I've always said that the best friend of any short film is its story. If the story works, you can overlook any flaws with the production or the acting. The meat and bones behind any great or good Independent short is the story. You need to find a way to keep us on our toes for ten minutes. Truth be told, it's not an easy task. You don't have a lot of time to build up your story in the same fashion of a feature film. Because of this, character development often suffers in short films. I consider a short film almost like a trailer for a major motion picture. You need to grab us right away and never let us go. If you can do that, your film will succeed. If you can't do that, your film suffers in the long run. Thankfully, "Perfect Red" grabs us from the opening credits and keeps us guessing along the way. Our film opens up following Morrigan (Andrea E. Harrison), who is a troubled artist trying to finish up a painting. She's currently going through an extreme case of painter's blocker.

The film takes an interesting turn in the final act. I was glad that director David Covarrubias and screenwriter Emile Haris used real imagination with this film. They didn't turn the film into a typical by-the-book horror film. They took it in a completely different direction that was ingenious and captivating. Outside of the strong screenplay, this is a great visual film. It uses a great combination of bright colors mixed with dark colors. This is a film that is moved along with images and surroundings. I like a film that is able to mix style with story. It seems so many filmmakers are so caught up in style that they forget about telling a story. The style means that much more when it's accompanied by a story. In "Perfect Red," you get the best of both worlds. The cinematography, which was also done by Emil Haris, in this film is top-notch as well. It does a great job in establishing the dark and ominous story that Emile Haris wants to tell. Emile Haris has redeemed himself with this story. I thought his story was the weakest link of "Girl with Gun." With "Perfect Red," he proves that he can make a story unfold gradually over the course of a short film.

As stated above, a lot of the acting in this film leaves a lot to be desired. The villains in this film are on the same wave-length as the villains in a Steven Segal film. The lead actress in the film is instantly forgettable. With that said, I'm not saying she gave an awful performance. She just gave a bland and uninteresting performance. I expect more fire-power and energy out of a leading lady.

"Perfect Red" is a stylish, fun, and unique short film from David Covarrubias. It's able to tell a good story while being stylish in its thirteen minute running time. If you are in the mood for something different, I'd recommend you check out "Perfect Red" when it come to a film festival near you. You won't regret it.

[   Link to Us   |   FAQ   |   Top^   ]
All written reviews material and content are a copyright of Felix Vasquez Jr. and Cinema Crazed.
Content borrowed without written permission will not be permitted.

¤ ¤ ¤