GUEST Review – An Unsettling Short With A Truly Ghastly Antagonist
David Gelmini
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Starring Melania Crisan, Jessica Munna, Anna Fraser
Directed by Finn Callan
Running for just over twelve minutes in length, Guest is a truly terrifying short film which will make you think twice before visiting another person in their home. Melania Crisan stars as Mary, a young woman who seems to be on the run from some kind of malevolent entity. Taking refuge in a house she stumbles upon in the night, Mary finds that her troubles are only just beginning as she is blinded and deafened by her pursuer.
Because Mary can neither see nor hear for the majority of the story, Guest actually contains only a few lines of dialogue, with most of the opening focusing on Mary’s bandaged face as she lies helplessly in the home of a stranger played by Jessica Munna, who tries in vain to comfort her intruder. These moments were suitably unsettling, with the close-up shots of Anna’s bandaged face encapsulating her terror as she waits for her inevitable pursuer to reappear.
As for the mysteriously titular entity, well, let’s just say that even if you close your eyes, you won’t be able to unsee this thing once you see it. Played by Anna Fraser under a ton of makeup, this silent, blank-faced monstrosity will be burned into your memory until the day you die. We don’t know exactly who or what this huge-eyed creature was, and we’re not even entirely sure we want to know. All we know is that, judging from its blank stare, looks really can kill. Or at least leave you deaf and blind.
From a visual perspective, Guest appears as a very cold and detached film, with uninviting shades of blue and grey ensuring that you never truly feel welcome. We also need to give a shout-out to sound designer Trifa Keedo and composer Oxxymoron, for utilising audio and music to add to the overall unwelcome appeal. Writer and director Finn Callan clearly has an eye for talent, because everyone involved did their best to ensure that Guest will haunt its viewers for years to come. After watching this, you’ll think twice before opening your door to a stranger on a dark night.
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The Guest
Summary
Despite the short runtime and relatively simplistic story, the unyielding sense of dread and the terrifying antagonist ensure that Guest will haunt its viewers for long after the credits roll.
