Horror Channel Frightfest Review: Eat Locals

Riffing on everything from the likes of Dog Soldiers and Cockneys vs Zombies (and many more), Eat Locals is a scattergun affair that just about succeeds due to sheer verve.

The directorial debut of Jason Flemyng, the film is classic British fare, chock full of faces famous to these shores, and much of your potential enjoyment will depend on how comfortable you are with our particular brand of humour.

The set-up is simple and to the point – a gaggle of centuries-old British vampires (potentially the last of their breed) meet up in an isolated farmhouse to discuss their state of play, whose eaten who, who has met or exceeded their ‘quota’ and just how they are going to fill the gap to restore their number to the required total.

Into this mix is thrown Sebastian (Billy Cook), a young chancer lured in by the charms of vamp Vanessa (Eve Myles) – instead of a quick shag though, he may just end up as part of this gathering.

As if that wasn’t enough, we then switch perspectives to a group of soldiers/vampire hunters, seemingly led by oddball Larousse (Mackenzie Crook).

Surrounding the farmhouse and armed to the teeth (excuse the pun), the stage is set for what could potentially be the final showdown….

Eat Locals is a film of real peaks and troughs – starting out stuffed with awkward humour, of which a lot doesn’t work, there is that worrying whiff of the cast enjoying things far more than the audience are.

But Flemyng sticks at it, and that persistence pays off, as the rat-a-tat succession of gags, one-liners and asides sees some stick, the film improving considerably as it rattles along.

The cast also helps here, with the director able to call on a host of quality performers, with the likes of ‘Daredevil’ Charlie Cox, Freema Agmeyang, Tony Curran and Annette Crosbie rounding out an impressive clutch of on-screen talent.

The film also looks great – mostly (if not all) shot at night it must be said, but Flemyng certainly has the visual touch.

It also delivers its fair share of gore (although not as much as you may expect) – perhaps unsurprising when you consider the director has headlined a George A Romero pic after all.

Eat Locals is very much a ‘does what it says on the tin’ flick, especially when you consider the tagline proudly screams ‘vampires and machine guns’, and with a frenetic pace there is very little time to catch breath.

Not quite as funny as it clearly thinks it is, and not as gruesome as you are probably hoping it would be, Eat Locals is still an enjoyable way to pass 90 minutes or so.