Feed Me (2022) User Reviews

I feel an indigestion coming up...

[Coventry · 4/10 · 31 October 2022]

"Feed Me" is about a troubled and emotionally disturbed man who volunteers to be eaten alive by a total and utter lunatic. The film also opens with a written statement that it's based on a true story. Before you start thinking it's impossible for a deranged plot synopsis like to be truthful, let me assure you it's real! In 2002, in Germany, the strangest case of murder/cannibalism in human history came to the surface.

This isn't the first film to be inspired by the sinister case of Armin Meiwes (the cannibal) and Bernd Jürgen Brandes (the voluntary human meal). The other ones, "Rothenburg" (2006) and "Cannibal" (2005) were more factual, whereas "Feed Me" is largely fiction and a bizarre attempt to blend gruesome horror with absurd humor. This approach admittedly doesn't work very well, and particularly the slapstick often feels very misplaced.

The most positive thing I can write is that the writers/directors' duo Adam Leader and Richard Oakes tried to give a plausible and identifiable background to why the "victim" allows himself to be eaten. Jed Freeman is heartbroken and overwhelmed by guilt since his wife passed away from the consequences of an extreme eating disorder. That addition is really good, but the character of Lionel flack - the killer/cannibal - practically ruined everything for me. He's totally cuckoo, lives in house that is filthier than the average dumpster, and he decorates his place with paintings of his naked mother. The sudden and abrupt chances from comical into dead-serious tone are difficult to process, there are many dull moments, and far too many pointless pieces of footage. The gore is very explicit and disgusting, but never shocking.

"Feed Me" sadly isn't a film I would rapidly recommend, and yet I do wish to mention that the makers, Adam Leader and Richard Oakes, are cool people with a lot of knowledge and passion for the genre. They were present at the festival in Belgium where the film premiered, and amiably mingled with all the people in the bar. Actress Samantha Loxley was there as well. She's a stunningly beautiful woman, and it was a pity to hear that most of here scenes didn't make the final cut.

Think Tusk... but cannibalism

[Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews · 5/10 · 11 October 2023]

I mean this in the least condescending way possible... I think that this was a really solid attempt at what they were going for. It was fun, different and entertaining. Granted, not without its flaws, but still should be appreciated for its positives.

I think that this was lacking slightly as far as the story went. We got some seemingly deep but ultimately superficial background on each of the characters and it was presented in such a way that it was nothing of real intrigue or relatability. The chain of events from scene to scene felt oddly disjointed and while the obvious and intended absurdist vibe was present I'm not sure it had enough to balance it out. I think a lot of that unfortunately had to do with the character of Lionel.

While you could definitely tell that the guy was a good actor, it was a little too silly in juxtaposition to the rest of the film to be looked at as a cohesive part of the production as a whole. He gave me much more theater vibes in general and the cartoon Texas accent was distracting (maybe not to someone from the UK, but to an American). The other lead actor did quite a good job with a surprisingly down to earth performance. I would be interested in seeing both of them in something else.

The movie looked quite nice with some actually beautiful shots, had some surprisingly good effects and a fun, absurd tone throughout. This is going to be a polarizing one for some people but I enjoyed it for the most part. 4.5 rounding up to a 5. Would recommend.

A good executed blend of comedy and horror.

[chusss · 5/10 · 25 November 2022]

Well, lets be honest. When I first saw the rating 4.5 I was not encouraged to watch this film. But then I noticed the comedy genre and I thought what kind of comedy could it be! So I just decided to give it a watch.

I am impressed with the acting, it is exaggerated but it is also hilarious! The events are interesting and keeps you excited for what may happen next. It is not your typical Hollywood horror movie. If that is what you want you then don't waste your time with this one. If you are ready for something different, cheesy and new then you will be satisfied. I gave it 5 because I could have been better, but it is just ok for me.

Don't waste your time or money

[tomberzerker · 3/10 · 17 October 2022]

I saw Feed Me at the British Horror Film Festival. I knew nothing about it going into it, and if I had known anything I wouldn't have bothered sitting through it.

This movie is terrible. All the characters are complete morons who make the dumbest decisions possible. The cannibal character throws up so many red flags I don't know how he hasn't already been caught or why anyone talks to him for more than 5 seconds before backing away politely. How is anyone fooled by his awful wig and accent is beyond me.

The acting is terrible, the script is terrible, the 'plot' is terrible.

I should have left before the end of this film, but I didn't for two reasons. 1 - Maybe it could have redeemed itself with some great ideas or a twist - but it didn't, and without seeing the whole thing, can you complain about it? 2 - If you walk out of a horror movie at a film festival everyone just assumes that you are offended by the gore. I happily watch extreme cinema, I'm fine with gore, so I'm not giving them the satisfaction of saying 'people walked out because they couldn't handle it' when in reality it's because its a pile of steaming garbage.

Why 3 stars and not 1? The practical effects were good. The gore when bodies are dismembered was done well. Lots of blood, some grisly flesh, that was pretty effective. But it doesn't make up for the rest of this crap.

I'd rather sacrifice a limb to a cannibal than have to watch this rubbish again.

3 for the gore.

[vwmatt · 3/10 · 28 October 2022]

The only reason this is getting even a 3 is because some of the gore scenes are pretty brutal to watch and I also always give credit for the effort it takes to make any movie. If your into gore just fast forward to those parts and try to skip any of the acting from the cannibal as it is some of the worst acting you will ever see. The "acting" is so absurdly over the top and just wierd from the lead that it feels like he is in a bad community theater play while everyone else in the movie ignores it like nothing is wierd about him. You can't even tell if it's supposed to be cheesy or not because nobody else is in the realm of a cheesy cheeky horror movie, only him. But whoever was in charge of special effects wasn't half bad. The arm scene was up there with terrorizer. Oh I almost forgot how crazy bad his wig is It's next level distracting the whole movie.

Before you even beging to watch this watch these first: Cannibal 2006, Grimm Love 2006 and The Gray Man 2007. Also watch Bone Daddy 1998 and The Bone Collector 1999.

[Vivekmaru45 · 7/10 · 27 April 2023]

Okay, now that that's done, on to this film. It is about a taboo subject. Indeed I'm even surprised how movies with graphic content like this even gets a release. It is no wonder that horrific crimes like the ones portrayed in all the movies I have mentioned above have become commonplace. Has society as a whole become de-humanized? It remains to be seen how the world can regain its humanity and strive for the end of crime and lasting world peace.

The movie is about a man who lost his wife through her bulimia. He became so frustrated with his wife's condition that he broke off all contact with her at a point. Later cops visited him and told him that his wife's body had been found and that she was dead. Grief-stricken he meets a weird guy at a drinking place who tells him that he will help him deal with his wife's sorrow by helping him depart from the world. The gives the man his card and tells him to call him again. Still suffering from guilt over his wife's death, the man finally decides to end his life by calling the man, meeting him again, signing a contract and handing him his mobile phone. What happens later is for you to see and find out.

This is also psychological drama on many levels. There are many viewpoints to consider. The direction is masterful and always in control. The acting and sound-effects are professional. However the movie has a fatal flaw in that like the movies I have mentioned above, this one is not worth a second viewing.

It's a shame about this movie.

[rcr-37510 · 1/10 · 31 October 2022]

The other reviews are right. It was bad.

This *could* have been good. The premise was interesting and different but the execution was unsuitable. The atmosphere and tone were completely wrong for this kind of film. It was way too campy and over the top. It should have taken a darker, gritty, serious theme. Think SAW or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake from 2003.

And what was with that acting? I don't know why they chose our American Southern stereotype for one of the main characters. It's set in England. It was so out of place.

He wasn't convincing at all. The bad wig. The caricature accent. It came across like something you'd see on YouTube for comedic purposes.

That was one of the top sins that ruined this movie. The cannibal should have been slick. Mysterious. Conniving. Like a used car salesman but for the depressed.

Instead he was a cowboy. The lead character wasn't great either. The performance was overdone and felt exaggerated.

It was a mess all around. Don't bother.

Odd Blend of Comedy, Heart and Horror

[Reviews_of_the_Dead · 7/10 · 16 December 2022]

This is a movie that I got the chance to see when one of the co-directors reached out to me with a screener link. It was Richard Oakes who also helped come up with the story. What I saw looked interesting to me so I figured I would give it a watch. I love to support independent cinema when I can. Other than the information I've provided, I came into this one blind.

Synopsis: following the death of his wife, a broken man spirals into an abyss of night tremors and depression. He finds himself in the home of a deranged cannibal who convinces him to take his own life in the most horrific way imaginable.

Now this kicks off saying that his is based on true story. I didn't investigate this to confirm that, but I do know parts of this seem to be borrowed for sure. We start with Jed Freeman (Christopher Mulvin) who is in a hospital gown and covered in blood. It looks like he is trying to escape. We then see what leads him here.

We see that Jed and his wife of Olivia (Samantha Loxley) have issues. He wants her back. As the synopsis said, she died and I believe that Jed was the one to find her. He spirals and I can't blame him. His binge leads him into a bar where Lionel Flack (Neal Ward) sparks up a conversation. Lionel alludes to the fact that he can help Jed kill himself. He listens to his sorrows and gives Jed the idea of a way to go out. The two men go home together.

Lionel is our eccentric cannibal. The house he lives in belonged to his mother and there is an odd photograph who her above the mantel. Let's just say that she is in the nude, tastefully. The house is disgusting, but Jed doesn't seem to care. Lionel also has a deep appreciation for food. This night he convinces Jed to let him cut off his finger. He then fries it up and eats it. This is only the beginning.

What is interesting here is that the two spark up a friendship of sorts. Lionel is odd and it makes him lonely. There is a woman who seems interested, Alex (Hannah Al Rashid), that Lionel doesn't think he has a chance with. These two help each other, but the level of depravity for Lionel gets in the way as Jed might have a reason to live.

That is where I'm going to leave my recap as we don't have a deep story here. This is a character study of our two main characters, Lionel and Jed. I want to start with the latter since the punishment he endures is the focus. Jed is struggling due to losing his wife. It seems like she killed herself and he can't understand why. It sinks him into depression. He sees her as a way for him to come to terms with things around him. What I like about his character is that he has a change. He sees Lionel works with disabled individuals and it helps his sense of worth. Jed even befriends this man who is eating him. He doesn't blame him. I thought this was a good performance from Mulvin and character arch for Jed.

Now to our other star, Lionel. It feels like he's borrowed from Jeffrey Dahmer. The cannibal aspects is part of it, but also the awkwardness. Lionel is lonely. He has tastes that make it worse in wanting to eat human flesh. He craves to have people around him. Becoming friends with Jed helps, even though he is eating him. Lionel also is seeking a partner. He doesn't realize that Alex is interested and she thinks that he might be gay with how he words the issues that he has with Jed. I thought this added a bit of levity to a movie with such heavy ideas like suicide. Ward does well in playing this awkward character who is scary at times. I want to give credit to him as well.

I'm not sure there is more I need to go into with the story so I'll then shift over to the acting outside of our leads. Al Rashid is good as this woman who is trying to get to know Lionel despite his quirks. Loxley is good as the voice of reason within Jed. I thought that was good and done in a subtle way. He sees her image, but it is of course his own conscious protecting him. There are two police officers, Nadia Lamin and Anto Sharp that also add comedy. I'd say that across the board, the acting is solid.

Where I'll then finish out is with the filmmaking. Where I want to start here is with the tone. I'm not always the biggest fan of comedy/horror. I think for the most part it works here. There were times that it took me out, but the comedy here comes from how absurd things are we are seeing. I also wanted to give credit to Lionel's house. It is so gross and just made me uncomfortable. It makes it worse that he's doing crude medical procedures. Other than that, I'd say the cinematography was good. As were the effects. Those made me cringe with the removing of limbs from Jed. There is good blood and gore there. Other than that, I'd say that the soundtrack and design worked here.

In conclusion, this is a solid movie that I'm glad that I got to see. There is heavy subject matter here and I think adding a bit of levity makes it work better. We get two good performances from our leads and the rest of the cast push them to where they need to end up. I like what they do with the effects. The blood and gore looked good. It even made me cringe at times. Other than that, I'd say that this is a well-made movie overall. I can't recommend this to everyone, so I'd say those that are into gore to check this out, especially if you like a bit of dark comedy.

My Rating: 7 out of 10.

Assisted Suicide

[nogodnomasters · 2/10 · 13 March 2023]

Jed Freeman goes off the deep end when his wife Alex (Hannah Al Rashid) is eaten up from the inside with cancer. At her funeral he meets Lionel Flack (Neal Ward) an odd stranger who carries his own champagne glasses with him. Lionel offers to help Jed end his emptiness through assisted suicide. In order to meet his wife he needs to be eaten from the outside. Lionel so kindly offers to slowly cut him up and eat him over time. Jed agrees and neither man see anything unusual in the situation, although Jed has some pain and bleeding issues.

Lionel lives in a rather depressing flat with a very ugly rug. While I love dark and oddball comedies, I failed to see the humor in this film. It was simply gross and silly without any real direction.

Guide: F-word. Nudity. No sex.

Cannibalistic-Chef's Kiss!

[laureninterrupted · 9/10 · 5 February 2024]

Reminiscent of one of the only stories to ever give me nightmares, Feed Me really did it for me! This movie is incredible. The acting is phenomenal, the pace is perfect, the dark humor: relentless and the story was 'cannibalistic-chef's kiss'! The characters were relatable and, by the end, I CARED ABOUT THE VILLAIN! An absolutely outstanding film... one I won't soon forget!

Shout out to Neal Ward too, man... Lionel will forever live in the dark recesses of my mind and will endearingly haunt me for eternity! Truly, remarkable work! Lionel is my new favorite horror villain, hands down.

Should you watch it? Absolutely... watch it thrice!

A film you'll either love or despise.

[robertzmcmillan · 7/10 · 23 February 2023]

I found this film through the band In Search of Sun, whose single 'Contagious' features in the end credits.

Admittedly, coming into it, I expected something entirely different than what I got. The performance of the lead, Neal Ward, is something that I feel will be lost on a lot of people, especially Americans. As a southern American myself, I am exceedingly familiar with the accent, and it was instantly laughable within the first sentence he spoke. For many people I'm sure this comes across as poor acting, but I personally feel like it's so egregious, it has to be an intentional choice meant to emphasize the nature of the antagonist.

It also serves as a setup for the very minor twist of the main antagonist impersonating someone he's killed, explaining both the poor wig and even poorer accent. This is what solidified it as flagrantly intentional choice in my mind, and something that the characters of the world are willing to overlook as a character quirk. Characters seem to take him at face value for just being an awkward and eccentric person. You'll either like this choice, or hate the naivete of the people who he interacts with.

When Neal Ward finally switches the accent off and reveals that the character is indeed faking it within the film's universe, you see a glimpse of his genuine acting ability beyond the guise of the seemingly inept Lionel. He immediately draws forth a more threatening presence, lacking the comedic undertones of his usual goofy persona. The way he reacts to stressful situations makes it very clear that he's in far over his head, and that whatever he's gotten away with before this has been entirely on luck.

There's some decent visual storytelling with scars coating Lionel's body, implied to be from abuse from his mother, who he has immortalized in a nude portrait hanging in his dining room proudly. It's up to the audience to decide whether this lack of explicit background is a choice to intrigue you, or a disregard for proper characterization. For me, I think it's more of the former.

Though I've spent most of the review talking about Neal Ward's portrayal of his character, I also think it's the thing most people will take issue with. The acting from Christopher Mulvin is good, with only a few glimpses of awkwardness peeking through in the opening minutes, where some of his emoting feels unnatural.

The performances from the other cast, particularly Liv and the two police officers who visit about halfway through the film, are perfectly fine. There's not much to complain about with them in my opinion.

The final aspect worth noting, since the story itself is as simplistic as it sounds, is that the special effects work is fantastic for such a microbudget film. It's genuinely impressive, and the use of practical over CG adds a very physical sense of feedback to the gore scenes. Seeing the main character's finger bend and crack before being snipped off was jarring to me, as I've been conditioned to expect a clean slice. In modern cinema, where gore is usually so excessively digital that it's distracting, it's a breath of fresh air to see something else.

It's clear to me that this was a film made with a lot of passion, but I think it'll miss it's mark with most people who aren't willing to meet it halfway with it's liberal use of tonal shifts and general silliness. If you think you're up for that, I think you'll find this film to be worth a watch. If you're a fan of more grounded plotlines with less egregious moments, this film is likely not for you.

Stupidity @ It's Best

[gab-67599 · 3/10 · 1 November 2022]

So just by description alone and the poster pic I felt compelled to see this movie because I LOVE a GOOD horror movie. But this was anything but good, gory definitely! But on a scale of 1 - 10 for acting Jed gets a solid 8, where is Lionel gets at most a 3. Interesting story until it just kept heading in the direction of being completely UNBELIEVEABLE!!!! Whatever true story this was based on they completely butchered it by checking reality at the door. No one would willingly be like "Eat Me", oh and plz take your time doing it! STUPID! With such a waste of a movie you would think they could at LEAST get the ending right, but no again. Things are left untied and you just have to use your imagination of what happened to poor Jed. I believe he got prosthetic legs and an arm, met a NORMAL girl, had a few kids and lived happily ever after but that's just me. The worst part of this movie I would have to say would be Jed dragging himself and the FISH to safety. I am sorry but if I was ever in the same situation (Which no one would be that dumb enough to be in the first place) the very last thing I would be thinking about is saving a fish! I say avoid this movie but that is just my opinion. I watched Run Sweetheart Run before this and it was believable, and that movie had a supernatural demon in it.

Halloween time with popcorn yeah

[yousseflwox · 6/10 · 29 October 2022]

I review this movie as a for halloween time with popcorn yeah because the story is boring and the main character is just he know we know it's funny comedy movies about jeffrey dahmer this why the movie sell you the horror and comedy in the same time and the last thing is the Neal Ward Who played the Lionel Flack he is a very talented actor.

Reference to the story of jeffrey dahmer like the fish/ HUMAN HEAD IN REFRIGERATOR/ the eyeglasses/ the look ... and so more

The practical effects were good. The gore when bodies are dismembered was done well. Lots of blood, some grisly flesh, that was pretty effective. But it doesn't make up for the rest of this crap.

Worth a watch ...judge for yourself

[lillianramirez · 6/10 · 4 December 2022]

Lionel is crazzzzzy. His over the top performance was enjoyable for me . The chemistry between Jed and Lionel (Lye) was what kept me watching. It had its comedic bromance moments and then it got dark and stayed dark. Yes there are some execution issues. One scene seemed out of place and incomplete.

And what's with the lamps??

Lionel is complex but not completely fleshed out for us. One scene you see he has scars all over his body including his head. Implying severe abuse by his mother.

He is alone , lonely and wanting to connect with humanity but I guess cannibalism is the only way he can.

The flashback scenes could have been done better or just omitted and done with voice overs. With that said ...it's a good 'bad' movie.

Well worth a watch

[garth-34655 · 8/10 · 19 October 2022]

I'll be honest, Lionel Flack portrail by Neal Ward totally stole every scene he was in for me. Phenomenal actor had me glued to the screen the whole time. Superb performance. Everyone in this film for me were brilliant too mind. Very gory, which if like me is what you want then this will be right up your street. Cannibalism and gore is a perfect combination and this does it all brilliantly, theres no shying away here. Clearly a lot of upcoming talent I will be keeping my eye on from the actors to the directors and everyone in between. Can't wait for more...feed me more if you will. Awesome work people, keep it up!!

I had an absolute blast!

[ireviewthemovies · 8/10 · 1 November 2022]

If you enjoy horror movies then I recommend you give this one a chance!

I knew nothing about this going in... The dialogue and story were gripping.. And wonderful performances all round!!

There is gore, there is fun and ultimately horror.

This was a surprising breath of fresh air that really understands the genre and well executed!

And for some reason the reviews i have read on here are very negative to the point of absuridty, to those who left them may i suggest drinking less soy

However for the majority of normal horror loving people i think you will find this movie enjoyable!

8/10 A fun ride and looking forward to more from those involved!

Gruesome and fun.

[ptstylianou · 10/10 · 22 October 2022]

Coming from the UK, this film gave me Mighty Boosh vibes that I don't think Americans will quite get. Made on a micro budget but the practical effects and set designs are spot on. Brilliantly shot. Neal Wards performance as the eccentric cannibal is courageously off the wall which makes it a stand out performance of the year given his transformation at the end of the film.

What this film has going for it is it's relentless insanity and for that it's a success. It's like a nightmarish black comedic fever dream and for that reason it succeeds.

I know people will think I'm a crew member but I'm not, I saw this film and was both disgusted and in awe of what I was seeing. It's insanity, and why not, insanity is something that should be put on film so here is one for the insane. Again, watch the Might Boosh to catch the vibe, Neal Ward looks like he was taken straight from that or the league of gentlemen, another British comedy. Check it out.

Truly delectable!

[themermaidsgrave · 10/10 · 19 October 2022]

I saw this film at the British Horror Film Festival and not only was it the best film of the night, it's one of the best films of the year. It's probably obvious that it isn't for the faint-hearted, but it's a whole lot more than the gory moments. The script is outstanding, taking you on a rollercoaster ride through the tragic and chaotic life of cannibal Lionel (played with comedic precision by Neal Ward), and specifically his fortuitous encounter with the hopelessly depressed Jed (played with guts and heart by Christopher Mulvin). The cinematography is grimly beautiful, expertly translating the language of the characters, rich in mood and colour. The direction is sensitive, expressive, and at times outrageously hilarious. The musical score seamlessly blends the melancholy with the ridiculous, the heart-wrenches with the terror. It's, all round, an incredibly accomplished piece of work and a delectable treat for us all.

Crazy fun

[vikingcleaner · 9/10 · 12 June 2023]

This film is another amazing British horror films. It blends black comedy with gory horror amazingly. The acting is on point, the story while having a few things I couldn't get my head around was brilliant. Editing and flow was great.

Its is absolutely bat. The UK could learn a thing or two about making a good comedy horror because we do it best when it's done right.

Severance, the cornetto trilogy, zombies vs gangsters & sightseers to name a few. This is up their on my list of great British horror comedy films. Hate that I have to use like 1000 words to Wright I review it sucks really badly.

Pungent. Audacious. Cerebral.

[bradleybarton · 8/10 · 28 February 2023]

To understand and fully appreciate Feed Me, a wild, often gloriously outrageous metaphoric tale, one must look beneath its sensational façade and analyse the storyteller's true intent, for there lies an inventive tapestry of visual, audible and character delights whose narrative is both astute and deceptively complex, delving deep into the malaise of torment and heartache, so often interconnected with grief, depression and childhood trauma.

Richard Oakes and Adam Leader, being both the writers and directors, have proffered a graphically crafted, delicious tale that speaks to a host of difficult topics and mental health concerns: eating disorders, assisted suicide, cannibalism, melancholy, anguish and desolation. It is these issues that are primarily achieved through Lionel Flack and Jed Freeman: desperate, embellished characters that are both astutely and vivaciously played by Neal Ward and Christopher Mulvin, respectively. Indeed, Ward's 'Flack' is wonderfully animated and over the top, aptly displaying his huge talents to the full.

Production Design was handled by Amy Lukas, and what an outstanding job was done. The concepts and final executions of Flack's home (noxious, squalid, loathsome) perfectly reflect his demeanour and mental health and unquestionably are integral to the movie's success.

Yes, Feed Me's characters and their actions are exaggerated, even melodramatic at times, but it's their very abstruse decisions and behaviour that ultimately aids the intent of this engrossing, persuasive story.

Pungent, audacious, cerebral; Feed Me is a compelling, enticing cuisine to savour - delighting the palate in the most gastronomically gruesome way. Are you ready to eat now?