Written by Sarah Ralph. Photo courtesy of IMDb.
Luca Guadagnino’s newest film “Bones and All” is not for the faint of heart. The film had its Southeast premiere at SCAD’s Lucas Theater during the 25th annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival and had audience members on the edge of their seats. The film’s genre claims to be a coming-of-age romance film and while that is true, it could also be classified as a thriller.
For anyone not fond of body horror, viewer discretion is advised. However, if handling the grotesquely vivid gore throughout the film is not a problem, the film is worth a watch. Guadagnino perfectly captures a nostalgic visual of America in the 1980s as Maren, Taylor Russel, and Lee, Timothée Chalamet, travel across the United States. The two drifters fall in love as they cross the state borders. It’s hard not to get butterflies as they awkwardly learn to love one another for the first time.
“Never eat an eater.”
– Sully in “Bones and all”
However, despite the dreamy love story intertwined into this film, Maren and Lee are both cannibals. The title “Bones and All” refers to when cannibals feast on more than just the flesh of a human. To answer any questions, yes, there are vivid depictions of the two characters eating their victims. It’s not implied. The sound design team had a little too much fun with this film, emulating the sounds of bones crunching.
Hats off to the prop and special effects team as well. The flesh being ripped from screaming victims’ torsos was disturbingly realistic, so much so that it could cause viewers to feel sick. It’s perfectly uncomfortable. This complement is genuine, as it is not an easy task to make horror lovers quiver at blood and murder. Be sure to catch this film in theaters, but be prepared to shield your eyes. This film does not hold back.
