The Narrow World (2017) User Reviews

A simple allegory of meaning.

[shide_85 · 7/10 · 13 November 2017]

Spoilers will be clearly marked out.

In short: An allegoric short story about a large alien force landing on earth and its implications for humanity.

In longer: The CGI is quite good for shorts, the lighting is the strongpoint (it's very clear that the movie is made to push the ability to control different fields of cinematography).

The sound is varied and on point but lacks the real crisp feeling that few movies really attain and squeezing in the use of silence in a short was never going to be easy (to reach a higher impact emotionally) - if you do you need to basically stun the viewer fast and first (gain full attention asap).

The cinematography is quite good even though some shots purposedly are shot bluntly in a way that excludes the need for more effects - those shots could have been made better to try and negate that, then again it is so bluntly clear that it is probable that its meant to show it rather than hide it for the viewer which is refreshing (meaning the shots near the alien which does not include it though the angle becomes awkward).

Regarding it's message it only fails when pushing views onto the viewer ; "we all have an abyss inside of us", which could have been easily avoided with something or something along the lines of "As i see it...". Those who still search within themselves do have an abyss, those who have a void they need to fill within them do have an abyss inside them - but not all do. Some has reached the end of the black rainbow.

• SPOILER BELOW End notes - the message: Finding something that "takes your life away", something worth dedicating yourself to will take its toll on any connections you have (read: relationship). Reconnecting that string to others requires communication. • SPOILER ABOVE

*I got a solid following by someone on several accounts (probably originating from the gits boards or possibly earlier - an astroturfer which there were plenty of on those boards), on several reviews I've noticed 4 votes showing up "negatively" at the same point in time.

If You Didn't Like It, You Probably Didn't Get It

[conmech · 10/10 · 23 October 2017]

At the first viewing, I really thought this film was all that it was showing, about an alien robot. And I gave it a 9 nevertheless, because even though it was just that, the concept and the cinematography was brilliant. But at the second viewing when I wanted to show it to my friends, I realized the last scene. And went back and watched it again, and a third time with my wife, and a fourth time. So I can say with absolute confidence this is actually something much different, with clues given all throughout the film. If you haven't watched it, don't read on because it contains major spoilers.

• SPOILERS - . . . . . 1) There is no alien robot. It's the guy's imagination. That is for certain. Here are just a few clues: * At the end where the robot vanishes was the first clue for me, which made me go back and watch again. * The picture of the alien at his back, at one close-up scene you'll realize it's from a sci-fi magazine. So he probably saw it and imagined the whole thing. * The fact that we see towards the end, that his "office" is actually an abandoned warehouse. * In the beginning he says "everyone thought it was a comet" Well, it actually WAS a comet. * All the things the psychologist woman saying about out inner thoughts surfacing. * What happened to the 5-6 other aliens which came? Nothing because they didn't exist either. * All throughout the film, you actually see the guy is a little crazy. * They ask the woman "what happened?" And she says "something metaphorical came between us"

2) The woman is actually talking about the man who went crazy. She's not talking about an alien or something.

3) For the military man, I have 2 ideas. He's the guy in the bus which the crazy guy takes everyday to go to the beach. So either the crazy guy saw him and imagined him to be the retired defence secretary, or he actually is a retired defense secretary who thinks this lunatic who "keeps on telling everyone that there's an alien" is a threat. Since he's retired, he doesn't have anything better to do so he follows him everyday to check if he's a potential threat.

There are lots of more details in every scene which I didn't write here, and probably even more which I missed. After all, this is the only short film, along with "Unedited Footage of a Bear" that I gave 10 out of 10. Because this is how a short film is supposed to be. It would be worse if it was a feature length movie.

Visually beautiful, perfectly directed, but the message could have been clearer

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 8/10 · 13 November 2017]

I'm a huge fan of short films and this one was a sweet little gem. The visuals are remarkable for a short as was the directing and score.

The writing/plot could have been better to get the message across that this in fact wasn't a sci-fi, but instead an intimate character study.

The sci-fi narrative unfolds in a pseudo-documentary style that radiates with authenticity while balancing the film's stark human drama.

I don't want to give anything away, but this film is one of those that certainly needs a second viewing, as you will pick out things you missed the first time, and at only 15 mins long, it's very easy to do.

Very enjoyable and a 8/10 from me.

Moving, Disturbing, and Deeply Inspired

[victor-cypert · 9/10 · 2 May 2020]

I am a lecturer in both popular fiction and psychology. If any short film should've telegraphed its ending to me (and many have), it should've been this one--it didn't.

A giant alien mech falls to earth and takes up residence wandering Los Angeles.and three people are interviewed to the event's meaning:

Raymond Davis -- Head of Research for the Department of Homeland Security Dr. Emily Filed -- Professor of Clinical Psychology Col. Gus Wilson -- Department of Defense

Raymon Davis is the first to experience the event. Dr. Field explains people's fears related to the event. And Col. Wilson is convinced the event is a threat.

By film's end, some will realize that Dr. Field and Col. Wilson are having one conversation while Mr. Davis is having another.

This is a poignant and genuinely heartbreaking story about how we treat the mentally ill.

Loved this sci-fi short film. As other reviewers mention there is something deeper going on.

[midnitepantera · 9/10 · 1 May 2021]

Saw this a few years ago and just loved it. So much better than all the big budget re-hashed garbage put out by big studios. You have to REALLY pay attention to the main character or you will miss the point. The idea of this alien and its concept are wonderful and then heartbreaking. You may need to watch a few times for the pieces to fall into place. Glad to see someone out there is trying to make something that makes you think instead of spoon feeding the meaning to the viewers. Hope to see more great films like this.

Empty

[bob the moo · 29 March 2017]

A massive alien lands on Earth in the Nevada Desert. Unhindered by the efforts of our military, it moves into LA where it hangs around at the beach, the airport, and seems to be generating some type of repetitive noise.

A Narrow World is both interesting and frustrating as a short film. It is a sci-fi, the best of which is about ideas first, and the technology second. It is a narrative wherein a (literally) alien presence is taken as a thing of intrigue by the supposedly smarter half of the population, while those from the military speak in terms of threat and defense. Given that this film is coming out of a deeply divided North America, I found this to be an interesting idea, while on the main narrative I was intrigued to see where it would go.

So frustrating then that the film is all build-up and no delivery. It eventually feels like it was made as a pitch, and not for me to watch and enjoy as a whole piece of work. The suggestive of relevance to my life, and the intrigue of the scenario, both made this harder to take, because there was no closure, or conclusion, to the narrative. Instead it is a tease that doesn't leave you with anything but that sense of what it could have been. I don't even think there is enough here to be considered a proof of concept – although it does feel very much like that, in which case the design of the alien is not particularly appealing to make it a character.

It suggests a lot, and certainly has a lot of effort behind it as a piece – but there is almost nothing below the pitch and special effect shots, which is a real shame.

Don't be Bob the moo

[iamaccost · 9/10 · 21 May 2021]

In his review, Bob the moo talks of the short as being a tease and not completing the story. Hint: this is an excellent short story but don't take it all on face value. Definitely watch it more than once...