Review - Fear Itself: Eater

I really enjoyed the Fear Itself episode directed by Stuart Gordon titled Eater . . .


. . . I quite liked his installment of Masters of Horror as well. He seems very good at putting a succinct story together in a short installment.

Although the ending could be seen as a tad bit predictable, the rest of the story was both dark and comical all at the same time. I love the way Gordon kind of weaves those two elements together so well.

So you have a rookie cop, Danny Bannerman (Elisabeth Moss) who finds herself on the night shift watching over a convicted serial killer known as “The Eater” (Duane Mellor). She is not the only cop in the shop though; she is joined by Marty Steinwitz (Stephen Lee) and Mattingley (Pablo Schreiber) – this police department’s answer to Dumb and Dumber. The Eater has other plans than being carted off to the next penitentiary and begins his scheme toward his escape. This involves some sort of chanting and shaking of a rattle-like instrument that he somehow managed to sneak past the guards.

This guy The Eater, I have to say is quite the freaky looking dude. A kind of giant of the Bayou he gets his Eater namesake by having eaten his victims after a whole lotta torture. Danny struggles throughout the night determined to keep her prisoner at bay all the while going through stranger and stranger situations with her cohorts. Lucky for us, Danny is a big fan of horror movies and comics. She seems to know all the tricks of the trade.

But is it enough to get her through the night? I guess you will have to see Eater to find out for yourself. A definite recommend – especially for fans of Stuart Gordon fare.

Directed by
Stuart Gordon

Writing credits
Mick Garris (creator)
Richard Chizmar (written by) &
Johnathon Schaech (written by)

Episode Cast (in credits order)
Elisabeth Moss ... Bannerman
Russell Hornsby
Stephen Lee
Stephen R. Hart ... The Eater
Pablo Schreiber

rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marie Zydek ... Tortured Woman