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Birder

By Golu
Birder, an erotic thriller, is a peculiar film that spends little time explaining the actions of its central character, instead opting to piece together many scenes of sex and violence. The film will instantly remind you of the famous film "Stranger by the lake" given the locale similarity and also because it is about this stranger, who is besides a lake. It's not a suspense thriller but more like campy and creepy. 

Kristian is a drifter, lurking around campsites under the pretense of being a bird-watcher. When he arrives to Lotus Cove, a clothing optional queer campground by a lake in New Hampshire, his handsome face and tight tattooed body make him an instant hit. Kristian quickly ingratiates himself with the group and gains their trust as he starts the endless sexual escapades with the camp members. The group consists a variety of queer ranging from cisgender and white like himself, to the more effeminate stereotype, to couples who also swing, and the lone woman among this ragtag group.Taking advantage of the welcoming environment around him, and the endless offers of sexual experiences, Kristian begins to act out his dark fantasies on the group, picking them one by one, having rough sex and killing them all by strangling.

This film expresses both the naturalism of a more open sexual identity and the danger that comes from automatic confidence and acceptance of a stranger in a certain environment. It’s clear to the viewer from the outset that Kristian isn’t as nice and friendly as he appears to be, and it doesn’t take long for him to claim his first victim during the throes of passion. Kristian emotes very little so it’s hard to understand if he’s committing his crimes for kicks or purely because he can. It’s hard to know if the film is commenting on the dangerous side of being queer or just trying to deliver an erotic thriller. Across the film’s almost 90-minute run time, we barely learn anything about Kristian and it’s incredibly hard to connect with him on any level. Some backstory may have helped but the character seems to be two-dimensional with no depth to speak of. The visuals of the woods and the lake are stunning and one wishes to take a nice holiday in some such place, but there is nothing much more. Also, what I don't understand is how none of these folks who he is having sex with try to put up any struggle to save them. What starts off as a sexual pleasure becomes very clear that Kristian is after their life. None of the characters have any chemistry with one another. ‘Birder’ has an interesting premise but sadly it’s one that isn’t explored in enough depth. The sex scenes will probably bring in plenty of viewers but the story is going to leave them cold. (4/10)
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