BELLY TIMBER

Cinemavixion Review

Bobby Easley's 2016 frontier drama, "Belly Timber," plunges viewers into the nascent days of Indiana settlement, specifically the ambitious beginnings of Indianapolis. The narrative centers on John McCormick, a settler whose burgeoning success is overshadowed by a terrifying threat from afar. As McCormick's life along the White River promises prosperity and community, an insidious evil, the Lecky family—a nomadic group practicing a cannibalistic faith known as Kala—emerges from the East. The brutal slaughter of John's brother and his family by the Leckys forces McCormick to abandon his peaceful pursuits and rally a posse of frontiersmen. This sets the stage for a desperate hunt to confront and defeat this ruthless foe before they can inflict further devastation. The film, starring Gabriel Bartley, Andrea Collins, and John Dugan, is noted for its grim portrayal of frontier life juxtaposed with an almost supernatural horror element. While it received one nomination, its critical reception highlights a compelling, albeit dark, exploration of survival and vengeance on the American frontier.