PREY

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Writer/Director, Bill Whirity for sending me an online screener of his 4-minute Horror/Thriller short “Prey”. Prey opens up at the tail end of a movie date between young adults Ben and Casey (played by Jacob Zachar and Jessica Cook). Whilst walking back to their car they discover they’ve been set upon by a pickup truck and must fight to survive the night. The film also stars Jimmy Sieczka and Monte.

Whirity’s speedy setup is a simple and relatable one. Those awkward moments on a date where you’re just feeling the other person out, trying to make a good impression. In this case, doing so by discussing the post-game wrap up (so to speak) on the movie they’ve just come out of seeing. Prey is nicely shot by experienced DP, Edd Lukas (The Gallows). Everything is framed quite nicely and the Steadicam approach works well. The audio track is crisp and clear and the music evokes mysterious tones that complement the material. I remember seeing Jacob a few years back in the leading role in “Detention Of The Dead”, a thoroughly enjoyable zombie take on the iconic film “The Breakfast Club”. As for the stunning Jessica Cook, she featured alongside Matt O’Leary in “Stung”, another solid independent horror film. The pair’s chemistry here feels natural and they both deliver good performances.

I think the combination of some dark color grading and the scarcely lit car park results in a somewhat overly shadowy final image. It came to my attention because of a cut during an ambiguous moment where a character ends up hitting the ground and there doesn’t appear to be any reason for it. They’re standing side on in relation to the vehicle, plus it’s stationary. The whole sequence was a little vague. Unfortunately, Prey’s inevitable twist is a rather predictable one, although that could just be because I’ve grown used to anticipating such things.

Prey is my first venture into the work of Bill Whirity, and it made for a thoroughly entertaining introduction. The camera work is well conceived, the audio is sharp, and the two performances are fun. I would’ve liked to have seen the film lit slightly better, as well as that first flash of action re-cut and edited for continuity sake. Seasoned viewers are likely to see the twist coming, but thankfully it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of this one. Prey feels a bit like a segment out of one of the early V/H/S films and it’s sure to please horror fans. Keep an eye out for this one very soon!

My rating for “Prey” is 8/10