Consumed is a film you're either going to love or hate most likely based on what side of the aisle you stand on when it comes to the GMO controversy. Browsing through the reviews confirms this theory as, not surprisingly, most of the 25+ reviews are either 1-star or 10-star. However, in my unbiased opinion, the movie is neither good nor bad, so there's really no other way to explain the very polarized ratings. So, for the few that don't have a dog in the fight, my review will be an attempt to wade through all the political mumbo jumbo of the other reviews on either side. It will be based solely on the merits of the filmmakers' ability to deliver a suspenseful thriller – nothing more, nothing less. OK, here we go
Consumed follows the story of a single mom in small town Iowa who finds herself taking on the juggernaut Clonestra, a corrupt sustainable agriculture company (a la Monsanto) behind the rise of genetically modified organism (GMO) products around the world, after she suspects her son is developing an allergic reaction to them. And this brief synopsis pretty much sums up the entire movie that carries a moderate 1:35-minute run time. It's monotonous
Thing is, we've seen similar movies like this before that have been done more effectively such as Erin Brockovich (2000) with Julia Roberts and the Insider (1999) with Al Pacino and Russell Crowe.
The film does get by on a half way decent story and Zoe Lister-Jones (Sophie) does a convincing enough job as a scared parent with little resources willing to do anything to protect the health of her child. The bond she shares with her son and mother also play a strong part in the film. And that's a good thing, because little else about the film stands out. For one thing, none of the events that are supposed to build suspense are effective. You never really feel like Sophie is in any real danger when she starts going up against the corrupt Clonestra. You also never really get the feeling that she's going to be able to make any significant difference in the fight against GMOs in the supermarket. She does eventually have a face-to-face standoff with the CEO of Clonestra but there isn't any conclusion to what is supposed to be the climatic point of Consumed. It just felt flat and inauthentic.
In conclusion, Consumed gets by on decent acting, and character development and interaction, but falls short on suspense, entertain value, plausibility, and a satisfying ending. Therefore, I can't really recommend this film but I won't go as far as saying don't watch it. If you do, just don't expect to be CONSUMED by any aspect of it.
Consumed follows the story of a single mom in small town Iowa who finds herself taking on the juggernaut Clonestra, a corrupt sustainable agriculture company (a la Monsanto) behind the rise of genetically modified organism (GMO) products around the world, after she suspects her son is developing an allergic reaction to them. And this brief synopsis pretty much sums up the entire movie that carries a moderate 1:35-minute run time. It's monotonous
Thing is, we've seen similar movies like this before that have been done more effectively such as Erin Brockovich (2000) with Julia Roberts and the Insider (1999) with Al Pacino and Russell Crowe.
The film does get by on a half way decent story and Zoe Lister-Jones (Sophie) does a convincing enough job as a scared parent with little resources willing to do anything to protect the health of her child. The bond she shares with her son and mother also play a strong part in the film. And that's a good thing, because little else about the film stands out. For one thing, none of the events that are supposed to build suspense are effective. You never really feel like Sophie is in any real danger when she starts going up against the corrupt Clonestra. You also never really get the feeling that she's going to be able to make any significant difference in the fight against GMOs in the supermarket. She does eventually have a face-to-face standoff with the CEO of Clonestra but there isn't any conclusion to what is supposed to be the climatic point of Consumed. It just felt flat and inauthentic.
In conclusion, Consumed gets by on decent acting, and character development and interaction, but falls short on suspense, entertain value, plausibility, and a satisfying ending. Therefore, I can't really recommend this film but I won't go as far as saying don't watch it. If you do, just don't expect to be CONSUMED by any aspect of it.