Swallowed is an entertaining, yet flawed, movie that is unafraid to focus on the disturbing side of horror.
As a big fan of horror movies, this critic can admit that the first half of Swallowed dives right in to the disturbing side of horror. However, the second half goes completely off the rails and takes away from the terrifying set up a bit too much. Still, overall the movie is a lot of fun for those who enjoy a twisted tale that will have you squirming in your seat while trying not to lose your lunch.
This movie follows a man named Benjamin who is planning to move to LA to star in prom films. His friend Dom, who comes off as so much more than that, sets him up with a way to make some cash before he leaves, but nothing goes according to plan. After being forced to swallow balloons of unknown drugs that they are supposed to smuggle, things take a sharp and unexpected turn. Things aren’t what they seem at all as the two must try to survive this deadly journey.
One of the biggest issues with this movie is that the lead character proclaims he is straight, but his love for Dom is extremely clear, right from the start. There is a tension between the two of them that is very apparent and it is frustrating that it seems to be swept under the table at first. Thankfully, as the film goes on, it embraces this side of Benjamin and because of that there are emotional moments that work so much better than they would have if it was ignored all together.
Cooper Koch (Benjamin) and Jose Colon (Dom) are both fantastic in Swallowed. They do what they can with the script, but it is their chemistry that makes their story truly work in the movie. Benjamin’s journey brings the heart of the movie, and is the saving grace of the film — being what really makes it worth watching.
The biggest issue with this film comes at about the halfway mark, when the story is completely flipped on its head and Mark Patton enters. This isn’t his fault at all, in fact, he is fabulous in the movie, the problem is it almost feels like two totally different movies at this point. While his character is a great addition to the movie, and helps to propel things forward in a truly terrifying way, the two halves of the movie don’t come together to make a whole. More like they come together to make three quarters of a story.
Swallowed is entertaining and intriguing. It is very much horror to start, but falls apart towards the end. Still, the final few moments are chilling. That, coupled with the stellar lead performance from Koch makes this film more than worth watching.
Rating: 3 out of 5
NEXT: Piggy Review (2022 Movie)
About Swallowed
Set in a remote township on the border of Maine and Canada, Benjamin (Cooper Koch) and his Dom (Jose Colon) are headed for the lights and promises of the city of angels, with the dream of Ben becoming a professional porn performer. Though Dom proclaims he is straight, their friendship is delicately intertwined with sexual tension and a deep emotional bond.
Attempting to earn some quick cash, they meet up with Alice (Jena Malone). Smuggling drugs across the borders is no easy task. One does not become a mule overnight… though our two friends are “persuaded” by Alice to swallow up those little bags, and boy, that’s only the beginning of their troubles.
