I had no idea what to expect from Jim Mickle's 'We Are What We Are'. I went in knowing nothing about it, other than that it was a remake of a recent Spanish movie of the same name. This haunting film is 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' for the indie crowd. It's beautiful, brutal and very well acted.In rural upstate New York, the mother of the Parker family suddenly dies while shopping for groceries. Much to her family's dismay, life must go on. The two older sisters, Iris (Ambyr Childers) and Rose (Julia Garner), are expected to take over the household, as their younger brother Rory (Jack Gore) is constantly hungry. Meanwhile, their father Frank (Bill Sage) tries to maintain his emotions and keep things running normally. However, things are far from normal with the Parker family. They have a deep dark secret that has been passed on from generation to generation.We soon find out just what this horrific secret is when a teenage girl from their town goes missing. Over the years, lots of other people from the surrounding area have also gone missing. Well, it turns out that the Parkers are cannibals and have a strange ritual they adhere to that involves dressing like Puritans and having long prayers before their meals. Hey, that's family tradition, right?Their neighbor Marge (Kelly McGillis) senses that something is wrong when she babysits young Rory during his mom's funeral. He tells her he's hungry, then bites her finger and begins sucking on the blood. The local coroner (Michael Parks) suspects something when he finds more than he can handle in their mom's autopsy. While the town sheriff isn't willing to listen to the coroner, he enlists the help of a young deputy who went to school with the oldest daughter and might have a crush on her. Unfortunately for him, he gets more than he bargained for.Director Mickle splices in flashback footage of the family's ancestors from olden times taking part in this sadistic tradition. He also showcases each family member in the present day struggling with their ways. The story ends in one of the best movie climaxes in recent memory. It slowly builds up to balls-to-the-wall suspense that will make your jaw drop.Childers and Garner are terrific in their roles, as both struggle to leave this way of life, which they realize is wrong but is the only thing they know. As the father, Sage plays it calm and collected, but can quickly turn on the rage. What's really original about this is that the family plays an active part in their community. They're not just crazy shut-ins, like we've seen so many times before with movies in this genre. Mickle's filming of the story is beautiful. Some of his shots will haunt you for days.If you're looking for a different, original and scary film this Halloween season, this is one of the best horror movies in a long time. I can't wait to see 'We Are What We Are' again. Plus, I might have to think twice the next time I eat a bowl of chili.

Childers plays the eldest child in the Parker family and after her mother's accidental drowning, she must take the lead in a very horrific family tradition. Meanwhile, Parks plays a doctor who refuses to give up the search for his daughter that went missing years ago, and his autopsy exam of Ma Parker (DePaiva) lands him a connection to a family that might know a thing or two about his quest. Slow, but Mickle sets a great tone, and we are ultimately led to a very memorable finale that will especially satisfy those hungry for a cannibal-horror flick. Parks and Sage are the same as always, but they're good at what they do.★★★ (out of four)

If you were thinking of watching it, don't bother. poorly paced, awkward. the cinematography was good, and the acting wasn't bad either, but the writing and pacing are both utterly terrible. The plot MIGHT be thrilling or suspenseful to a child (not the target audience), but even a very casual movie watcher with half a brain can see straight through each and every scenario, eliminating entertaining suspense or plot development... until the end. This movie had one of the WORST endings i have ever seen. It did not mesh with the rest of the plot or the overall mood of the film. It was a pretty unintentionally hilarious ending. i am pretty sensitive to images of violence and gore, but i was literally laughing at the end. The movie also attempts to be relevant by commenting on religious fundamentalism, but the theme feels forced and reaches no conclusion. As a personal pet peeve, it is set in the American south east, but the actors, characters and environment all feel much more 'rural pacific northwest'.

The Parker family is fasting following and old family tradition. When the matriarch, Emma Parker (Kassie DePaiva), goes to a hardware store in the nearby small town during a rainstorm, she does not feel well, has an accident and dies. Her husband Frank Parker (Bill Sage), who is the owner of a trailer camping area, grieves her death and forces her older daughter Iris (Ambyr Childers) to assume the responsibility for keeping the family tradition, feeding them and nursing her teenage daughter Rose (Julia Garner) and her young brother Rory (Jack Gore). He also gives Emma's journal to Rose with the history of their family to learn their traditions. Meanwhile Sheriff Meeks (Nick Damici) and Deputy Anders (Wyatt Russell) are investigating cases of missing persons in the skirts of the town. Doc Barrow (Michael Parks), who lost one daughter that has disappeared, is carrying out Emma's autopsy and finds an important discovery that will connect the missing cases with the Parker family. What is the tradition of the Parker family? "We Are What We Are" is a depressing and creepy remake of a 2010 Spanish movie "Somos lo que hay". The story is developed in slow pace in a depressive atmosphere and the acting is top-notch. Unfortunately the screenplay discloses the mystery too soon but the gore conclusion is gruesome and hard to be seen. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Somos o Que Somos" ("We Are What We Are")