Birdeater received mixed reviews. Many reviewers likened it to the 1971 classic Australian horror film
Wake in Fright, with both films featuring urban professionals in rural locations, and both looking at the effects of
toxic masculinity, although through very different characters and reflecting their respective contemporary cultures. Peter Gray of
The AU Review gave the film five out of five stars, writing "Visceral and feral,
Birdeater blends its topical commentary on separation anxiety and fragile masculinity with an almost hallucinatory mentality. Its intrusive editing and claustrophobic camera shots further highlight Weir and Clark's stronghold on genre execution, resulting in a truly horrific vision that revels in its uncompromising temperament". Grace Roodenrys, writing in the
Sydney Arts Guide, called it "A brilliant new Australian film", giving it five out of five stars.
X-Press Magazine gave the film 9 out of 10 stars, praising the acting, direction, pacing, and editing.
FilmInk valued the film as worth A$15.00 (out of a maximum of A$20.00), writing "it's not breaking any new ground, but it's suspenseful, effectively disturbing and for the most part, very well acted". Ari Mattes wrote in
The Conversation: "
Birdeater is brilliantly shot and edited, the sound design and music are exemplary... and the acting is absolutely first-rate", and thinks it worth seeing, but that the second half did not live up to the promise of the first. Luke Buckmaster gave it two stars out of five, and wrote in
The Guardian "
Shabana Azeez and Mackenzie Fearnley are good as the husband and wife to be but this horror film feels indecisive and stretches too long". ==Awards and nominations==