Birdeater

2023

Drama / Horror / Thriller

9
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 74% · 42 reviews
IMDb Rating 5.1/10 10 1111 1.1K

australia relationship problems bachelor party imminent wedding aussie ensemble cast

Plot summary

A bride-to-be is invited to her own fiancé's bachelor party, but when uncomfortable details about their relationship are exposed, the night takes a feral turn.

Director

Jack Clark Photo
Jack Clark

Top cast

Shabana Azeez Photo
Shabana Azeez as Irene
Jack Bannister Photo
Jack Bannister as Charlie
Harley Wilson Photo
Harley Wilson as Sam
Alfie Gledhill Photo
Alfie Gledhill as Murph
720p.BluRay 720p.WEB 1080p.BluRay 1080p.WEB
1.03 GB
1280*690
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 55 min
Seeds 1
1.03 GB
1280*694
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
24 fps
1 hr 55 min
Seeds 1
2.12 GB
1920*1036
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 55 min
Seeds 4
2.12 GB
1920*1040
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  
24 fps
1 hr 55 min
Seeds 8

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by YARDCG 6 / 10

Efficient psychological thriller with an unconvincing worldview

Clark and Weir, the co-directors of this small Australian film, are intent on wringing the most out of their premise, which keeps a cast of six in a single (albeit outdoor) location for >90% of the runtime. Their cinematography has a lot of surprisingly inventive shots - an early highlight is when we see Dylan, the bearded, tense dude keeping the others on edge with his behaviour light a cigarette. A totally ordinary moment made into something more when the camera captures the flame of the lighter being reflected in his eyeballs.Dylan is someone we are naturally predisposed to dislike from the start, yet grow to appreciate more as we see him act more restrained than one might assume initially and as we learn the completely justifiable reason for why he acted that way. He is far from the only example - after we get about two-thirds of the way in, our perception of virtually every character has undergone a transformation.Unfortunately, the resolution just doesn't feel commensurate with that new knowledge. While the directors do achieve a tense ending sequence with almost no budget, that kind of ending is itself contingent on the inaction of virtually everyone else, which just doesn't feel plausible in the face of something as extreme as the scenario presented to us. Even in one of subplots, the way the script treats the concepts of forgiveness in the face of hypocrisy also comes across as more than a little self-serving.Consequently, it a fairly interesting, subdued film which is ultimately simply not as meaningful as it could have been.
Reviewed by eddie_baggins 6 / 10

A Confronting Australian Indie

Billed as an Australian psychological thriller, whose inspiration clearly and proudly comes from one of the great grandfathers of iconic Oz cinema in the form of Wake in Fright (eagle eyed viewers will spot that films poster appearing in this film), filmmakers Jack Clark and Jim Weir herald in their directional debuts with the impressive if equally frustrating experience that is Birdeater.Celebrating successful festival runs over the last 12 months and launching recently into select Australian cinemas, Birdeater embraces its "feral" moniker in parts as a planned to be quiet bachelor/bucks party weekend goes off the rails when past and present trauma between soon to be married couple Louie and Irene comes to the surface in a stereotypically boys only environment that has on this occasion become something else.Building its early foundation with a great set-up, with Clark and Weir beginning their debut affair with some fantastic mood setting courtesy of memorable work by DOP Roger Stonehouse and some hugely atmospheric score work by composer Andreas Dominguez, Birdeater really races out of the blocks with a narrative loaded with potential but sadly the narrative juice at the core of this exploration of toxic relationships, mental health, male fragility and psychological warfare runs out of steam well before the half-way mark, a huge problem for this two hour exercise that is unable to sustain its early momentum.There's still a lot to like here and it's not hard to see why the film became an audience favourite with attendees at festivals such as SXSW Austin, the Melbourne International Film Festival and the Sydney Film Festival as Birdeater is unafraid to tackle some fairly weighty (if perhaps overly used themes in Australian products) and the performances and filmmaking craft on display here are undeniably above average for a low-budget independent film made on Australian shores.Getting a lot to work with in a feature that prioritizes dialogue above all else, all cast members of Weir and Clark's darkly comedic dramatic thriller acquit themselves well with leads Mackenzie Fearnley and Shabana Azeez in particular standing out with some well-rounded performances while Ben Hunter as wildcard and the slightly unhinged Dylan making a mark as a character that you're never sure of motivational wise or ability wise.Standing out from a crowded marketplace filled with similarly aimed independent offerings that often struggle to find notice in Australia's not always welcoming local marketplace, Birdeater can be commended in a multitude of ways but there's no escaping that there's a noticeable inability to maximise what could've been as this initially gripping feature gives way to one you will be anticipating finishing more than once throughout.Final Say -There's a lot to like about Birdeater and there's evidence on display here that Jack Clark and Jim Weir have what it takes to make a mark locally and abroad but after a bright starting point, their film becomes more of what could have been not a contender, disappointingly failing to become a must-see it at times showcases to be.3 dinner toasts out of 5Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Reviewed by cutie7 6 / 10

An indie gem

"Birdeater" a new indie Australian film making its feature debut, presents an interesting but slightly messy journey. The movie skillfully blends different genres while tackling the tough subject of a toxic relationship, leaving viewers feeling a bit uneasy yet engaged.The standout moments come from its captivating fever dream sequences, adding a fantastic visual layer to the story. The plot follows Irene, who joins her fiancé Louie's unorthodox buck's party weekend, leading to unexpected and unsettling events. Louie's groomsmen's actions take the celebration into a wild, drug-induced ride, painting a darkly humorous and thought-provoking picture of young Australian men.Although "Birdeater" isn't flawlessly executed, its willingness to explore challenging themes and the imaginative use of fever dream sequences make it a noteworthy contender in the indie film realm. For those intrigued by boundary-pushing storytelling that blends genres, this movie might just be worth checking out.
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