Loner Kristian (Michael Emery) arrives in New Hampshire with the intent of inserting himself among a group of queer nudists. Seemingly harmless, and claiming to be a bird watcher, Kristian quickly ingratiates himself with the group and gains their trust. Taking advantage of the welcoming environment around him, and the endless offers of sexual experiences, Kristian begins to act out his dark fantasies on the group, picking them off one-by-one.
‘Birder’ from director Nate Dushku and writer Amnon Lourie is a peculiar film that spends little time explaining the actions of its central character, instead opting to piece together many scenes of sex and violence. It’s clear to the viewer from the outset that Kristian isn’t as nice and friendly as he appears to be, and it doesn’t take long for him to claim his first victim during the throes of passion. Kristian emotes very little so it’s hard to understand if he’s committing his crimes for kicks or purely because he can.
The group he inserts himself into are open and free-loving, leaving themselves exposed to be taken advantage of. It’s hard to know if the film is commenting on the dangerous side of being queer or just trying to deliver an erotic thriller. Across the film’s almost 90-minute run time, we barely learn anything about Kristian and it’s incredibly hard to connect with him on any level. Some backstory may have helped but the character seems to be two-dimensional with no depth to speak of.
The marketing for the film mentions ‘consent’ but that theme isn’t really explored here either. All of the people that Kristian encounters are quite happy to have sex with him and they make that pretty obvious. They put blind trust in a total stranger and go along with his aggressive and violent ways. Not a single one of them seems to put up any struggle, even when it becomes apparent that Kristian’s aim is to end their life.
Michael Emery’s central performance is oddly detached. He plays Kristian with next to no emotion and in film that’s hoping to get by on the sex scenes, there’s little chemistry with any of the actors he plays opposite. Of the supporting players Delilah DuBois is the strongest, even if you don’t really believe her as a park ranger, but there’s no real depth to any of the characters.
‘Birder’ has an interesting premise but sadly it’s one that isn’t explored in enough depth. The sex scenes will probably bring in plenty of viewers but the story is going to leave them cold. There isn’t a lot here to sink your teeth into and that leaves you wanting. The script could have done with a few more rounds of polishing and the uneven performances of the cast make it hard to lose yourself in the film’s world.
Cast: Michael Emery, David J. Cork, Cody Sloan, Uki Pavlovic, Delilah DuBois Director: Nate Dushku Writer: Amnon Lourie Certificate: 18 Duration: 87 mins Released by: TLA Releasing Release date: 24th June 2024 Buy ‘Birder’ now
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