An ambitious (if somewhat uneven) slice of downbeat American gothic which interweaves grim melancholia with pointed satire, doomy portent and moments of gnawing revulsion.

Some of the film is gruesome in the extreme but there is always lyricism and pathos alongside the bloodletting.

Mickle and co-writer Nick Damici give themselves plenty of time to tease out their themes and ladle on the tension.

There is one well-earned payoff that legitimizes a watch, even if it won't make you eager to eat meat anytime soon.