Short Film Review of 'Room 8'

Room 8 

'Room 8' is a BAFTA Award winning short film directed by James W. Griffiths and written by Geoffrey Fletcher. The Film tells the story of a man Ives who has somehow come into trouble with the law and is taken to a Polsih prison. In his cell he meets his secluded, intellectual room-mate Sheers who owns a mysterious red box. Curious and against Sheers warning, Ives opens the box; which results in serious personal consequences.  

From the opening shots of the film I was instantly transported to a very different type of world. Not just because the film was shot in Poland but also the overall grey tones of the imagery used in the film transported me to a more harsh, cruel plane of life. The prison location added to the realism of the situation the character of Ives enters, which contrasts starkly with the later surrealistic themes. In the opening scenes of the short film the un-subtitled harsh voices of the Polish prison guards made me feel, as a viewer confined and uneasy.   

I loved the overall look of the film. The slightly shaky camera shots added to the unpredictability of the storyline and the strong colour of the red mysterious box, in contrast to the surrounding faded colours of the sets, really added to the curiosity of  the box's contents for the viewer. The brilliant set design makes the story believable and as a viewer I  believed that the events that took place in the film could be possible in every-day life.    

Throughout the Film I continued to feel an underlying sense of dread that the film cleverly created through a combination of great understated performances by the actors (Tom Cullen and Michael Gould) and a brilliant haunting score by Lennert Busch. The storyline is unpredictable and Griffiths delivers a original and spell-binding perception on the lengths people will go to escape confinement.  

I don't want to spoil too much but 'Room 8' is a highly intriguing film with a brilliant original concept that is best watched with no expectations or knowledge about the plot. It will surprise you, perhaps terrify you and definitely give you something to think about.I would highly recommend it.