Where a viewer might expect a few more layers of symbolism and subtext to enrich the film, it turns out there’s not really anything here other than a juvenile desire to shock and scandalise.

A lean and mean horror film with a[n] LGBTQ twist and solid performances and taut direction.

A memorably intense experience, with sharp points to make about how the lives of outsiders and outlaws can tip in an instant into sloppy chaos.

Swallowed relies heavily on both the narrative arc and the acting of Koch as Benjamin to keep the unruly tonal shifts on target, while Jena Malone's powerful urgency picks up the pace when things start to slump.