2:22 (2009)

2:22 is the new short film from Abyssmal Productions, written and directed by Steven Shea and produced by Tim Anderson. The short had its world premiere at the prestigious Stiges Film Festival in Spain and also screened at Screamfest Film Festival in L.A. as well as dozens of other festivals last year, and it looks like after securing distribution it will gain an even bigger audience now!

This seven minute short was shot in a whirlwind three days and spent three weeks in post-production before being rushed out for the fall festival run last year. The filmmakers’s are extremely proud of their cast and crew, and extremely excited to see their vision come to cinematic life.

A disclaimer before continuing: I’ve known fellow horror critic Tim Anderson for quite some time and was very eager to check out 2:22 after hearing so much about it before, during and after its production. Make no mistake, though, even though I am acquainted with Anderson I certainly won’t sugar-coat my review.

Here is the film’s official synopsis:

After an incredible night out with her girlfriends, Vickie Palmer (Tara Lightfoot) is wrenched from her peaceful slumber and cast mercilessly into a world spinning out of control.

Writhing half naked on the cold porcelain tile of her bathroom floor, Vickie desperately tries to piece together the tragic turn of events that has twisted her once carefree life into a nightmare of pain and suffering.

But when she discovers the truth, will it be too late to save her from eternal damnation?

After watching the short, I can tell you I was not disappointed or let down! The first thing I noticed about the film was its high quality. Most independent films, short or feature-length, usually look like they’ve been shot on a camcorder from the ‘80s. This poor quality doesn’t hurt my opinion of the film if the story is good enough…but it usually isn’t. So, it was nice to see a short film look spiffy for once!

It didn’t disappoint with the story either…from the first scene I was completely engrossed in Vickie’s story. She wakes up at 2:22 AM, hollering her head off, and rushes to throw up some fairly chunky blood…yeesh, what a hangover! As she tries to alleviate her pain by praying to the porcelain god, we are shown what really happened hours before, when she was carelessly dancing the night away at a club. Minute by intriguing minute we learn what has caused this waking nightmare for Vickie. There were so many red herrings to cause of Vickie’s malady that by the time the finale rolled around I was genuinely surprised (and delighted) at the twist at the end!

I also must mention what a great job the actors did…Tara Lightfoot as Vickie was the obvious standout (and I’m sure all you guys will appreciate her nekkidness throughout the short), and she really gave Vickie the perfect balance of sexiness, desperation and strength. Though the other actors didn’t really have any lines (but then again, neither did Tara, unless you count screaming), they did a great job conveying emotions through body language.

2:22 is a short film full of sexiness, seduction and surprises. Not only does it have an intriguing storyline, but it also has a professional polish that seems rare for short indie films. 2:22 is a masterfully crafted short film that grips you by the jugular and doesn’t let go!