User reviews

I will admit that the extremely slow pace tested my patience at times, but I thought the payoff was worth it. I assume the characters were intentionally written to be unlikable, but for me, the result was that I wasn't very interested in them. I also don't think the story does a good enough job connecting the transgressions they made with the consequences. Still, it did have the feeling that something was building, and that is mostly what kept my interest. I'm not going to recommend The Feast, but I did get some enjoyment out of it.

Fill your boots with a familiar tale of revenge and retribution that will satisfy most appetites built on justice and justness regarding the environment, especially if you're partial to a dash of Takashi Miike too.

I saw it Thursday night at MotelX.

At the closing session of MotelX, this film received the Méliés D'argent - Best European Feature 2021 award.

I understand the Jury's decision, as it is a film that brings together two strong trends in current horror cinema, Folk/Horror, with a story largely based on Gaelic folklore using Welsh language, and Echo/Horror in vogue for its role in social awareness of the climate emergency we are currently experiencing.

Forethoughts aside, it's actually a good movie with excellent cinematography, gorgeous footage, well-crafted with a captivating story in increasing tension and good straight, hard horror with well-executed gore.

Its negative aspects, in my opinion, are an initial narrative rhythm that is too slow and despite the good performances of the actors in general, some "overacting" in some scenes. However, i highlight it is a good horror movie that I recommend.

Greetings again from the darkness. It's safe to say all seven deadly sins are on display in the first feature film from director Lee Haven Jones and screenwriter Roger Williams. In fact, by the time the end credits roll, it seems likely a few more sins have been added to the list. The film definitely serves as savage commentary on the attitudes of the elite class, especially the nouveau rich, while also scratching the itch of those who prefer their horror filled with creepy atmosphere.

We first glimpse Cadi (Annes Elwy, LITTLE WOMEN, 2017) as she staggers up to the front entrance of a home in the country. Looking wet and disheveled, Cadi is late for her gig as the help for a dinner party. Rarely speaking and often staring blankly at family members through mysterious occurrences, Cadi works with Glenda (Nia Roberts), the lady of the house, to prepare the three-course meal. We know something is off with Cadi and her ominous presence, but this is no normal family she's contracted with. Glenda's husband Gwyn (Julian Lewis Jones) is a Member of Parliament and the kind of guy who boasts about shooting the two rabbits on that evening's menu ... despite the fact that we know he didn't. Their two sons are Guto, a guitar-playing drug addict who has recently moved back home after an overdose in London; and Gweiryydd (Sion Alun Davies), an odd young man training for a triathlon and enjoying his own spandex a bit too much.

The house itself is also a character. Stark, cold and modern, and displaying abstract art that represents the local land, it seems quite out of place on the farmland. So we have a house that doesn't belong, a dysfunctional family that's out of place, and Cadi who is the biggest outlier of all. Things get more bizarre once the guests begin to arrive. Euros (Rhodri Meilir) is a shady agent/businessman who we learn has helped Gwyn and Glenda reach a new level of financial success by leasing out their farm land to companies drilling for resources. It turns out the dinner party is a ruse to get their neighbor Mair (Lisa Palfrey) to join in the newfound riches. We quickly note that Mair's dress, demeanor, and reaction to Glenda's showing off this lifestyle, puts the two families at odds. Mair's husband's delay in joining the party is a more important detail than originally thought.

This is a rare Welsh-language folk horror tale, and though it's not lacking in blood, its best elements are the excruciatingly slow-burn beginning as suspense builds in regards to Cadi's motives/powers/intentions. This haunting pace with chilling scenes and odd characters keep us in an anxious and unaware state for the first 2/3 of the movie. This is no modern day Cleaver family, and the sons are no Wally and Beaver. The nuanced approach allows us to build disgust towards the family and how they've exploited the land and other people for their own success, while also trying to interpret Cadi.

Going against nature is becoming a more frequent topic in films these days, and the payback is often harsh and unkind. Cinematographer Bjorn Bratberg expertly captures the interior and exterior moments, while composer Samuel Sim provides eerie background accompaniment. Lee Haven Jones has not taken a traditional approach to horror, and the creativity and atmosphere will likely be appreciated by many.

In theaters and On Demand beginning November 19, 2021.

This Welsh girl comes to the house to help serve at a dinner party. But she's 'of the land' and the homeowners are mining in that land...a land that's been forbidden to touch. She brings the wrath on those that are violating the ridge. Creepy. Bizarre. & Pretty Good.

Even for a slow burn, the pace is super slow, as there is an absence of conflict for a big part of it.

The horror is all left for the end. Nothing wrong with that. I love films - like La Llorona - who did that and it worked. The problem here is that the film is so eventless in the first two acts that I wasn't interested anymore.

Interesting themes and some good bloody scenes.

The story unfolds very slowly around a dinner party of an unpleasantly wealthy family and an awkward young woman who is hired to help cook and serve the meal.

Bizarre happenings involving the peculiar assistant, the food and the guests threaten our nouveau riche hostess's desperate plan to get her neighbors to invest in mining on their surrounding properties.

Nightmare fuel ensues.

This movie is not for everyone. Being in Welsh, the movie has this air of otherworldliness to it. The filmmakers let the visuals do a lot of the talking. And not much is explained in detail.

I enjoyed it for its atmospheric mystique and its ancillary exposé on the dangers of triathlons and heroin.

This is a poor man's "Antichrist" with a reversed message in comparison with Lars Von Trier movie. "Nature is satan's church" is the message of "Antichrist", whereas, the message of "The feast" is ecological.

A watchable indie art/horror, too slow at the first half. Second half is more intense. Good actors, good directing. Not very interesting.

I have watched much worse movies the last 2 years, therefore, i believe that a lot of horror fans will enjoy this. Welsh language is a beautiful language. But definitely, this is not a "must see" movie.

You can tell right from the start that something is off. You cannot tell what it is, but the vibe and the tension is there from the start. There is also a lot of humor or class division things in there ... the bike outside ... the general health craze and many other things. You could argue there are certain sins involved. Maybe a bit too subtle for some.

And while you see that thing as something obvious, there is much more behind it. And when ... well the dirt hits the fan ... things might get a bit too much for some viewers. Remember this is not easy to watch from a certain point forward. If you are easily offended and "squirmy" ... better think twice before you watch it.

It's a straightforward tale told very slowly. Unfortunately, there are no bright or engaging characters to enjoy. Everyone is deliberately subdued (bordering on catatonic). Actors move through the scenes like chess pieces and by the time we get to the 'horror' elements, there is nobody to root for. Character motivations remain obtuse and metaphorical, rather than intriguing.

The decision to use the Welsh language doesn't add anything. If this was a traditional folk tale it could have given it some depth. Unfortunately it's a rather modern story beneath the attempts at symbolism, so the language just adds another layer of abstraction, which it doesn't need.

It's nicely shot and the acting is fairly decent despite the lifeless material and one-note direction. As somebody who likes a slow burn, I found this punishingly slow. Sadly, it does not reward patience.

Somebody has watched to many artistic complementary trash, and tried to make a similar movie without any talent.

It's very slow, pointless monument of amateurism.

Parasite + The Invitation + Eco Horror

Although not as good as either movies mentioned above, The Feast effectively added eco horror that made for a creepy slow burn. Many scenes were straight up bizarre and fairly nasty that kept me on the edge after each part of the story. Of course the horror vibe from this movie is very A24, even though it's IFC. My problem was some parts felt unclear and random.

Overall, it's a pretty good horror suspense. 7-7.5/10.

Slow burners are either a hit or miss and usually from recent experience a miss. This falls into the miss category big time. Right from the start the main character is painful to watch. She is purposefully created to be creepy yet its quite amusing seeing the mother of the family deal with all of her issues. In real life the family would have sent this replacement maid home within 5 minutes. But it is a movie so I guess that is beside the point. Decent pretty cinematography.

The biggest issue with this movie is the predictability. Why endure.an hour of nothing going on to have an ending a five year old would have guessed. Dont waste your time.

Really enjoyed it. Thrilling film. I never thought i'd say this but, looks like good welsh films are possible. As a welsh speaker i've been waiting a long time for one as god as this.

It looked promising and the trailer made it seem like it had received rave reviews. I will say that it was very well filmed, a great location, and fair actors. Now, according to Rotten Tomatoes "The Feast" grossed $8,000... do you need to read that again? Grossed eight thousand dollars. That said it does an excellent job making you feel anxious as the awkward character has some cringey feeling moments. Yet it misses the mark and the scenes shown in the trailer that look scary or bizarre are pretty much all out of context. Sadly, the best, and my favorite, part of the whole film is the song that plays as the credits start to roll. If for no other reason watch so you can hear the song, and then if you like me, Shazam it so you can listen later.

The Feast sets up in a serene background and becomes a twisted horror story on a short notice. It's sudden pickup of phase cleverly conjure the predatory ambush. Excellent character set-up. A fresh innovative approach to it's theme.

The filmmakers have confused artsy with blandness. There are a couple of horror-worthy scenes, but that is all, and the fact that you have to wade through the muck until 85% of the movie is over makes it unworthy of the effort. I love movies that build slowly, but the payoff has to be worth it. In this case, it's not.

The eerie horror flick "The Feast" is only the third Welsh-language movie that I've seen, after "Hedd Wynn" (about poet Ellis Evans) and "Patagonia" (about the Welsh community in Argentina). It focuses on a young woman working as a cook for an affluent family in rural Wales. Slowly but surely, it becomes apparent that this particular dinner will not be a normal one.

The movie combines the genres of horror movies focusing on the environment (since the family wants to launch a drilling project) and horror movies in which unpleasant things befall rich people. Some viewers might complain about the slow pace, but I think that the movie deliberately moves slowly to let the terror build up. This movie won't be for everyone, but if you can tolerate the slow pace and hearing an unfamiliar language, then you'll probably enjoy it.

So yes, watshia di dy hun!

I watched this film a couple of days ago now and I am still not sure what to make it.

It is a very peculiar film that takes its time to get going (and that is probably an understatement). The first hour is filled with subtlety and nuance and is perhaps a little too understated, but this gives way to a truly bizarre and dialled up final act which pulls together the themes and essence of the film nicely.

Everything is shot and performed very well, and there is a sinister and uneasy atmosphere to the whole piece, largely due to the eerie central performance from Annes Elwy.

A slightly too drawn out first hour doesn't do this film any favours, but on the whole it makes for an arresting and curious piece of cinema. If you have a penchant for folksy horror films then this is likely to appeal to you.

I suppose this is what some want in "horror".

A bit tasteless if you ask me.

I feel it started the film started out well played, intense and provoking. But just ended cheesy, and leaving me queasy.

The lead female part Cadi, introduced with a mysterious intensity, certainly was frighteningly annoying. Nearly lost me there. But I stuck around to the end.

If title of this review entices you, dig in.

It looked interesting. There were some decent parts & some that led me to think there was a reason for the movie, & why the girl was doing what she was doing. But it never explained anything, not even a tiny bit. It was this group of people getting punished for what...don't know. Normally I'd look it up to movies that made me curious & I had questions about. This was the first that I watched entirely, waiting, & it wasn't worth looking into at all for me.