Cinequest 2023 Review: CARNIFEX, Toe to Toe with Something Ravenous

Two conservationists and a documentarian take the journey of a lifetime in Carnifex as they come toe-to-toe with a variant, ravenous marsupial sub-species that preys on anything that moves.

I want to get right into the nitty gritty of the film. It certainly has an atmospheric sense to it with its dark and ethereal tonality draped over the runtime of the motion picture. The film hearkens back to the old prey and predator movies that first began with 1975's Jaws. It shares a certain danger that looms over the characters as some monster stalks them for food.

The performances are actually not too bad either and none of the actors feel like they are overreacting or underreacting to any situation that is thrown at them. It's a fun ride seeing this animal chase after these characters and see what will happen to them next.

That might be where the positives end for this movie, though, as it seems like a surface-level excursion into a thriller that lacks heart and depth. The audience never fully comprehends or even knows what is chasing after them. It's just alluded to in a very subtle way that seems more vague than enlightening to the viewer.

After watching, I couldn't help but feel like there was a whole lot missing from the narrative and it failed to live up to its own name. It is dark and suspenseful but it, too often, feels like a retread into what has already been made and done by better filmmakers.

In short, this film is dark and spooky, which it greatly benefits from, but misses out on what makes creature features great, and that is the heart and soul of it.

The film enjoyed its U.S. premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival.