This week’s pick of the week is the wonderful horror short Jameson, by writer/director John Humber. Good short horror is hard to come by, with a challenge coming from building up the suspense in such a short time. That being said, when it’s done well, it’s done very well, and Jameson falls into that category.
The story follows Jameson, a man living out in the wilderness, purposely removing himself from the outside world. Living in seclusion, Jameson’s life seems to be serving him well, which of course means that it’s all about to change. This change comes in the form of three travelers, who make their way to the remote cabin, forcing Jameson to do what he has to do in order to survive and make it though this harrowing situation.
This film has a lot of really cool aspects to it, most interestingly the outdoor panic room that is Jameson’s cabin. It helps create the feeling of entrapment, immediately eliciting the panic and dread being a prisoner in your own home, even if it is for your own protection, can evoke.
By far the most interesting part of this film, however, is the tonal shift this film takes near the end. As we find out more and more about Jameson’s self-imposed exile, this goes from home invasion thriller to something much more sinister, adding one more terrifying layer to a work already overflowing with tension and terror.
The writing and direction of Humber combine to make an absolutely fascinating film, with deep dread filling the entire space of this remote, wooded location. Adding in these little bits of home defense technology, and building it up as it went along worked brilliantly as everything really ramped up.
The cast also did an excellent job, with Brad Carter leading the charge as Jameson. Combining that with the terrific performances by the attackers (James Grixoni, Tony Doupe and Taylor McKinney) and the brief but surprising appearance by Jasmine Wright and it all equals out to a cast with really good chemistry, all of whom delivered.
Jameson is a film that takes you on a journey in its short, eleven-minute runtime, but that journey is very interesting to see unfold. It’s selection as Pick of the Week is well earned, and fans of fun, short horror can see for themselves on BitPix.
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