Killbird

Bird photographer Taylor Crane (Elysia Rotaru) is watching in the Oregon woods. Her car breaks down. She stumbles upon Riad (Stephen Lobo) and his cabin. He's suspicious and she's nosey. He tells her about Killbird, a bird species which pretends to be injured as a survival tactic. She tells him that they're actually called Killdeer.

The first half is basically a two-person play in a cabin. Some people would find it boring, but I don't mind. I would like it more if she plays more innocent. That works better whether she's a spy or not. She's not reacting to his creepiness in a normal way. The interactions are off and there is only one explanation. Once the movie starts doing reveals, the situation gets convoluted and problematic. While I like this concept, this small indie thriller never really gets it right and the second half is too messy.