A Fangless Gem
Brian Lueth | Chicago, IL United States | 09/09/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Released overseas as Daddy's Girl, I'd been waiting for this to hit the states for quite some time now. Unfortunately for me, Lionsgate acquired it, re-titled it and slapped on some idiotic vampire artwork, completely misrepresenting the concept. Is it a vampire film? Not in the traditional sense, no. Cravings falls more in line with a films like Wisdom of Crocodiles or White Skin, vampire cinema without fangs. That doesn't mean Cravings doesn't have its share of bloodsucking, it does, just don't expect to see the usual anemic, tortured romance filled with bisexuality and phallic symbolism.
Cravings is definitely a quiet, chilling little low-budget horror thriller that takes its time telling a story and all the actors involved did a fantastic job of bringing the concept to life, especially Jaime Winstone (KIDulthood) who could very well be the next Angela Bettis; she's got this odd, childlike beauty that draws you in. Expect to see more of her as time goes on; she's already been prominently featured in thriller Donkey Punch as well as the Brit TV zombie series, DEAD SET.
Being a fan of strange, unique little films like this, I actually plan to purchase this. I hate what Lionsgate have done to this indie gem but it's the film that counts and Cravings is a decent film. It's not all that scary but there are some truly disturbing things to behold here including a horrific, gag-inducing blender sequence and an unforgettable finale that I will always remember as, "The Human Juice Box" sequence. Evans has done a great job of making an interesting, original and thought-provoking film, it's a shame horror fans will be turned off by Lionsgate's "genius" marketing. Don't let the crapped up artwork and title fool you folks, a low key horror treat awaits you inside."