'The Chair (2022)' is a short film about a man whose world is turned upside down when he brings home an ominous antique chair he finds at the side of the road. It's a classic example of psychological horror, with the exact nature of its goings on kept purposefully ambiguous in order to enhance its unsettling nature. It doesn't really matter if what's happening is real or not, as everything has a tangible consequence regardless of whether it's physical or psychological, but the picture retains an enigmatic uncertainty surrounding the potential supernatural nature of its various elements. This keeps you on your toes, while also allowing the piece to take on some potential thematic underpinnings without fully committing to any of them (which would be a negative if I didn't feel a more consistent subtext could potentially dampen the palpable atmosphere). The narrative is purposefully confusing, skipping over large chunks of time and refusing to provide answers to its various questions. We experience everything from the perspective of the protagonist, which causes our own handle on reality to slip away alongside his own. This ensures that even the silliest moments feel genuine, their absurdity leaving you unsure if you should laugh or not and further solidifying the flick's disturbingly unreal nature. Though the plot is pretty light and it plays around with elements we've seen before, the short crafts a strong vibe from its opening moments and is consistently disquieting. It isn't terrifying, but it's consistently unnerving; there's just a sense that something isn't right with any of it. The production is assured across the board, with dynamic shot compositions and slightly dreamy (or nightmary) cinematography. The music is somewhat generic, yet suitably foreboding; it strengthens more than a few of the scare sequences. Ultimately, this is a compelling effort that manages to get under your skin on a few occasions. It's menacing and uncomfortable throughout.
