While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.
So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-Tober time!
What does the scariest concept look like? Is it something that touches on familiar fears while also pushing the scope? Or is it the unimaginable?
In Barak Shpiez’s Vax, it does the former, with a conceit that feels eerie and effectively perpetuates our already dormant (or not so much) concerns in a succinct package.
It’s 2003, and researcher Geoff (Cade Carradine) begins his shift at his lab where he has been working on a malaria vaccine. However, today, he notices that in one of his samples, the virus is missing.
He goes to his supervisor, Eric (Ricco Ross), and the two figure discover that they may have finally found the cure. But what about the lost sample?
Their discussion shifts to the decision to hide what’s happened and move forward with the win, keeping the potential disaster a secret, and cashing in on their findings.
Worst Case Scenario
When you have a position of power such as this and handle such important samples, there’s really no opportunity for a mess-up. Geoff knows the dangers, and he’s sweating. But the film poses an intriguing question of morality.
Vax utilizes the tension it builds early on as the clock ticks down, uncertain of the full consequences that may have occurred.
This 12-minute short manages to create ample suspense, in some ways more effectively than other full-length features.
The idea has a lot of avenues it could take as a feature, but for now, this short leaves us on an intriguing open note. What will they do? It focuses on greed, power, and the inevitable morality of having such a grand decision in one’s hands.
It is a very impressive short and a taut example of a medical thriller done right. I wanted more!
Vax is a riveting bit of horror that proves to be effectively posing valid questions and boasts excellent direction from Barak Shpiez.
Today’s winner:
Wonderfully Weird & Horrifying 