigger description. I could recommend it, or I could not, I guess it will come down to how the viewer will feel at that specific moment when the movie starts to play. But be careful what you look for, cause you ain't gonna find much thrill, much horror, much originality here, you'll just find a movie made with love, but maybe, not for you!

Downright boring...

[paul_haakonsen · 3/10 · 19 February 2024]

I hadn't heard about this 2012 movie titled "Devoured" from writer Marc Landau and director Greg Olliver prior to stumbling upon it by random chance here in 2024. I have to say that I was initially intrigued by the movie's cover, and with it being a movie that I had never seen (or heard about), of course I opted to sit down and watch it.

The storyline in the movie was slow paced. Half an hour into the movie and nothing interesting or worthwhile had happened, and that made for a very slow paced and boring narrative. And I have to admit that I was struggling with finding the will to keep watching the movie, because it just didn't appeal to me.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, but it should be noted that leading actress Marta Milans (playing Lourdes) definitely carried the movie quite well, despite the fact of having next to nothing to work with in terms of an interesting script, character gallery and dialogue.

"Devoured" was a swing and a miss of a movie in terms of it entertaining me. And this is definitely not a movie that I would recommend you waste your time, money or effort on.

My rating of "Devoured" lands on a very generous three out of ten stars.

Beautiful Addition to the Art-House Horror Genre

[ihearthorrorfilm · 9/10 · 29 September 2013]

Talk about an emotional mind f@$k! Wow! I had my doubts when I pulled up 'Devoured' on IMDb. I saw the current rating at 4.7 and that the Director, Greg Olliver, has only made documentaries and this film is his first full-length feature. I figured there was no way this film would be good, let alone, scary. Couldn't have been more wrong! I'm totally blown away by this beautifully, depressing horror film. First off, the cinematography and direction is absolutely stunning. The film forces you from the very start to sympathize and feel so much compassion for the lead who, by the way, is a fantastically talented actress. The way the first opening scene goes down, you are prepared for the end, but ultimately are pulled in by the main character's struggle. The genius part about it all is that you are so broken down by her life that every single scary moment is terrifying and stressfully confusing. I am still overwhelmed by what an emotional roller coaster this film is. Going from sad to scared to angry, then back to sad, scared and confused. Chilling, depressing, beautiful, dark and clever, 'Devoured' is a film that I will gladly file under art-house horror. This film is for the sophisticated horror connoisseur that has a palate for artistic direction and a hunger for hauntingly disturbing images. BRAVO!

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FYI: I am in no way involved with this film what-so-ever. This is my honest opinion. I watch every and all films associated within the horror genre and always give my unbiased opinion. I am all about celebrating people's love for horror and do not tolerate unnecessary film bashing.

Out of left field! The more I ponder the more I like it.

[dgolcher · 8/10 · 11 December 2015]

I have just finished viewing this movie, saw the tailer in youtube and it seemed like a standard scary movie for a Friday night, you know just to pass time.

You see this nice movie start the grind of someone that is reliving everyday the grind, like her on very own in-life purgatory trying to achieve her goal.

But days come in and go by and you start to see the toll on the character, so close and so far away from her goal.

The movie borders on slow and repetitive but aided by an amazing lead and intelligent script and nice cinematography and score one decides to soldier on and keep on watching.

A few minutes before the ending you feel it is just a regular zombie, haunted house movie with a predictable end... but just as we come full circle at the end the movie, all the questions you had, all the inconsistencies you thought to have picked through the movie just explain themselves out in an absolutely amazing way.

The grind, the repetitiveness of every day, the sympathy for the lead they are answered and in the end it comes up as a reward to the viewer.

20 minutes before the movie closed I was just thinking to myself, nice little art movie but pretty doesn't make for substance... 4/10... at the end... 8/10... how many movies do you know that not only do not drop the ball at the end much less raise the bar of the movie to a whole other level?

Recommended without a doubt... and if I use JeremyJahns' ratings this is "Definitely worth buying on bluray"

Brilliantly thought of!

[aSumuru · 10/10 · 12 June 2021]

A must watch for horror connoisseurs. Beautifully shot with fine performances by the cast. This psychological horror promises to bring you for an unforgettable ride through a place other horror movies don't. This is what I mean by thinking out of the box. Bravo!