[Fantasia International Film Festival]: Corpus

Vince played by Brodie Townsend

Sex and the supernatural collide in Corrin Evan’s erotic psychological horror Corpus, which has its world premiere at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival. Set in the sweaty summer of 1998 on the outskirts of New York City, Corpus follows a nightlife photographer who finds himself in an unusual and highly dangerous situation after following his crush to a party.

Sayo (Jeff Wahlberg) is a drug dealer as well as a photographer who decides to follow his crush Vince (Brodie Townsend) upstate to a supposed party, but after arrival, the boys along with another of their friends, discover the party isn’t exactly poppin’. The “party” is hosted by three enigmatic women, Billie (Lily Cowles), Wren (Nuha Jes Izman), and Cata (Ching Valdes-Aran) who draw the three men into a dangerous trap.

In her feature debut, Corrin Evans attempts to blend transgressive cinema with a full sensual overload, incorporating the photography of Sayo and the pulsating rhythm of the nightlife of New York City. Corpus’ aesthetic choices are a highlight but are unfortunately let down by a flat narration that really leads to nowhere until the last twenty minutes of its run time. 

The chemistry between Wahlberg and Townsend is incredible, and is perhaps the ultimate highlight of this queer erotic film, however, it really doesn’t do much to save an otherwise deflated art piece.

2 Screams out of 5