Daggers Drawn

I thoroughly enjoyed the sharp and witty short film that contains two great performances and plenty of twists and turns. One of the other reviews mentions Tarantino and there's certainly that same verbal flair and clever humor in Daggers Drawn - one line in particular (which I won't spoil) bowled me over with its clever alliteration, internal rhyming, punchy delivery and significance for the story. Overall, it packs a hell of a lot of entertainment, action and style into 10 minutes.

It's hard not to see the genre influences in this tale of revenge, stilettos and a date night gone horribly wrong, but when it's done with this much wit, sass and confidence, you find yourself welcoming the nods to masters gone by. All the tricks you'd want and expect from such a stylish, twisty tale are here: expectations upended, lines delivered with knowing relish and the kind of foreshadowing you just know will pay off.

The acting is on point; a deliciously sinister and seedy performance by Ricky Herrera complimented by the steely femme fatale vibe of Gley Viera who handles the one-liners consummately and makes sure they land well. It's directed with admirable restraint and poise by Cotton, who knows when to cut and when to linger; and can handle a good stabbing as well as the next pro. The palette is something to be admired too; crisp whites and blood reds - you know this isn't going to end well for someone.

Overall this is a well-written, sassily directed short that will leave you a little tense but with a smile on your face, and the sense of great things to come from everyone involved.