Feed Me opens with the protagonist, Jed (Christopher Mulvin), writhing on the floor, covered in blood, trying to escape. Most of his limbs have been severed. Oh, and he’s surrounded by dead bodies. The film then cuts from that harrowing scene to tell the story of how Jed wound up in such a nightmare. Feed Me is a gruesome, oddball affair with cannibalism at its center. It’s a rollercoaster ride with a surprisingly deeply human story.

Directed and written by Adam Leader and Richard Oakes, the feature tells Jed’s story through various relationship flashbacks. He’s a heartbroken bloke who feels he has little to live for after his wife, Olivia (Samantha Loxley) dies. Olivia had an eating disorder that caused her heart to fail. Yes, food is quite a motif here. A psychopath, Lionel Flack (Neal Ward), attends Olivia’s funeral, and afterward, in a pub, he meets Jed and lures him to his home, promising to offer a balm for his sorrow. Well, it turns out his solution is…cannibalism. Jed falls for it because he’s so emotionally distraught.

This film is really a two-man show between Jed and Lionel, a constant back and forth. Mulvin gives an earnest performance, playing a heartbroken man who ponders if life is worth it before he ends up as Lionel’s captive. Ward is more over the top, but the film demands it. Throughout most of the run-time, he wears a cheap blond wig and cowboy hat, acting like an American to fool authorities and onlookers. Yet, there’s something more lurking under the surface. Olivia appears to Jed, encouraging him to live, while Lionel’s dead mom haunts him, appearing as an overweight, pale spook who doesn’t talk. Clearly, Lionel has some real mommy issues, and this should have been explored more. It’s a missed opportunity.

Feed Me contains its fair share of ghastly scenes. Unlike The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which often cuts away before Leatherface’s chainsaw even touches the skin, this feature shows everything. Lionel takes a hacksaw to Jed’s arm. He cuts off his finger, among other body parts. He also cauterizes wounds with a hot iron. Ouch! The camera never pans away, but the gore is tempered by the absurd lines Lionel blurts out. It’s like a dark comedy, just a really, really blood-soaked comedy.

Body limbs and crazy antics aside, this feature contains a touching human story. Jed must overcome his grief if he’s ever going to defeat Lionel. He’s tormented by memories of his deceased wife and continually wonders if he’s at all to blame. Jed’s not at all a one-note character, and there’s more meat to him than Lionel. You want him to survive. Further, despite the fact the protagonist carries a heck of a lot of trauma, this film doesn’t wallow in it. It’s surprisingly not depressing. The horror and humor prevent that.

Feed Me is unique and striking. It has plenty of grisly scenes, as you’d expect from a film dealing with cannibalism, but it has some real laughs, a screwball villain, and a well-crafted human story. Oakes and Lender make quite the duo. Whatever you do, don’t accept Lionel’s invitation to dinner. You just may end up on the menu.

7 Out of 10