Rating: ★★★ 1/2
I recently had the opportunity to attend Big Picture Film Club‘s Conspiracy event in Shoreditch, where five independent short films were screened. I’ll be reviewing all of them in upcoming Short Film Saturdays posts, so make sure you keep an eye out for those!
This week, I’m taking a look at In2ruders by Naeem Mahmood. The film explores a much darker side to the music industry and follows twin pop stars Lumi & Narti. After refusing to sign to a powerful record label, things start to spiral out of control very quickly. Running at 25 minutes, it’s positioned at the longer side of the short film category so I was interested to see how the narrative would play out in this time.
Stylistically, In2ruders reminded me of Dario Argento’s Suspiria because of its unnatural lighting such as red, blue, and other vibrant colours. This really helped to set the scene and make me feel uncomfortable as an audience member. Straight away, it was obvious that this was going to be a creepy, unsettling film and it gave me an opportunity to strap myself in for a wild ride. The visuals are definitely what impressed me most about this film as they are of an incredibly high standard and they draw you in. There are some genuinely terrifying moments in this short too, utilising those classic horror techniques that we all know and love. (or hate, if you’re not a horror lover!)
The acting was mixed because I absolutely loved Caprice’s portrayal of the sexy, powerful Ravana Sepertine but the Bloom Twins gave a fairly average performance. In some scenes they really shone but in others, their line delivery felt unnatural. I appreciate this is their first and only film role so hopefully they will improve in time, as I’d love to see more of them on screen. It was nice to see such a female heavy cast too, as I thought this properly reflected the struggles women face when trying to ‘make it’ in the entertainment industry. In addition, the cast featured Vogue models and people from all areas of the pop culture landscape which was a great touch and helped bring the film to life on screen.
Overall, In2ruders is a strong entry into the psychological horror genre. I enjoyed the storyline and visual style, but I found myself feeling a little disappointed with the sudden ending. It was a pleasure to see this film during its preview screening, and I wish it the best of luck for any future festivals or screenings.
Keep up to date with In2ruders here:
