The movie, I suppose, falls into the camp of revenge flicks, but as most of those tend to deal with the redemption of rape victims, this somewhat more lighthearted venture makes an uncomfortable bedfellow. Telling the story of celebrity chef Peter Grey, who snaps when his career is destroyed by the scathing review of critic JT Franks, the movie opens with a hefty dose of originality.
People who we instantly dislike are quickly turned into objects of sympathy, and vice versa. This genuinely interesting character development combined with a spattering of wit keep the almost horror-free first act from dragging, and elevate it above the desperate vomiting of exposition so many similar films resort to.
When the torture does come into play, it does so with tongue firmly in-cheek. Franks' critical and cooking abilities are put to the test, with typically dire consequences should they fail him. If nothing else, Bitter Feast contains possible the most tense egg-frying scene ever to be filmed. And that's something to be proud of.
The score also shines, and manages to create an air of seriousness and tragedy even around such seemingly frivolous subject matter.
Where the whole thing regrettably begins to fall apart is with the third act. Here director/writer Joe Maggio falls back onto tried and tested horror tropes, and whilst they by no means ruin the movie they do lessen it. A clichéd ending to an otherwise original film is always disappointing.
Also, though Maggio does a fantastic job of keeping Grey relatable throughout - making him appear a sympathetic but clearly sick villain - the backstory we are fed on his childhood feels bolted on and unnecessary, adding little or nothing to the plot or the character.
Bitter Feast isn't heavy on scares, and considering it's basically a torture movie even the gore is fairly light. But it's dripping with charm, originality and, more than anything, is a fun ride.
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