Eat Locals (2017) Reviews

• Good, Easy Fun

  amanda-72112017-09-05

  We thoroughly enjoyed this film. Perfect viewing when you've had a busy day at the office and you need something easy to take your mind off things & just relax. We were really impressed with the actor who plays the unsuspecting male lead who is drawn into the vampires' lair. Other highlights were the ever-brilliant Dexter Fletcher and Annette Crosby (Mrs Meldrew!!) as an OAP-vampire- vigilante!! We took a punt and watched it with no preconceptions about what we were about to see, glass of wine in hand, ready to be entertained, which we were. So refreshing to see something that a) doesn't feature superheroes and b) doesn't involve an American male single-handedly saving the world. Again.

• Little Hidden Gem

  gregsrants2017-10-18

  A gathering of a vampire council at a hidden hideaway turns into a bloodbath when the British Army ambushes them in an attempt to put an end to their local reign of terror in the new horror comedy, Eat Locals. Charlie Cox (Marvel's Daredevil) headlines a group of eight vampires who at their semi-centennial meeting discuss matters such as territory and new members. Their meeting also introduces the fanged ones to the human at the table. Billy Cook plays Sebastian, a warm blooded human who tags along with date Vanessa (Eve Myles) unaware his date is a vampire and she is accompanying him to a flock of bloodsuckers. Sebastian quickly realizes that he is not in friendly quarters but any notion of escape is thwarted when the army erupts in gunfire. Soon, the houseguests are accepting that they are surrounded by a heavily armed force lead by a commander committed to ending the vampire race. Vampire films have been done to nausea over the past two decades, but thanks to a tongue-in-cheek deviously funny script by Danny King (Wild Bill, 2011), Eat Locals felt like fresh fun covering familiar territory. There may not be laugh out loud moments, but the script is nuanced and seasoned with fresh characters, fun challenges and a satisfying ended that make the viewing worth recommending. It's hard not to root for the sharp-tooth characters as they struggle to find continued cause in their existence while fighting for their very survival. Added to the comedic mix are two additional human characters (Dexter Fletcher and Ruth Jones) that have a peculiar role in context of the vampires meeting above them in the house. Not all your favorite characters will survive but everyone seems to meet their maker after a spotlight moment which will leave audiences satisfied. We would categorize Eat Locals as more of a comedy than a horror. So too must have the director Jason Flemying who makes his directorial debut here after over 125 acting credits on IMDb.com. The director's end credits reel reintroduces each character with each actor looking like they are having a ruckus of a good time during the shoot. But don't think for a second that there isn't a good body count to go with all the yuks. Whether it's elderly vampire Alice (Annette Crosbie who has some of the better comedic moments) standing in the open firing off hundreds of rounds with an automatic weapon likely larger than her own physical frame or a concerned military man who gets rewarded for his kindness with two sharp objects impaling either side of his neck, Eat Locals brings body bags. By the time the lights again illuminated the theatre at the screening as part of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, I was thankful for the experience. What a great treat right before the Halloween season.

• Could have been better but still fun

  S_Soma2017-05-29

  At the time of writing this (5/29/2017) there were only two other user reviews on IMDb, both of which were relentlessly critical of EAT LOCAL, giving the movie but a single star each. While EAT LOCAL is not a cinematic masterpiece, neither does it deserve such a sound thrashing. EAT LOCAL might perhaps be a little confusing to the utterly ignorant who have no experience with black humor or "gallows humor". Both of the extant reviews suggest a bit of confusion on this point. "Gallows humour is humour about very unpleasant, serious, or painful circumstances. Any humor that treats serious matters, such as death, war, disease, and crime, in a light, silly or satirical fashion is considered gallows humor. Gallows humor has been described as a witticism in response to a hopeless situation. It arises from stressful, traumatic, or life-threatening situations, often in circumstances such that death is perceived as impending and unavoidable." Black or gallows humor is known to date back at least a couple of thousand years; it is not a new invention. However, such a story style may be confusing to those who are only familiar with the current trend in the vampire genre of treating the subject matter exclusively as horror or some sort of questionable kind of romance. The above having been said, the careful timing and subtlety required for successful black comedy can be difficult to achieve, and EAT LOCAL does not hit its mark every time. Probably best to view this movie as "quirky" and give it the benefit of the doubt for trying something a little different. The plot of EAT LOCAL is quite simple. A small collection of relatively ancient and well-positioned vampires apparently have the tradition of conducting a sort of business meeting every 50 years in some quiet, out-of-the-way location. Unfortunately, at this particular meeting, the humans have caught wind of the vampire's existence and of this meeting and a small military contingent has been sent round to investigate and possibly interfere. The entire movie takes place in the context of this confrontation. The situation gives rise to horror and hilarity, or at least that is the intent. EAT LOCAL is, at the very least, worth a watch. While it does not carry off its intent without flaw, it's at least something different from the usual low-grade horror snore-a-thons or pseudo-romantic drivel that infest the vampire genre nowadays. Many of the actors here are A-list and help carry the picture a little higher than it might otherwise have gone. One element sadly missing from the movie is a convincing and interesting portrayal of some of the vampires who are SUPPOSED to be thousands of years old. What would such a creature actually be like, possessing as they do possibly thousands of years of world experience? In the case of Tony Curran who plays the character Peter Boniface, his 2000-year-old character is simply portrayed as the same sort of arrogant wonk you might meet driving a Chelsea tractor today. Annette Crosbie does a much better job with her character Alice, passing herself off as a sweet old lady with only a hint of the ancient monster that lies beneath. And then, sadly and what should be out of character, Alice does a Rambo impression to no good purpose, and then walks straight into her death deliberately. One would think an ancient mythical creature, who has successfully lived long enough to BECOME an ancient mythical creature, accent on ancient, would be a bit smarter than that by now. Good old Mackenzie Crook is wasted as a stereotypical religious nut case (because anyone who does anything with a religious motivation MUST be the worst creep in every picture nowadays… yawn). In the end, most of the humans are wiped out and about half of the vampires, and what's left of the humans and vampires break their clinch and go their separate ways, although one particular human and the 3 remaining vampires have a newfound friendship. You'll have to watch the movie to see what that's all about. So, all in all, it's not that bad a movie though it's definitely not a great one. The original idea is actually pretty interesting and with a bit more effort it could have risen much higher.

• Lacks bite

  Prismark102018-03-20

  Jason Flemyng's directorial debut aspires to be one of those Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg/Nick Frost comedy horror thrillers. However it falls short of the mark by not being funny or too horrific. It also has its share of some not very funny cockneys. Young wide boy Sebastian has been requested to join the council of vampires as their is a vacancy. However some military units have been sent to kill them but a few of the soldiers want to take the vampires alive so their blood can be used for research purposes and they will get plenty of money in exchange. The film is the army against vampires on an all night siege in an isolated farmhouse while Sebastian tries to escape. The film has spirit and a sense of fun. It is hampered by its low budget and a ropey script.

• So bad, it's good

  ollywill-087232017-09-05

  Terrible script. Awfully written dialogue & the actors do their best with what they've been given but it's obvious throughout that the cast had marvellous fun making the film & because it shows on screen, it's also still very enjoyable to watch, regardless. Not a classic & nor is it great, but it's a light-hearted, cheesy movie that doesn't take itself too seriously so I'd still recommend people see it, just for the few laughs it provides.