Director – Raymond Cara
Starring – Artemis Lupercalia, Carolyn McNiece, and Krista Kent
Release Date – 2024
Rating – 3/5
I watched several horror shorts during my October horror binge and they were mostly pretty enjoyable. Creativity was a big factor in those shorts which is something you really need to make a short effective. I started looking at the movies I had left when the month was over and realized I forgot to include a new short that was sent my way by director Raymond Cara.
The short, Shadow with a Straight Razor, looked like something I would really enjoy and I hate that I forgot to include it in my month long horror binge. However, I still have a lot of movies left to review so I moved it up my list and kept on digging through them all. I want to thank Raymond for sending it over.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a group of unsuspecting victims in the city at night that fall victim to a maniac wielding a straight razor. **Spoiler Alert**
Shadow with a Straight Razor is a solid little slasher with giallo vibes that was a lot of fun as a short. However, if the film was stretched in further it would have fell apart.
The acting in this one is decent for the most part. While everyone is fully committed to their roles, some show inexperience. Their dialogue is forced and unnatural. It doesn’t ruin the film and in later scenes they seemed to have found their footing.
The story for this one works for a short but if it was to be stretched any longer it would not be as effective. It’s a film with a body count and a bad attitude which is something I love in a film. On the downside, I left this one with more questions than answers. A little more focus on the why he is killing rather than just killing for entertainment purposes would have went a long way with this one.
Finally, the film has several on screen deaths that utilizes the straight razor. The deaths use fantastic practical effects and are extremely bloody. Overall, Shadow with a Straight Razor is a seriously mean spirited short with a lot of blood. The kills may not be the most original, but the fantastic effects make them worth watching. Check it out.
