Fantasia Review: ‘When I Consume You’ The Past Will Devour You in this Supernatural Thriller

When I Consume You is now playing as part of the 25th Fantasia Film Festival. Spoilers Ahead!!!

A well-told horror story can be cathartic for some, even within the most brutal of films, there is a release as the credits roll. You’ve made it through, you experienced fear and you survived, the same can be said of life itself. In writer/ director Perry Blackshear’s (They Look Like People, Siren) When I Consume You, making its world premiere at the 25th Fantasia Film Festival, these themes come across as well.

People have horrible childhoods, suffer loss, defeat, and experience disappointment, but whether it beats you down, or you pick up the pieces and build yourself up stronger, determines if you let the pain define you or motive you. 

Siblings Daphne (Libby Ewing) and Wilson Shaw (Evan Dumouchel) are on opposite ends when it comes to success. Daphne is a prominent project manager and Wilson is a janitor for a local mechanic. However, their bond and pride in one another knows no bounds.

With no parental support, it has been the two of them looking out for another with an ‘us against the world’ approach. When her adoption application gets rejected and his teaching interview is denied, they’ll need each other more than ever as their past begins to catch up to them both, and it’s tired of waiting in the shadows.

Constantly looking over her shoulder, in a state of fearful paranoia it’s clear Daphne has a secret. She has a stalker who is getting bolder and more physically abusive. So, when Wilson goes to see his sister and finds her dead of an apparent overdose, he is startled when a hooded figure leaps from her window and runs off. Convinced this was an act of murder and not a relapse he devotes himself to finding his sister’s killer no matter how dark the path may lead.

 It isn’t until a chance encounter with the hooded figure (Macleod Andrews), who beats him unmercifully, that he gets a visit from an unlikely source. He will need to break himself down completely and build back stronger if he plans to avenge his sister and put an end to his family’s tormentor. To defeat the monster, he will have to become a monster himself, if only he can stay alive long enough to try.

Visceral and unforgiving, When I Consume You is a supernatural mystery that kept me riveted. There is heart and humor which shines a light on what could be a relentlessly bleak story, and the blending of each feels natural. With grit and coldness that comes across on screen, the use of practical Brooklyn locations gives it so much atmosphere and realness. 

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There is a sense of danger around every corner and every dark alley not yet explored. When I Consume You kept me on edge, just expecting someone or something was lying in wait, ready to pounce. Composer Mitch Bain adds to the tension with his haunting score that winds its way seamlessly throughout each scene. The use of a non-linear narrative, flashing back to 5 years prior, gives each present-day scene an extra added weight while driving the motivations of the characters in a satisfying way.

The cast is phenomenal, Libby Ewing and Evan Dumouchel have incredible chemistry here portraying brother and sister. Their relationship is genuine, and the vulnerability they present to one another makes it easy to see why they would make some of the decisions that they do. The rawness and subtlety of their performances anchor the more fantastical elements of the narrative and earn every laugh, tear, or blood spill. The two actors went for broke, and their efforts come across with every frame. 

Macleod Andrews, as David Castille, is a complete madman, and he steals every scene he’s in. A chameleon in When I Consume You, Andrews has a way of getting you to lower your defenses while keeping his character at arm’s length. Pulling double duty as crew and cast, each of these artists deserves a lot of respect for their commitment to the film and their craft, all the while delivering a powerful performance. 

When I Consume You is dark and violent and yet intimate as well. We’re dropped into the lives of two siblings who we come to adore, fear for, and champion no matter how much they despair. Perry Blackshear captures the parts of a city that you won’t find on any postcard to tell his tale of relentlessness by true evil, and the sacrifice to defeat it that feels like modern folktale. Its stellar cast and unique story will keep you on edge and guessing until the final scene. 

In the director’s own words “The world is hard. Evil can never be defeated. Loving can bring pain. Live anyway. Fight anyway. Love anyway”. And if you ever face down a yellow-eyed demon, make sure to bring a loved one for backup, as he’s a tricky one. 4/5

★★★★

When I Consume You is now playing as part of 25th Fantasia Film Festival. As always be sure to follow ScaryNerd for more of all things horror, sci-fi and more.

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