Other Side, The (Short, 2012)
Scott Hallam
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Starring Nick Moran, Amelia Warner, Jennie Jacques, Charlie De’ath, Mark Cameron, Paul Davis
Directed by The Santoro Brothers
The Santoro Brothers, Alex and Oli, presented Dread Central with their film The Other Side, which is currently making the rounds on the festival circuit. The 20-minute short is not only slickly made, I’d say it’s worth going out of your way to scope out.
The Other Side carries an impressive cast, including Nick Moran (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Harry Potter series), Amelia Warner (Mansfield Park, Aeon Flux and The Echo) and Jennie Jacques (Shank, Cherry Tree Lane) and a crew that sports films like Saving Private Ryan, The Shining, X-Men: First Class, A Clockwork Orange and Shadow of the Vampire on their collective resume. This is an amazing line-up, especially for a short film. And the experience of this team is quite evident in the beautiful looking product that is The Other Side.
Written by Ben Scott, Joshua Van Hooke and Jeremy Drysdale, the story details a young nanny arriving at a secluded house to care for a couple’s young child. Although the husband (played by Moran) does not agree with the decision of hiring someone from outside the home to care for the baby, the mom, Rachel (played by Warner), says the nanny stays. The action starts quickly after the stage is set and does not let up for the entire run of the film. We quickly become familiar with a character called Death Face (Davis), who certainly earns the name as he’s an incredibly frightening figure, arriving on the scene to do only bad, bad things.
Although a bit predictable in parts, The Other Side does go for a big surprise ending that works. The film is incredibly gritty, violent and bloody. There’s only a small cast here, but everyone gets in on the action. Moran is especially effective as he struggles through his encounter with Death Face, and Warner and Jacques are impressive as well. The killer himself is an imposing figure, and Death Face is a great name for him. Certainly a nightmarish entity.
The Other Side will certainly impress audiences. If you find yourself with a chance to check it out, do yourself a favor and get your ass in that seat. You won’t be disappointed.
4 out of 5
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