Quentin M
I loved the book, so it definitely played in my opinion of the movie adaptation.
This movie starts in the good direction, putting efforts in the atmosphere of the horror folk tale genre and building the relationship amongst the members of the family and the coming drama.
Sadly, it starts to crumble after the first half hour, slowly getting away, to end up being a vulgar and confusing story, taking out the symbolic and enigmatics of the book, to replace it with a classic cheap satanic cult type of horror story, with clumsy exposition and elements that had nothing to do with the original story, maybe to please the cheap horror movie fans hoping to get their pound of flesh.
The book by Andrew Michael Hurley is not a horror book. It's a gothic tale centered around grief. It's deliciously dark, ominous and eerie. It's sad and poetic. This movie tries to explain what shouldn't be and end up even more confusing.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
09/23/24
Full Review
Mason D
What's clever is how it separates the characters, they go on their own journeys, but then it brings them back together at the end. Good writing, and has a vibe.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
09/13/24
Full Review
Veronica T
This film is laughably awful, so bad that I stayed in my seat rather than leave simply to see if it could get any worse. It could. And it did. Everyone involved ought to be ashamed of themselves and embarrassed about everything, except the location-finder and whoever had a hand in the last 15 seconds. Unconvincing acting, clanking soundtrack, laughable animatronics, implausible events, badly-written dialogue and a generally confusing story-line, this predictable in detail yet incomprehensible overall movie, this apology for a horror film, is a pointless waste of time. (Unless it's all a deliberate tongue-in-cheek con, in which case it's brilliant). The best worst-film I've seen since Blackbird.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
09/12/24
Full Review
Beverly S
Oh dear me. A horror, but not in the sense of if the intended genre. The Hare thing was laughable
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
09/11/24
Full Review
Sam N
Starve Acre weaves together a familiar yet haunting British folk-horror narrative. In it, a man confronts dark, long-buried family secrets amidst the eerie, windswept expanse of the North Yorkshire Moors. The film’s remote setting adds an unsettling layer to the story, amplifying the isolation and creeping dread that define the genre.
Morfydd Clark, known for her captivating performance in Saint Maud, once again brings quiet intensity to the screen. As a mother consumed by the devastation of grief, her portrayal is imbued with a nuanced vulnerability. Clark masterfully conveys a deep, simmering sorrow, holding the audience’s gaze as her character teeters between despair and unravelling. Even as the film spirals into a more fantastical—and arguably more chaotic—final act, Clark remains the emotional anchor, giving the film an emotional weight that lingers.
On the other hand, Matt Smith takes a bolder approach, with an attempted Yorkshire accent that sometimes distracts from the atmosphere rather than enhances it. His brooding presence, marked by moments of intensity and introspection, is overemphasised by a camera that too often lingers in tight close-ups, almost intruding on the subtlety his performance has conveyed.
The film’s eclectic and experimental soundtrack serves as a pulsating undercurrent, heightening tension and disorienting the viewer in all the right moments. It imbues the film with a surreal, dreamlike quality that compliments the folk-horror elements. However, this atmosphere is undermined by introducing a questionable if not laughable animatronic/CGI creature, which feels artificial despite its intended menace and diminishes the immersive experience. What could have been a powerful visual metaphor instead borders on the uncanny, pulling viewers out of the otherwise grounded horror.
In the end, Starve Acre offers genuine emotional depth and atmospheric tension moments. Still, it falters when it veers too sharply into surrealism without the visual craftsmanship to back it up.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
09/22/24
Full Review
Daisy W
Piece of dark magic. Gorgeous to look at, and outstanding performances.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/09/24
Full Review
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