Director – David E. Teixeira (Stream, Visiteur)
Starring – Catarina Carvalho and Sergio Moco (Stream)
Release Date – 2022
Rating – 3/5
Sometime last year I was introduced to filmmaker David E. Teixeira when he asked me to review his short films Visiteur, Stream, and Play. Pause. Kill. I was impressed by what I saw but I was a little disappointed in their short run times. I was seriously impressed by the camera work and how grounded the characters in these two films were.
A few weeks back David reached out to me to review his newest short Last Gasp. With the holidays approaching and my day job ramping up I found myself unable to make time for the film but with the new year here on us I was able to work it in to my schedule. I want to thank David for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to check this one out.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a young woman who finds herself home alone when a strange package arrives with no name addressed to it. She assumes it’s belongs to one of her roommates and brings it into her apartment. It doesn’t take long before she realizes she has made a grave mistake opening the door and something sinister is in her home. **Spoiler Alert**
Last Gasp is much like the other films from Teixeira with beautiful camera work, a great performance from a young actress, and a story that is much bigger than the film’s run time. I really believe he has an eye for film that most filmmakers would kill for but the short run time is his biggest problem. I think that if he took the time to work on a feature length film he would create something that would seriously impress genre fans. Anyway, Last Gasp was a lot of fun. It was short and straight to the point but it’s length does work against it.
The acting in this is great. The film, for the most part, follows a young woman who is interacting with things alone yet it’s not as awkward as it could have been. Her movement, dialogue, and the way in which she carries the scene is natural. I would have liked to see her story stretched out a little further to see how she would handle other situations.
The story for this one is a smooth mix of post-Scream slasher and home invasion thriller. Teixeira’s stylish approach to this type of story could be something truly unforgettable. However, the film’s short run time has us watching the story unfold way too fast without answering any questions. There is so much to explore with the story here and having the short not explore it is criminal.
Finally, the film doesn’t have a body count and if you are looking for heaps of blood and gore you will be very disappointed. The film relies heavily on suspense and tension instead of practical effects. Overall, Final Gasp is very atmospheric and beautifully shot but those of you with a taste for blood will be very disappointed. I recommend it but if this isn’t something that interests you then skip it.
