Swallowed is a 2022 American body horror film about two queer former childhood friends who must survive a horrific night in a backwoods hell of drugs, bugs, and obsessive intimacy.
Written and directed by Carter Smith (Into the Dark: Midnight Kiss; Jamie Marks Is Dead; The Ruins; short: Bugcrush).
The movie stars Jena Malone, Mark Patton (Reunion from Hell 2; Amityville Clownhouse; Family Possessions; A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge), Cooper Koch, Jose Colon, Roe Pacheco and Michael Shawn Curtis.
Plot:
Set in a remote township right on the border between Maine and Canada, Swallowed is a story about friendship and loneliness. About the extremes, we are willing to endure to protect the ones we love. The time has come for Benjamin to leave their tiny hometown for a place where he can be himself – and maybe find someone to love him back.
We meet them on their last, bittersweet night together. Benjamin’s heading to Los Angeles. He’s just got the lead in ‘Backwoods Boy Bang’. Dom’s being left behind. His plan is to send Benjamin off with a pocketful of cash. All he has to do is deliver a package over the border for a friend…
Release:
Swallowed premiered at the 2022 Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans on June 5th before being shown at the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal.
In the US, Momentum Pictures released Swallowed On-Demand (VOD) on February 14, 2023.
Reviews:
“Those expecting a more straightforward horror movie with gnarly body horror will likely come away disappointed. Smith merely uses it as a stepping stone for a profoundly personal, character-focused story of trauma and queer identity. Smith introduces many interesting ideas and concepts and a few stomach-churning moments but struggles to tie them all together seamlessly.” 2.5/5 Bloody Disgusting
“While Swallowed contains body horror, it isn’t brutal, especially compared to The Ruins. In fact, body horror is more of a trigger to explore the characters and queer identity. But fear not horror fans. There are still some gross-out moments and nerve-jangling scenes. Despite some tonal issues, Swallowed delivers the goods, with stellar performances by Malone and Patton and newcomers Colon and Koch.” 7 out of 10, Horror Buzz
“Filmed on location in Maine, Swallowed is a bold reminder that Carter Smith is a force to be reckoned with. All three lead actors are fantastic, with Cooper Koch emerging a bonafide hunky final boy. Low key body horror bliss and high key propulsive thriller, Swallowed gulps down a complete feast.” 4/5 Josh at the Movies
“Weirdly, the terrifying bugs inside our characters’ intestines are not the scariest part of the story. In fact, the strange creatures serve more as a McGuffin to demonstrate a lot of the horrors which happen to members of the gay community. Sexual exploitation, threats of physical violence, denial of medical care, and isolation all play major parts in making this the most frightening night of Ben and Dom’s life.” Nightmarish Conjurings
YouTube reviews:
Trailer 1 [1080p]:
Trailer 2:
Not to be confused with Swallow (2019) which stars Haley Bennett as a newly pregnant housewife who finds herself compelled to consume dangerous objects.
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