It Feeds review
A mother and daughter investigate a demon against a ticking clock in It Feeds.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
It Feeds
Directed by Chad Archibald
Written by Chad Archibald
Starring Ashley Greene, Ellie O’Brien, Shawn Ashmore, Juno Rinaldi, Mark Taylor, Shayelin Martin and Brooklyn Marshall
It Feeds Review
Here’s a fun fact: Six movies released directly to VOD have placed on our three annual Scare Value Top Ten movies of the year list. It’s somewhat a cheat because those movies will often have extremely limited theatrical releases in a city or two…but most of the world would have had to come by them through rental/purchase on a digital platform. Those films were…The Harbinger, Moon Garden, Summoning Sylvia, Visitors, Where the Devil Roams and Love Will Tear Us Apart. It’s an extremely impressive number when you consider how many horror films have hit theaters or debuted on a streaming service in the last three years. That just accounts for the ones that managed to place. The Coffee Table, Frogman, Faceless After Dark, Little Bites and The Vourdalak are another five examples of high-quality VOD releases from 2024 alone.
The point here isn’t that It Feeds will be cracking this year’s Top Ten. If the last three years are anything to go by…it probably won’t. But it’s in the conversation because there is quality horror available everywhere in this day and age. It Feeds is a quality horror film. Had it been distributed by Shudder it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see it receive a brief national theatrical release as they are known to do nowadays. It would rank very highly amongst Shudder’s original releases at this point in the year. Instead, It Feeds debuted directly via Video on Demand. Which, as the first paragraph attempted to make clear, is where a lot of high-quality horror movies find their audience.
It Feeds is the story of a mother and daughter who encounter a demon. The means by which that happens is immediately interesting. The mother, Cynthia (Ashley Greene) is a special kind of therapist. She can see into people’s minds and unlock things buried deep within. Her daughter Jordan (Ellie O’Brien) works with her…screening the patience and comforting them after a difficult session. When a 14-year-old girl named Riley (Shayelin Martin) arrives begging for help…Cynthia can see the demon attached to her.
Riley’s father Randall (Shawn Ashmore) doesn’t want anyone’s help with the problem. Which is good…because Cynthia wants nothing to do with it either. Her husband/Jordan’s father met a tragic end after dealing with something he wasn’t prepared to handle. Yes, It Feeds is a trauma horror film too. Luckily it relegates that aspect of the story to the character arcs of Cynthia and Jordan instead of allowing it to overwhelm the story. That’s the right way to do trauma horror. It should affect the characters…but it shouldn’t overtake the story. Riley and Randall have their own trauma…used here in much the same way.
Jordan can’t let feeling that she needs to help Riley go. She takes up an investigation into things on her own…and ends up learning about the demon the hard way. Tied to a chair and being fed on. The demon’s purpose in It Feeds is similar to recent high-quality direct to VOD horror film Little Bites. If its host isn’t providing its required meals…someone else needs to be fed to it. It eats differently…feeding on you through touch and leaving your body scarred…but the result is the same. A series of surprising events lead to Cynthia’s nightmare scenario. The demon attaches itself to Jordan.
A lot happens quickly in It Feeds but it always feels like its paced exactly right. It relays information and throws the story turns in at just the right time. It’s an exciting film with some creepy moments and well-executed ideas. Cynthia’s ability to enter people’s minds keeps the story moving in different ways. She’s formed a bond with a police officer due to tips she has been able to offer over the years. That comes in handy. So too does Cynthia’s relationship with a former patient who is there for her every step of the way. She must be a great therapist. What this woman goes through to help is crazy.
It Feeds is a great looking picture full of quality performances. Green plays Cynthia as a cautious yet powerful woman. O’Brien’s Jordan is looser with the rules…and she steals every scene with her energetic performance. The ensemble supporting them is strong. The demon they’re dealing with is a good design and genuine menace. Cynthia’s ability to traverse people’s minds is a great and cinematic way to divulge important information. The story plays out non-stop with a ticking clock introduced once Jordan ends up hosting the demon. Combining all that It Feeds does results in a well-made and enjoyable piece of horror. One worthy of watching from the comfort of your own living room whenever you want.
Scare Value
Writer/Director Chad Archibald delivers a slick, spirited and fun ride through an unfortunate encounter with a demon. The mother/daughter dynamics at the heart of the story work well. They’re bound by trauma…and, while it plays a part in their story…it never overwhelms it. Instead, It Feeds is a well-paced, often creepy and sometimes surprising horror film through and through.
3.5/5
It Feeds Links
Rent/Buy on VOD from Fandango at Home and Amazon
