Starve Acre

I think this movie deserve more love. As many reviews pointed out already, it is a slow, beautiful, and well-acted movie. I agree that the pace and lack of visual horrific elements can be problematic for many viewers. Same thing with the mood, which fluctuate between gloomy and very gloomy. On the other hand it was almost a comforting movie on my side, and for this I think ambiance is the key. There are no shouts or noisy arguments despite the traumas of the characters. The actors quiet and brilliant acting is in tune with the soft unsettling strangeness feeling that looms over the moor. Give it a try!

A really well made film, very beautifully filmed, with an immaculate recreation of the 1970s ( although, just to be pedantic, the term "Action Figure" didn't exist until Star Wars merchandise arrived on our shores, and even then i doubt a middle aged doctor would have heard it, and whole fields of rape were unknown in the UK then), a good soundtrack and some really great performances. But not a great film. It was so full of folk horror cliches that i assumed they were going to somehow subvert them by the end of the film. No such luck. Everything was taken from other, much much better films - the re-composing corpse from Blood on Satans Claw, the buried secrets from the ancient past from M. R. James tv adaptions, the friendly/sinister pagan locals from, well, every folk horror film ever. You could see the bits of Nigel kneale and Lawrence Gordon Clark sticking out all over. I liked the demon rabbit god puppet quite a bit, it reminded me of Hartley Hare from the Pipkins, but not as disturbing. There were other, even worse cliches too - i for one am utterly sick of the Dead Kid/Grieving Parents/Supernatural Event trope. It was great in Don't look Now, but its as overused as teenagers going camping in the woods or shooting zombies in the head. Please, think of something else, horror filmmakers. The film also suffers from a lack of exposition - not usually something that bothers me - but the endless scenes of agonizing grief and mumbled emoting would have been better replaced with more of the occult back story This makes me wonder if folk horror isn't dead - a genre utterly played out, reduced to cliches and lazy symbolism in the way of other horror genres. I hope not.

In my opinion a 5.3 score for this film is a very harsh score. Yes it's not a fast paced Hollywood slasher horror movie, it's a slow paced moving film. The beautiful setting in the English countryside, the century old house, the green hills, it all contributes to the weight of the story. The cast is doing an excellent job in conveying the really deep twisted message the director is trying to tell. But most of all, what really took me by surprise, was the sheer originality of the story. Fair to say by the end my jaw was on the floor, with the brutal ending and the realization of what had just happend.

As a fan of folk horror, small-production films, and Matt Smith & Morfydd Clark, I admit I might have had too high expectations. Especially since it took two years between the first limited release and the wide release on streaming platforms, the sheer anticipation raised my hopes even more. With all that in mind, I still feel the film missed its potential because the thing with small production is that it relies on atmosphere-building and a good storyline. And both of those aspects could have been better. For instance, regarding the atmosphere, I think they succeeded in portraying grief as raw, lasting, and sometimes merged with magical thinking and anger. Sometimes, it's bearable, and the characters even manage to squeeze a smile and get excited about things they work on or even an unexpected family visit. The grief is ever-present but fluctuating in intensity, which feels realistic, unlike Hollywood cliches that tend to go over the top. However, the film lacks in creating suspense due to the pacing and some scenes that feel disjointed. When you think it will pick up and elevate the tension, it moves to another scene. Which brings us to another issue of storytelling. While the overall idea is good, the film would have benefited from a more developed lore. You quickly learn there is a lot at stake, but they never tell you why, and it somewhat obscures the characters' motivations. Without knowing more about mythology, we fail to see the appeal and the temptation of some choices they make. For this reason, I believe it was challenging to wrap up the film in a satisfactory way, and they chose a tried and "safe" route instead. In theory, it could have worked great, but in practice, it feels stretched and even forced at some times. The problems might have roots in the original material - Andrew Michael Hurley's book of the same name, as some works of literature are untranslatable to movie screen. Or perhaps the author failed to develop the mythology sufficiently, so the movie crew did not have much to work with. I still haven't read it but intend to, which means that, despite its shortcomings, the film succeeded in provoking some curiosity. And if you drop your expectations - which, sadly, was impossible for me - it may work even better, who knows?

Yes it was slow but for me I enjoyed the premise, Jack in the Green, Wicker Man stylee. Atmospheric setting with good acting, I hope the Hare was not unsettled by the nipple scene ! Suspenion of disbelief was easy with the quality of the actors, Matt Smith held his poise and the countryside provided a suffocating atmosphere that caught and held me to the conclusion. Whenever I watch a film described as horror it's difficult to discern the nature of that type of horror as there are so many different genres but for me this reminds of Hammer films, typically British in its style and delivery. If you are enjoy atmospheric chillers I would recommend this.

Firstly, I struggle to take Matt Baker seriously - I've seen him be terrible in some terrible zombie/soldier thing and he was in Dr. Who, something I've not cared for ever. Secondly, has no one noticed his face is too big for his head? He's like some 80s "gross-out" toy. A Boglin? Thirdly, he can't act. Morfydd Clark was great in Saint Maud, but she doesn't show that here, maybe Smith's inability hampered her will to give a damn. Understandable. Directorially the film is sluggish, unambitious and often resorts to visual cliches. You'd probably let the director have a crack at a mobile phone advert. The biggest problem is it's just incredibly dull, having to stomach that after the incredibly tired setup - I think I've seen it across at least 3 films so far this year - I just kept zoning out, having to rewind and really not wanting to press play again. A tiny bit of "folk", no horror at all other than the rogue Boglin.

Being just that, I gave this a more than deserving distraction free viewing. This one jumps to the near top of the subgenre with it attention to detail, solid acting and sense of dread throughout. Seeing the complaints as I skimmed through the user reviews, and what can I say to convince someone that didn't enjoy "the pacing" that was found to be "unbearable" Sigh. This film was made for fans that not only have patience but the mindset to not complain and just enjoy a well made almost retro grade film. This one will certainly fly under the radar for some, and will be appreciated for what unfolds in a very deliberate pace instead of a jumpscare fest dull of plot holes and empty characters. This is the antithesis of what the expectations are when you're spoonfed a comic book based film ad nauseum. You're bearing the torch when it comes to supporting independent films, and this one is solid entry. Creepy as it is submersive. Effective as it is allowed to be. One of the better of the year end lists imo.

If you are interested in the world of real horror, the dark world, where its secrets make it scary, watch this movie. Among the many good and bad horror movies that are made and all follow the same method (the sudden appearance of a scary face or the spider-like movement of an evil woman on the ceiling), a movie like Starve Acre is rare. And it definitely has its own fans. The casting of Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark was very appropriate and both played their roles well. Of course I have always loved the beautiful Morfydd Clark. But Matt Smith has also shown that he is powerful in performing his roles. Despite the dark and ominous atmosphere from which there is no escape for the characters of the film, after the end of the film, the bad and black feeling does not remain in the viewer's mind. And I'm glad that the rabbit didn't get hurt.

Richard (Matt Smith), his wife Juliette (Morfydd Clark), and their young son Owen live in the countryside. Owen starts turning strange and stabs a pony in the eye with a twig. Richard is an archaeologist teaching at a local college. After a tragedy, Juliette's sister Harrie (Erin Richards) comes to stay with the family. There is dark folklore with the land which was purchased by Richard's father. This is a throwback in a couple of ways. It has all the 70's aesthetic in terms of materials, set designs, fashion, and most of importantly, the tone of the movie. It is definitely slow in modern cinematic terms especially in the first half. The kid needs to be creepier. The bloody twig is a good start. Killing him off should be a more shocking and bloodier and more violent affair. That's probably the movie's one big mistake. I like the rabbit. The movie has some good creeps. One does need to adjust to its throwback nature.

One of those movies that should be good but lacking in real depth and with absolutely no coherent story. Odd kids. An even odder hare. Lots of lingering meaningful looks, long shots and dreary weather. Tree stumps. Funny fen folk. The hare at least doesn't look like roadkill but even so there's a kind of bloated Pipkins-esque nightmare so sluggish you yearn for an hour of Herod. I'm surprised Matt Smith even auditioned for this never mind starred in it. None of it makes any sense and the final denouement of Hartley being given bitty just about sums up the whole sorry film. I don't even know how I managed to sit through it. A heap of steaming, folks!