Deciding which parental character you favor more in Starve Acre may come down to which hot-button fantasy series you prefer: HBO’s House of the Dragon or Prime Video’s The Rings of Power. Sure, we’re only jesting, but you’ll quickly learn that the married couple at hand in Brainstorm Media’s gripping new folk horror film is played by TV stars Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark.
Starve Acre, written and directed by Daniel Kokotajlo, working off the acclaimed novella by Andrew Michael Hurley, is a slow-burn delight that pays off in spades by the terrifying end. You just need to put in the work to get there, but we can confirm the waiting game is gripping enough to make the 98-minute runtime worth it.
Clark and Smith Are Parents Struggling in Opposite Ways
Starve Acre (2024)
3.5/5
Release Date June 26, 2024
Director Daniel Kokotajlo
Runtime 1h 38m
Main Genre Horror
Writers Daniel Kokotajlo , Andrew Michael Hurley
Pros
- Clark and Smith shine on the big screen
- A uniquely atmospheric vibe
- Suspense builds to epic third-act climax
Cons
- First two acts are too slow-burn for most
- Mythological elements might turn some away
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The promotional trailer for Starve Acre — whose eerie title refers to the vast rural property where the film is primarily set — makes clear that married couple Juliette (Clark) and Richard (Smith) are dealing with issues and ultimately tragedy surrounding their troubled young son Owen (Arthur Shaw). Why is the boy suddenly acting erratically? Is there something in the air? The parents are ultimately left grieving. Juliette is rendered virtually paralyzed at her home. Even her live-in sister Harrie (The Crown star Erin Richards) can’t get to her do all that much day to day.
Richard takes a sabbatical from his day job as an archeologist and resorts to spending his days out on their vast property, quite literally digging in the mud on the outskirts of their yard. Is it something to do to merely pass the time, since this is all he knows now that he’s not exactly a family man anymore? Or is he growing increasingly convinced there’s something buried beneath that could explain what happened and perhaps even provide the help they need to move on with their lives?
BBC Films/BFI
Expressions like “Be careful what you wish for” and “Curiosity killed the cat” might come to mind as the couple becomes increasingly inquisitive of their surroundings and the seemingly strange forces that appear to be at work — particularly in the form of skeletal remains of a hare. Yes, Richard’s relentless digging around the property does lead to something, and the small animal’s remains even take on a frighteningly supernatural presence after the archeologist daringly brings it into his home.
Leading up to this pivotal plot point involving the furry friend, the film succeeds more so in shedding light on each grieving character and how they function, both individually and as a united front. Matt Smith has dabbled in horror, aka the acclaimed Netflix film His House (2020) that saw him on the other side of this kind of supernatural intrigue.
An Impressively Haunting Atmosphere
Brainstorm Media
In Starve Acre, meanwhile, Smith’s character is much more dynamic and directly tied to the intrigue, with his archeological hobby ultimately taking on a symbol of coping with both his lost son and, as we come to learn, his difficult upbringing tied to his father. “Go back to your f***ing mud!” shouts Juliette, as Smith’s Richard refuses to spend time with her inside the house and resorts to staying outdoors among the forever gloom. No, there isn’t a whole lot of bright sunshine to bask in here, as is typical in horror thrillers (save for Ari Aster’s Midsommar, I suppose).
On that note, Starve Acre finds success in producing a powerful and engrossing atmosphere, with a chilling tone that might make auteurs like Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Green Room) proud. This kind of relentlessly eerie and sinister mood also aids in keeping the feature from feeling too derivative of, say, a Stephen King adaptation.
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This medieval sort of vibe may turn off the more mainstream, commercial viewers, yet it also complements the gothic vibes that Juliette brings to the forefront. Most strikingly, when she’s grieving and receives outside help for a series of ritualistic practices intended to expedite her moving on with her life. “Let’s expel these demons” she cries out as part of the meditative practice by candlelight, hoping she’s ultimately come to peace with what’s happened to her poor young child.
The Slow Burn Is Worth It
Brainstorm Media
Supernatural elements aside, these kinds of woes endured by any parents in their 30s who are faced with dire circumstances, and don’t quite know how to proceed, make for relatable, hard-hitting themes that will resonate with viewers of any caliber who can put in the effort to stick with Starve Acre all the way through, even when its slow-burn nature creeps even slower.
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You’ll thank us later when the harrowing, climactic third act strikes gold and seems to swallow the rest of the film whole, as it comes to include sudden acts of horrific violence, unexpected twists offered by formerly unassuming supporting players, and a whole lot more. The novella didn’t offer a sequel, but the film introduces an exciting universe that could certainly welcome a follow-up film. Just sayin’.
From Brainstorm Media, Starve Acre is now available in theaters and on demand.
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