Birdeater is one of 2025's first nerve-wracking psychological thrillers

Birdeater
Birdeater | Dark Sky Films

Having watched dozens of horror and thriller films throughout my 30+ years on this earth, it's always a nice surprise to tune into a movie that genuinely unsettles me, like the psychological Australian film Birdeater by writer-directors Jack Clark and Jim Weir.

Sharp, provocative, and primal, Birdeater centers on a buck's party (or a bachelor's party) gone terribly wrong. Couple Irene (Shabana Azeez) and Louie (Mackenzie Fearnley) are getting married soon, but the movie makes it clear they have a troubling relationship. I don't want to spoil the dynamic, but there's a reason Louie can't leave Irene at home while going to this all-boys gathering.

Birdeater focuses on the men in this story as Louie and his friends participate in typical "boys will be boys" activities and luxuriate in a tense, toxic atmosphere. Everyone is so vile to each other that it's hard to imagine these people as legitimate friends. The script commentates on the feeling as if you owe someone friendship, or even love, because of a traumatic experience. Instead of setting the bird free, as they say, you keep such a firm grip on it as to nearly strangle it to death.

Many critics have praised Birdeater for its "feral" energy, a word that has repeatedly cropped up in the marketing, and I think that is where the film shines most. It's dirty, gritty, full of verbal sparring matches and simmering conflict. Everything from the production to the performances to the camerawork is designed to create a frenetic viewing experience, one that designed for nail-biting and edge-of-seat-viewing.

The reveals come in surprisingly small moments, mostly. Some of the most sinister revelations regarding the various relationships occur during offhanded comments and one particularly sinister party game. It's a smart movie, but it does feel like the second act flounders a little with all of its reserves of suspense built to the highest possible peak. When the climax happens, it's less of an explosive gut punch and more of a slow exhalation. Like the muted hiss a bottle of soda makes when you open it vs. the explosive nature of popping a champagne cork. But maybe that's the point.

I praise the filmmakers for striking out with such a bold debut. This is a compelling psychological thriller, and it is deeply psychological. I don't think it will be for everyone, but those who can allow themselves to get wrapped up in the atmosphere will undeniably be hooked. And pay sharp attention to this one because the actors are great at expression and there is a lot of subtext and even some important reveals packed into the snappy dialogue.

Birdeater releases in select theaters this Friday, January 10, followed by a digital release on January 17.