The setup for the plot is pretty ambiguous here, but I feel it works with the intended tone of the first chapter. Acting thus far is noticeably novice. With the dialog being underacted by what I'm assuming is the main character and being overacted by a male friend that's yet to really make himself known, the budget is shown through lack of acting experience. Camera work is surprisingly good, able to pull off some neat shots that are crisp clean and low on shake or signs of poor filming gear. Probably the biggest detractor here would be the music. The dramatic "horror" soundtrack lurches along in attempts to build tension, but just seems to build the drama up to being more than it really is. With cheesy sound signatures coupled with the booming crescendos of operatic vocals we hear way too much of in the genre, the sound is the biggest indicator of the budget. There are also moments with no music at all that seem to work, but the dialog in the silence is still delivered awkwardly. This is a solid student film, but it's bogged down by its actors and sound design.
2 Reviews
Highs and lows.
showermatt30 March 2014
Supremely atmospheric and hauntingly well produced, the short peaked my interest and wet my appetite for more. That being said, it does have some of the drawbacks that many short films suffer from. The acting is rather wooden, although in this case it kind of works and sets an atmosphere of deceit. The exception to this, surprisingly, is Joe Estevez. Commonly regarded as the unlucky runt of the Sheen/Estevez litter he is perfectly cast for his roll and gives a very solid performance as a creepy-but-wise Baptist Preacher type.
The music is haunting and beautiful and would serve well simply as the film's score, but is not entirely believable as a show someone would willingly go to see in black tie attire as the attempted tie-in suggests. Still, it sets the mood perfectly and I can appreciate the attempt.
The cuts are a little confusing at first, but one can get a sense of the plot after minute or two with little effort. If you are a fan of Haunting movies and the isolated babysitter motif than definitely give this a watch. I for one would watch another installment.
The music is haunting and beautiful and would serve well simply as the film's score, but is not entirely believable as a show someone would willingly go to see in black tie attire as the attempted tie-in suggests. Still, it sets the mood perfectly and I can appreciate the attempt.
The cuts are a little confusing at first, but one can get a sense of the plot after minute or two with little effort. If you are a fan of Haunting movies and the isolated babysitter motif than definitely give this a watch. I for one would watch another installment.
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