The intro has nice music to bring us in, and the scene starts off like it's just any ordinary day. We are introduced to the main character, Ivo. Cut to later in the day, Ivo is having a nightmare, one so real he begins to think that something or someone is after him, or worse still, that he has done something terrible. Paranoia is sinking in, as he discusses the nightmare he had, with his friend Kate; it intensifies his delusional state of mind. As we progress through the film, we see him come undone as his paranoia increases.
There is a good amount of foreshadowing happening, to give us the impression there is something supernatural that could be going on. I won't spoil the movie, but let's just think about this for a moment. I think the nightmare sequences need to be discussed here, as this is a common troupe in the horror genre. There are some great moments when the viewer doesn't know what is going on, because it makes little sense as to how a nightmare could go on to cause such a devastating ending. But as you will see, the nightmare theme is an integral part in the film to carry the plot to a resolution. Also, there are other aspects brought into the story arc and other characters to help pull this off. With the nightmare theme added to this, it brings in the suspense and tension needed to add layering and texture to the storyline and the overall plot. It's done in such a way that until it actually happens, it is unexpected, which is what I expect to happen in short horror films, with a limited time frame.
Looking at the concept in more detail, I like the fact the tormentor in the nightmare and Ivo has been mixed up, intertwined, so that the viewer doesn't catch onto the plot until the very end. These technicalities are done remarkably well. The scenes where Krasimir is in the real world, adds that extra layer to build upon the storyline and the plot. Who is Kasimir and why is he everywhere Ivo goes? Who is stalking who? Ivo makes the decision to follow this strange man from his nightmare, we see a great scene play out when they finally meet in person, with a little gore as an added bonus. Let's talk about paranoia and what an insidious disorder it is. I believe that Petkov wrote this as not to offend anyone with a mental illness, as there are many people who suffer from paranoid schizophrenia. This is not the case in this film, it doesn't end badly due to someone suffering the paranoia of a schizophrenic, nor is it brought on by drug induced delusion. The fear Ivo feels, definitely has an element of the supernatural to it, that will surely be a nice surprise for the viewer. It's refreshing to see that there is a clear separation between paranoid schizophrenia and the supernatural element.
The music is a great choice for enhancing the scenes, (composed by Scott McLaughlin,) good sound effects, closeup cinematography. The photography is compelling, and was done by Miroslav Petkov, as well as the superb editing. The storyline is simple, yet effective. I like the motif being a sledgehammer, as this adds something terrifying for the viewer to ponder on. The twist at the end was unexpected, which is what I love to see from this filmmaker, Miroslav Petkov. Although this is a short horror film, I can see a lot of work went into this, and there are many moving parts, but it is fairly easy to follow along with the essence of the film. Miroslav Petkov also plays the man Kasimir.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone wanting to see something special in the Independent horrorsphere. Keep an eye on this filmmaker, he is definitely one to watch out for.
Reviewed by Del Gibson.
