Feature Film Review

Film Info:
Deep into the night, a lone office worker contends with an ominous presence.

Written By: Eric Walker
Directed By: Colin Berry
Genre: Sci-Fi
9.5 Minutes

IndyRed.com

SHADOWS ( 2015 )

  The short of it? Eric Walker's short film Shadows is really cool. The basic premise is so "Shadowy" as to be interesting, but at the same time it's familiar enough to be a little creepy. Watching this little Sci-Fi gem kept conjuring up images of one of my favorite movies from days gone by. Phantasm. In particular Phantasm 2. Not to say this is a carbon copy in any way but the feel one get's when watching is a similar one. As are some of the cooler aspects of this short. Anyone who hasn't seen the classic Phantasm should look it up. Get past the dated look and it's pretty cool.
  The overall presentation of Shadows is actually a little hard to really categorize. It's what I always call a genre blurring film. Shadows easily belongs in the Horror category as much as it fits into the Sci-Fi world. By nature the two genres share a lot of traits but the last scene in Shadows pretty much cements it's Science Fiction roots. You think you know the classic bedroom abduction scenario but maybe...  Well... You'll just have to watch to find out more.
  On the technical side I was rather impressed with this title. I'm not flailing around screaming how perfect everything was but in general this is a nicely put together piece. Some good camera work mixed in with a slick edit and some cool effects. What more could you ask of a short? I know what you're thinking. Independent and short film right? So how's the audio stack up? Actually... Pretty well. This isn't a million dollar audio grade but it's good enough to not distract you from the film itself. Mixed rather well and clear to the ear. I should add however, I tend to think that the nature of Shadows itself lends to the decent audio. Lots of whispers and weird back round sounds in the air make it easy to mask any potential imperfections. Still though, the overall audio mix fits seemingly perfectly. It's as they say: What's good for the goose...
  What you end up with is a well written, well paced and well done short film that promises a lot... and actually delivers enough to make you happy. My biggest complaint is that Shadows could be so much more if it were expanded and shot as a feature. The potential is evident and the pieces are in place. As a short film it's an enjoyable little venture into the unknown. As a feature it could be epic! The collaboration between writer Eric Walker and Director Colin Berry seems to be a good one. I would love to see more work from both of them. As individuals or paired up. In the case of Shadows itself, you've got a winning short! Sure. I would love to see it expanded upon but it does a hell of a job standing alone. The best part? It's free to watch!
-JT

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