P.O.V.

Brian K. Rosenthal (Fever, Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness)

Starring - Katie Mackey (Chainsaw Sally: The Animated Series, Crocodylus), Chris Frank (Slash/Up, The Owl's Nest), and David VanHippchen (Scorpion vs. Jason, Freddy Krueger: Nightmare on Vape Street)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror/Action

Tagline - "Lights. Camera. Hacktion"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most of my reviews are for feature length films but I've been fortunate enough to review many shorts over the years here at Horror Society. A lot of the shorts I've been lucky enough to review have really impressed me. They tend to be unique and untraditional for the most part. That brings me to my next review which happens to be a short from Brian K. Rosenthal. Brian is well known for his viral video Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness along with several other fan films and original horror shorts. Sometime back Brian reached out to me to review his short P.O.V. when I was preparing for my October horror binge. Sadly, I wasn't able to until now due to the amount of films I received. I tried to watch them in order that they were received and it was finally time to check it out. I want to thank Brian for allowing horror society and myself the opportunity to review your work! 

      The film follows a couple who are about to settle in for the night when a masked madman kills the man but before he could slaughter the beautiful young woman he is attacked by another masked man. The man that prevented her from dying is wearing a modified welder's helmet with a camera fixed in the center to record all the action up close as it unfolds. 

      I knew very little about P.O.V. prior to watching it and I can safely say that going into it blind really made a difference. The film is rather short and if you go into knowing anything about the story could potentially ruin it for you so I would be weary of reading this review if you plan on watching this phenomenal short. The acting in this one is great. We have the traditional aspect of the film with the character interactions and dialogue delivery. The small group does a fantastic job in this regard. However, it's the fight choreography and athleticism that makes this one stand out from the other shorts that I've reviewed in the past. The fight in this one is very impressive and while I don't like comparing indie productions to big budget films, I would be lying if I didn't see the same intensity and complexity that I've seen in the John Wick films. The story for this one is a lot of fun and could easily be turned into a feature length film or a series of shorts. I absolutely loved the masked killer in the home angle. I grew up with the 80s slashers on tape and have a soft spot for masked murderers and madmen. You then take that and mix it with a highly skilled fighter that doubles as a vigilante and you have something that truly stands out especially in the world of indie cinema. Finally, the film has some blood and a fun death with what looks like a machete but it's not gore heavy. The film's highlight is the action instead of bloody moments. Overall, P.O.V. is a must watch for movie fans regardless of your preferred genre. This action/horror hybrid is a lot of fun. Check it out