The premise was very intriguing and, let's get this out of our way right now, the lack of gore throughout most of the movie was actually an interesting and refreshing choice.Unfortunately the positives end pretty much there... The story plods along with nothing really happening, besides family members arguing about "what to do" after the father's untimely demise. The needed ritual to keep the family's eating habits going is much talked about but there's nothing clear about it, and the little we're hinted about in the rather confusing finale is far from satisfying.Then there's the cookie-cutter social message about poor people struggling in a cold, heartless world, but it's left at a couple of generic shots to the middle-class or to the police (cue a completely gratuitous offer of a very underage prostitute to one of the cops who's after the cannibals, a non-sequitur thrown in just in case the general angsty feel of the movie wasn't heavy-handed enough to get the point across).As said, even the climax feels rushed, underdeveloped and leaves so many questions unanswered, while still retaining the "or is it..." cliché open ending every dreadful horror movie has.Bottom line: as a horror movie it's sub-standard on every possible account. As a social drama, it skims over some interesting points and premises, but none of them is adequately with the required insight.Frankly, I feel this movie gets so much attention because it's a non-Hollywood production AND it fits all the criteria for Artsy Film Festival bait.

Strangely, people have been regarding WE ARE WHAT WE ARE as something of a gem; after all, it's a film that garnered a Hollywood remake, so it must be good, right? Er, no. This Mexican cannibal film is entirely by rote, a predictable narrative populated by unappealing characters and a distinct lack of depth. It held my attention throughout, but only just, and that's partly because it's mercifully short.Instead of focusing on the blood and guts of the cannibal storyline - this is surprisingly subdued given the subject matter - WE ARE WHAT WE ARE is a film that explores family dynamics. Mainly it involves characters arguing or screaming and shouting at each other, and it's a fairly tiresome exercise, mainly because the script isn't as hot as it should be. If at least one character in the entire movie had been likable it might have been a different story, but as it is it's a chore.Things do start picking up in the final third of the film, with lots of action and bloodshed as antagonists start entering the story, but it's not enough to make this a classic or anything approaching a decent film. The cult reputation of WE ARE WHAT WE ARE is destined to remain a mystery, I think...

A bad story and script sink this Mexican drama, which begins with a man walking down a street and stopping at a window to stare at a mannequin. He vomits blood and dies on the sidewalk. An autopsy reveals that he was poisoned. This opening has little to do with the rest of the film. A mother with two teenage sons and one teen daughter live in a place filled with clocks which are apparently there for repair by the patriarch of this strange family. Dad is soon out of the picture, and mom tells her offspring that they must carry on the ritual. This activity involves abducting strangers who will not have a fun time. Eating Raoul meets the Mexican Brady Bunch without Paul Bartel's sense of humor. The production value is slightly above that of a porn movie, and the acting is barely competent. There is no reason to watch this.

I must say this is a very different horror movie. And it works. It's kinda unique & creepy.I've seen many 'cannibalistic' horror movies but they didn't really induce fear. They were more like soft-porn, with so much nudity and minimal cannibalism. Well, this movie too hardly shows the eating of human flesh but it's the preparations towards the ritual of consuming the human that shakes you. The building up towards that moment is very well done in this movie. It accomplishes being a horror movie without being explicitly horror.All the actors did a very fine job, especially Francisco Barreiro who was superb as Alfredo a confused teenager who struggles to deal with the cannibal & murderer in himself.But there were some flaws. One being a lady's finger found inside a dead body. The finger nail still looks freshly polished! And whatever cannibalism is shown doesn't look convincing as its shot from a far distance or is not clear to the viewer's eye. It could have been more graphic to add more chills. And what I also found funny was the moral debate among the cannibals on whom to eat!Verdict: Could have been more creepy, but still a munching time-pass :)