I saw this 2-minute short seemingly repeatedly pop up in my news feed in a post from Horror Society and thought, ‘nobody can’t spare 2 fucking minutes’.
Glad I did. Much like Lights Out, 12AM it uses its simplicity to great effect: one actor, zero dialogue, trim edits in a single scene, played out in real time, revolving around a relatable fear: that groggy, half-waking state between sleep and awake.
(SPOILERS AFTER THE JUMP)
It ends the way most shorts of this type tend to – with a jump – but it’s hard to fault it on that (or the make-up of the ghoul). Unlike Lights Out, it doesn’t look like director Jayson Marcon had much money to play with, so losing the jump-scare saves it from entering when-you-see-it-it’s-less-scary territory, something bigger-budgeted films have fallen victim to (o hai, Sinister). Still, it’s fun, it’s short, and a little kooky.
Score: 🎃🎃🎃
An Englishwoman in Salem 