by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What would you do if your child insists they have reached a new state of being and have become a completely different person? This is the dilemma that is posed in the new horror film, A Banquet. This deeply resonant and thematic story sees a widowed woman struggling with the new dynamic that she has with her daughter. She begins to feel like she was in another world and stares off into the distance. She cringes and struggles in the face of food. All strange occurrences, right? But the most shocking thing is where this film goes.
What is director Ruth Paxton able to do with this loose narrative? This film is not really concerned with narrative structure, as most of the time is spent appreciating the themes that it is trying to challenge. Paxton focuses most of the attention on the characters at the center of the story. When many horror flicks want to focus on jump scares and such, Paxton allows this film to breathe with her own presence and approach. It certainly has some unnerving moments, especially at any point where the director is trying to liven the experience up. Every moment that our young protagonist, Betsey (Jessica Alexander), comes face-to-face with food, things get grotesque and disturbing. The visuals that Paxton creates are increasingly harder to process.
What about the core of the film? The central focus is the relationship between a mother and her daughters. The themes of grief and independence build out the core of the film, acting as the emotional anchor. There is plenty of emotion to go around, as Holly (our mother who is still processing the loss of her husband) is brought to life by Sienna Guillory. She can channel plenty of insecurity as she struggles to understand her daughter now that she has become… different. There is a layer of sadness as well as she deals with the loss of her husband. Alexander has plenty to work with as Betsey, who succumbs to this strange occurrence. There are a lot of strange choices she makes in her performance to convey this mysterious and unknowable phenomenon.
But what do all these eerie and intense elements add up to? Narratively, there is no definite direction for where this film is going. The character-driven nature of the film does push plot towards the background. Unfortunately, there are stretches that don’t feel as interesting. Inspired moments trickle in throughout, but it is just not as compelling as it could be. The film tries for a lot of ideas and themes, but it just might be a bit too ambitious for its own good.
Does Paxton’s film offer up enough horror genre thrills to be a fun time? A Banquet offers up plenty of gross out moments and emotional tension. If you are in it for some genre thrills, then this new flick delivers it. Strong performances, visuals, and themes make it a worthwhile experience.
Grade: C+
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