Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

ridiculous rating

Absolutely amazing

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This film is a letter home from a backpacker passing through the UK. The narration tells us the letter in soft tones with are full of reflection and affection while the soundtrack adds to this with a delicate sound which, while a bit obvious, does help set the tone. Under this we see Sam (the narrator) being friendly, meeting a young couple, being friendly and generally being the backpacker type that you would see anywhere in the world – his new friends which he speaks of so nicely in the letter also appear to be similar characters, with stories of near- death adventures in far-off places which fits into their safe comfort of their warm flat. It is at this point that the tone of the film changes – or, better than that, it doesn't.I have seen some shorts recently that have very effectively flipped the tone of the film on the viewer and made the impact even greater, but here Mat Johns doesn't do that, even though he does. The trick here is that the narrator keeps the tone even throughout and doesn't vary and nor does the music in the background, however what does change is what we see on the screen. From being a friendly scene of travelers opening their home to a fellow traveler, we see a brutal crime committed by Sam. In terms of what we see happen, it really isn't too different from what we see on CSI etc while eating dinner during primetime, but the manner of delivery makes it more shocking and more impacting. The clash with the cold, calm letter seems to add to the horror of Sam's actions and it also helps that the actual acting and filming makes them feel horribly real.Although they are silent, the performances are really effective – Stacey is very good in the lead while Herrett and Grey really sell their fear when it counts, making the closing scenes so much more horrible to watch. Run is not different to the "weren't expecting that, were ya?" tone change that is not uncommon in short horror films, but in this case it is very well done because it really doesn't jump at us to say "boo" but rather chills and unnerves.