Whether you like or dislike his work, writer-director Carter Smith has been assembling an interesting filmography throughout the past few decades. The fact that he also directed the music video for what is arguably the catchiest and best song from S Club 7 is also a bit of a bonus, although I appreciate that few other people will agree with me on that.
Swallowed is the tale of two friends who end up getting involved in a perilous drug run. Benjamin (Cooper Koch) and Dom (Jose Colon) think they can make some good money with little risk, but the woman overseeing the operation (Alice, played by Jena Malone) quickly changes their mind, forcing them to swallow baggies that she warns them are very fragile and very valuable. If anything happens to them then it's not going to be a good time for our leads, and it may ultimately lead to death. It would also upset the man looking to make a lot of money from the deal (Rich, played by Mark Patton).
Starting off as a straightforward drama, turning into a dark thriller about people who get into a criminal plan that is way over their heads, and then adding some icky and impressive body horror moments in the second half, Swallowed is an impressive horror twist on a crime movie standard. Benjamin and Dom also have the additional risk that comes from their sexuality, especially when moving through the kind of territory that has them encountering a character credited as Randy Redneck (Michael Shawn Curtis), but that is also an important factor that directs and shapes the third act into something a bit fresh.
Koch and Colon are both very good, certainly when it comes to performing the physical stuff (both the placement and extraction of the goods being a key part of some sequences), Malone is enjoyably focused and determined to make the most of her hesitant mules, and Patton enjoys what may be the best role of his entire film career, although I admit to being unfamiliar with most of his work outside his (in)famous Elm Street instalment.
Despite not having any major set-pieces, and despite being much more restrained and more tame than you might expect, with more things implied than overtly shown onscreen, this does just enough to keep viewers interested and engaged for the duration of the 96-minute runtime. The opening scenes may have you getting a bit impatient, but everything is set up nicely for what is about to unfold. And when the danger starts to become apparent, the film is impressively dark and disturbing without having to lean as far into the grossness and discomfort as it could. A lot of that is down to Smith, for his main premise and handling of it, but this is also a film made all the better thanks to the entire team both behind and in front of the camera, with notable contributions from Dan Martin in the effects department and everyone involved with the impressive sound design.
7/10
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