Rating:  ★★★★ 1/2

Running at only 5 minutes, The First Date isn’t wasting any time and I was curious to see how the story would play out. The film follows an unnamed man as he arrives at a restaurant, waiting to meet a woman for a first date. At first he thinks she’s stood him up, but it’s soon revealed something much more sinister is afoot.

Director Adam Weber said he was influenced by films such as Tucker And Dale vs Evil and 100 Bloody Acres and I can certainly see why. It is an incredibly gory, graphic film and for an independent, self-funded project, the results are scarily realistic. I don’t like writing spoilers, but what I will say is that the special effects are incredible. I like to think I have quite a strong stomach when it comes to gore, but there were certain moments that made me squirm. I love a film that can coax such a genuine, physical reaction from its audience. My advice is: don’t eat anything when you watch this, trust me!

With only a few lines of spoken dialogue, The First Date relies heavily on its visuals and proves actions can speak far louder than words. Main actor Chad McMartin is very expressive; the fear and confusion he showed throughout seemed so genuine. The eerie soundtrack and sound effects make up for the lack of dialogue, as the truth is revealed to us. Using classic techniques synonymous with horror films, such as sudden musical beats and loud footsteps, tension is built and the audience is kept fully engrossed throughout.

I’m a huge fan of this short film as it tells such a compelling story in the time it takes to boil an egg (though you might not want one after watching this!). It takes real talent to be able to do that, so hats off to Adam Weber and crew for all the hard work. The film is being entered for festivals at the moment, and I wish everyone the best of luck and look forward to following its journey!

You can follow director Adam on his blog.