Film Review: The Still Born (short film) (2017)

SYNOPSIS:

A mysterious entity haunts a man after his brother goes missing.

REVIEW:

I feel this film is most enjoyed when you don’t try and figure it out and you simply let the unnerving atmosphere just wash over you. The Still Born uses a voice over to great effect – mostly because it is used so sparsely and you find yourself waiting for more information so you can piece the puzzle together.

This film feels very familiar to me – there’s a definite Blair Witch vibe to the plot, and visually speaking The Still Born made me feel like I had stumbled upon a film from 40 years ago in my parents’ attic – yet it rarely feels derivative.

It’s not really acting as a found footage film at all with the camera work feeling very deliberate; There are several drawn-out still shots which toy with viewer expectation and it’s easy to appreciate the artistry of the filmmaker. A lot of care and thought has gone into this film and the dedication of the filmmaker is apparent all the way through.