A Banquet (2021) is a haunting British horror movie that weaves existential dread, body horror, and psychological thriller elements into a deeply unsettling narrative. Directed by Ruth Paxton in her feature debut, this 2021 horror film stars Sienna Guillory as a grieving mother and Jessica Alexander as her enigmatic daughter, delivering a slow-burn exploration of grief, faith, and maternal anxiety. Available on Hulu, Shudder, and Amazon Prime, A Banquet captivates with its eerie atmosphere and thought-provoking themes, making it a must-watch for fans of horror films and arthouse horror. In this movie review, we explore why this unsettling gem stands out in 2025.
Plot Overview: A Family Consumed by the Unknown
The Premise of A Banquet
A Banquet centers on Holly (Sienna Guillory), a widowed mother raising her daughters Betsey (Jessica Alexander) and Isabelle (Ruby Stokes) after her husband’s sudden death. The family’s fragile equilibrium shatters when Betsey, after a mysterious experience at a party, claims a supernatural revelation and stops eating—yet remains inexplicably healthy. Convinced her body serves a higher power, Betsey’s behavior grows increasingly erratic, pushing Holly to the edge as she grapples with whether her daughter’s condition is psychological or truly otherworldly. As strange phenomena escalate, the line between reality and the unknowable blurs, threatening to consume them all.
Why the Story Resonates
Running at 97 minutes, A Banquet is a slow-burn psychological horror that prioritizes tension over jump scares. Its ambiguous narrative, rooted in grief and faith, invites viewers to question what’s real, much like The Babadook or Hereditary. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes, where it holds a 56% score, praise its “unrelenting dread” and “visual poetry,” though some X posts call its pacing “punishingly slow” and its resolution “vague.” The film’s focus on a mother-daughter dynamic, intensified by Betsey’s refusal to eat, creates a visceral emotional core that resonates with horror movie fans seeking depth.
