"Child Eater" felt like a second-rate "Jeepers Creepers" creation in what's a commonplace independent bogeyman horror (expanded from a short film) playing on the fears of what's lurking in the pitch dark and the protective instincts and responsibilities of parenting, or becoming one. It slowly escalates and pans out like a slight cautionary/or urban folklore tale without the complexities. Writer/director Erlingur Thoroddsen uses conventional tropes in trying to strike up an even balance between the ominously serene atmospherics (of throwaway sound fx) and brazen jolts (by inflicting grisly eyeball trauma). For some reason everything is magnified, including the spotty acting, therefore the story is limited by its small scale origins as the creepiness eventually evaporates into dogged silliness. Expect numerous false build-ups, sudden flashes of a looming figure and characters constantly wandering around investigating every strange occurrence/or sound. Although I did get a kick out of the closet shock. Visually the aesthetics are stylishly executed, dimly lit passages of an isolated old house and barn with an encroaching woodland, but how it gets there is predictably muffled in its formulaic tailoring. The background of the titular monster is delivered throughout in constant monologues, where it would stop everything to explain detailed stories, or horrific past events about this (confusingly) infamous supernatural serial killer. The more we learnt, the less interesting, even unnerving it became. An okay time-waster, but nothing more.

Was drawn into seeing 'Child Eater' with a cool poster/cover, a very intriguing if not creative premise and as someone with a general appreciation for the genre as said many times. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there, made me though apprehensive.

'Child Eater' is a film it doesn't do enough with its potential (although there are far bigger wastes of potential in film) and could have been much better. 'Child Eater' is very weak with a lot of big problems. It certainly could have been far worse, considering the large number of films seen recently being mediocre at best and terrible at worst.

Lets start with the positives. The setting is atmospheric and spooky and 'Child Eater' could have looked far worse visually, was expecting a cheap looking film and to me that wasn't the case here.

'Child Eater' has some suspenseful and creepy moments in the first third and it started off on a fun and intriguing note.

Albeit, there is nothing new here, it's all familiar territory and executed in old-hat fashion. The second half also takes itself far too seriously and gets incredibly idiotic, a very completely different film feel here. The creepiness dissipates completely fairly early on, with the horror, suspense and tension being nowhere near enough. Things start not making much sense and gets silly, with one of the most ludicrous and easily foreseeable endings ever. The acting is not amateurish, but it's also fairly unremarkable.

Further issues are that it was clear that it was written in haste. There is a very rushed and careless feel to the story, especially in the second half where confusion and choppiness can be found in editing and narrative, and the underdeveloped and scrappy script likewise.

Then there is some padding and aimlessness that also gives the film a dragging sensation. The characters are flimsily developed, annoying and bland, the direction lacks focus and the music and sound editing are far too intrusive and obvious.

In summary, weak. 3/10 Bethany Cox

The film opens with a man with macular degeneration removing the eyes of children and consuming them under the belief it will cure his illness. We then jump 25 years later. Helen (Cait Bliss) is babysitting for the new family as dad (Weston Wilson) has to be out all night. Lucas (Colin Critchley) likes horror movies and claims there is a man in his closet, the same one he saw outside, who can get in through the hole in the basement. He gives us too many plot clues in one moment.

Lucas goes missing. We are told by Ginger (Melinda Chilton) that Lucas who just moved in, "knows the woods like the back of his hand" watch for bear traps along the paths...seriously? Now the kicker is after 25 years of macular degeneration, for which there is no cure, our man can still see and in the dark no less...and still fights after a shot to the head.

The film initially has effective jump scares, but there are only so many times you can go to that well. Unfortunately Cait Bliss looks like the babysitter we get in real life. To be an 80's throwback film you need a "10" who makes out with her boyfriend on the sofa.

The film doesn't develop any characters except for Helen, and she was done rather poorly. I don't like people who put their cigarette out in their unfinished food. It just looks trashy, like a tribal tattoo.

Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity. Winner best film/actress/cinematography Fantastically Horrifying Cinema Festival 2016 On a side note: The first words spoken were "He Hurt Me" which gave me XFL flashbacks to "He Hate Me." (I wonder what happened to that guy.) Anyway I just watched the XFL to see if I recognized any of the cheerleaders from strip joints. I had to stop watching when the game started as the overhead cam gave me vertigo