Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
After arriving at his new, remote Army outpost, Capt. John Boyd and his regiment aid a wounded frontiersman who recounts a horrifying tale of a wagon train murdered by its supposed guide – a vicious U.S. Army colonel gone rogue. Fearing the worst, the regiment heads out into the wilderness to verify the gruesome claims.
Ravenous is a genuinely singular film — its darkly comedic, satirical take on Manifest Destiny through the lens of cannibalism and the Wendigo myth is unlike almost anything else in its era. The Michael Nyman/Damon Albarn score alone marks it as deeply idiosyncratic. Novelty is a clear 4: the film's voice, tone, and thematic ambition are unmistakable. Plot is serviceable but somewhat episodic and loses momentum in its middle stretch (3). Acting is strong from Guy Pearce and Robert Carlyle but supporting players are thinner (3). Cinematography captures the Sierra Nevada bleakness competently without being especially inventive (3). The ending is darkly satisfying and tonally consistent but not transcendent (3). Overall this lands around 8/10 by sum, which fits its cult classic reputation — beloved but not universally acclaimed.