'Darby After Dark (2024)' is a short horror film about a radio host who messes with forces outside her control when she participates in a game that seems to connect her with some form of spirit. Made with no real budget, the piece tells its insular story in a convincing and most compelling way. Although I don't think the narrative is as well-rounded or satisfying as it could have been, the production design and performances are pretty much perfect. Apparently, the radio station was actually a spare bedroom, which just goes to show how impressive the set design and cinematography is. The lighting, in particular, is effectively ominous, casting a red glow across the room which backlights the lead and hints towards the seriousness of her situation. The lead herself is really convincing, mixing confidence with uncertainty in equal measure. You buy that she has her own nighttime show, and also that she's becoming unsettled by the increasingly creepy things that occur around her. The callers are also really good, with the woman who introduces the game never quite making it clear if her intentions are malevolent or not.
What holds me back from liking the well-made short more is the fact that its punchline doesn't really land for me. Although it's paced well and doesn't lag, there's just not enough room to properly explore its premise. I can easily see how it could be expanded to feature-length, with the protagonist first playing the game properly and being intrigued enough to be bolder with it a second time, which results in a more unsettling result and prompts her to break its rules, causing an escalating series of supernatural events that can only lead to ruin. As is, though, we don't really get a proper sense of how the game is meant to operate, nor of what the spirits mentioned throughout actually are/ want. Instead, the picture pivots to a customary series of events and ends with a jump scare that isn't all that effective (and also reveals some relatively disappointing, albeit good for the budget, makeup effects).
Despite my reservations, this is still a really well-made short that is atmospheric and enjoyable. Its performances and production design are its standout elements, with its screenplay perhaps falling just slightly short. It's definitely worth watching.
