Synopsis
The horrors of modern dating seen through one young woman’s defiant battle to survive her new boyfriend’s unusual appetites.
Review
Sebastian Stan is doing well for himself – from portraying Tonya Harding’s abusive ex-partner Jeff Gilooly opposite Margot Robbie in I, Tonya, to a redemption arc as The Winter Soldier in the MCU, to starring alongside Lily James in the new series Pam and Tommy – he’s certainly in high demand. None of that compares to his latest role though as regular, everyday bloke Steve who has an appetite for the more exquisite tastes in life.
The Dating Game
Before we meet Steve, we’re introduced to Noa (played by Daisy Edgar-Jones) who’s casually browsing through the endless stream of men on the latest dating app to take over social media, while awaiting the arrival of her date. During the date, Noa is clearly zoned out and not paying much attention to her rather obnoxious date, who is describing his love for hot sauce even though it causes him to have acid reflux (lovely first date dinner conversation) and being ever so slightly racist when requesting sparkling water from the waitress, who he is convinced doesn’t understand his request.
The date ends as expected – with not a second one on the cards – and as Noa returns to her car a shadowy figure enters the alley behind her. It’s within this short scene that director Mimi Cave expertly highlights the constant fear women live in within situations like this, as we catch a lingering shot of Noa clasping her keys within her knuckles, ready to strike her assailant.
Reaching her car in a hurried frenzy, she drops her keys and as we think the worst is about to happen, we’re greeted with a simple passer-by with their baby in his arms. The next night, things only get worse for Noa as a new match on the dating app follows up a generic “hey how’s you” message with a picture of his dog. When she replies the sender bombards her with vulgar messages of sexual content before sending an unsolicited dick pic.
Smooth Operator
While Noa is browsing the local store for some groceries, we’re introduced to Steve, who tries to chat up Noa with some very cheesy dialogue and succeeds by obtaining her number. Over the course of the next 20 minutes, we’re shown Noa and Steve spending increasingly more time together, much to the dismay of Noa’s best friend Molly. Molly believes Steve’s lack of social media presence is a red flag and that Noa should be as considered as she is.
It’s only after 33 minutes, with the promise of an intimate night away that never comes, that Steve openly admits he drugged Noa as she wakes up cuffed to a railing. He tells her that he sells girls’ flesh to very wealthy men bit by bit as he slowly kills them over prolonged periods of time. Only then are we finally greeted with the opening title credits – now that’s how you do an opening; give us the entire first act, then slow it right down as we try and process what is exactly happening.
Real Life Operation
Steve is a unique individual who caters to the depraved needs of wealthy tycoons, who the world over, it seems, have a developed a liking for the taste of flat packed, steamed human flesh amongst other things, such as their personal belongings all boxed together in a lovely neat sick sadistic package.
Noa tries to escape several times but to no avail, eventually accepting her fate and making friends with the girl in the cell next door, who in turn made friends with the girl the next cell over, who’s now gone insane. With some planning, Noa decides to ask Steve how it tastes. which he’s more than happy to allow her to try it for herself.
After a small tasting of a meatball (which we know is a meatball but, without it being directly referenced as to which part of the female body, it causes my stomach to turn) Noa gains Steve’s trust so much that he becomes infatuated with her once more. He even makes her a full meal which consists of (amongst other things) liver pate and cooked breast meat.
The sound design in this scene focuses on the actual chewing and crunching of the meal, which is utterly repulsive but done so well that you can’t help but squirm knowing they’re eating a human. Luring Steve deeper into her trap, Noa then baits him into oral sex, only to take a chunk out of his male genitalia.
The Finale
The film’s finale doesn’t go to such an extreme extent as I thought it would, but it’s no less entertaining. Noa frees the other two women imprisoned, one of which is her best friend Molly who was knocked out and captured when she confronted Steve and his wife at their home. Together the girls make a daring escape, killing Steve and his wife in the process.
The film ends with Noa and Molly resting against a tree. while nearby Molly’s phone pings with another “hey how’s you” message from a guy she’s potentially matched with on the dating app.
Verdict
It’s a rarity that horror fans are treated to so much explicit content on the big and small screen on the same day (X was also released in cinemas on 18th March) and not since 2016’s Raw (directed by Julia Ducournau) has my stomach genuinely felt uneasy watching a film.
Plus, Sebastian Stan’s character development closely resembles that of American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman which is no easy feat to achieve. But it’s Daisy Edgar-Jones’ performance as an equal parts vulnerable and ferocious lead that takes centre stage. And her and Sebastian Stan’s chemistry just oozes out of every scene.
Be sure to check this out on Disney+ when you can.
Written by James Oliver | BanterFlix Contributor