Cannibal Mukbang is a film with one of the best horror movie titles ever. I think it even trumps Bloody Muscle Bodybuilder In Hell. A bold move from writer, director, and co-editor Aimee Kuge. It conjures up images of neon red spraying, an homage to 70s exploitation films, but Kuge has done a bait and switch; Cannibal Mukbang turns out to be an intricate horror-romance.

After a chance meeting, Mark (Nate Wise) instantly falls for Ash (April Consalo), a glittery redhead who’s fond of pulling the sexy baby act. After Ash “accidentally” hits Mark with her car, knocking him out and taking him home, where he wakes to a home cooked meal and his dream woman. Ash reveals she’s a mukbanger. But unbeknownst to her viewers, she bites and moans into lovingly prepared long pig. Mark soon discovers her method of hunting and is roped into helping her through a mixture of accessory to murder and puppy-love devotion. 

Instead of Hammer horror, Cannibal Mukbang gave me more of a 2000s vibe of films that bring together young adults and dead bodies. Think the Iconic Ginger Snaps or Lucky McKee’s May. Young adult obsession and desire- check, socially awkward 20-something- check, chick that cuts up bodies – check. Give May some modern lingo, update the technology, top it all off with some sparkly eyeshadow and bam! – Cannibal Mukbang.

Honestly, I appreciate that Ash and Mark don’t let any bit of their acquired corpses go to waste- this woman really knows how to meal prep!  And Yellow Moth FX makes the not-so-secret Soylent Green with stomach-churning or mouth-watering. As a mostly horror reviewer, I always have to factor in how desensitised I might be to blood and gore- so for less seasoned viewers, yes, Cannibal Mukbang is a full bath of blood, food, sex and viscera (sometimes all three at once).

When you realise Cannibal Mukbang takes itself dead seriously, you begin to appreciate the way Kuge tells a story. For a debut film, it has a deftly nuanced handling of infatuation, sex, revenge and one’s relationship with food through horror. The more I think on the film, the more I like it. Once I let go of any expectations, I had a lot of fun. And Cannibal Mukbang is clearly a well thought out film, with concepts I won’t spoil, but I was glad Kuge ditched the exploitation style film I originally associated with the once again amazingly titled Cannibal Mukbang. 

Underneath all the chopping and gorging, Cannibal Mukbang is a love story disguised as a horror movie. With a romance genre first and a horror genre second, it’s perfect for a date night! While we sped perhaps a little too long watching the two leads look into each other’s eyes, we can’t forget the literally man-made steaks in the fridge. At its core, Cannibal Mukbang is about a man falling in love with a seductive e-girl with a case of the monstrous feminine and how far down he lets his infatuation go.

Cannibal Mukbang arrives on Digital and On Demand on March 25th 2025 and Blu-Ray on April 22nd via Jackrabbit Media.

“for a debut film, it has a deftly nuanced handling of infatuation, sex, revenge and one’s relationship with food through horror. The more I think on the film, the more I like it.”