9/10
Gritty, dark, ominous short that leaves just enough to the imagination
25 April 2016
This short, penned by C. Robert Cargill (Sinister and the upcoming Dr. Strange movie), and directed by Nikhil Bhagat showcases stunning, gritty scenes that convey big budget visuals without seeming gaudy. The beautiful backdrop, a grimy, dystopian city, is offset by the gritty, minimalist dialogue that is only more compelling in its thrift. Bhagat uses the the camera the same way Cargill uses his words - sparingly - and the end result is better for it. It doesn't bombard you with unnecessary cuts or camera movement, but the action doesn't suffer. In fact, the action is amplified by the stillness through most of the short, making the up-tempo portions stand out that much more.

The viewer is given a very clear sense of the world these characters live in without having to delve into an abundance of back story or explanation. The one flashback we get for explanation is like everything else, extremely concise. It gives just enough information to understand the action, but isn't so cut and dry that you can't imagine more. The potential for more context is there, but not required, allowing the story to still function as a short.

All in all a great short film.
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