BOX (2017)-An Effectively Creepy Horror Short Film-Fitz of Horror Review

Written by Bryan Fitzgerald (Fitz of Horror) February 20, 2018

BOX is a horror short film with an approximate running time of 30 minutes but director Lee Thongkham packs enough tension, suspense and effective creepiness in to it that it is just as good as a feature length horror film. In addition to the great directing style, actor Jimmy Dempster singlehandedly carries the film with his intense acting style.

Synopsis-A psychological thriller about a mysterious wooden box arrives on the doorstep of the Man who just committed a murder… Not knowing who might have put it there or why, his only chance to escape from this nightmare is to open the mysterious box and prepare for what’s inside. 

The film opens with a man sitting in the back seat of a car being driven by another man who has a creepy simplistic mask hanging from his rear view mirror. The driver suddenly stops the car and after getting out he puts on the mask and comes to the back and tries to seemingly kill his passenger/hostage.

When the passenger turns the tables and dispatches of the assailant, he momentarily thinks about calling the cops but for some reason decides not to and stuffs the body in his trunk and takes the car. As our victim drives somewhere to ditch the body he has a flashback of a child and a pool. This flashback will be revisited in more depth and detail later.

After the flashback the movie cuts to the man in a room and in the room with him is a very ominous and mysterious box (it’s definitely more of a trunk). After a few intense minutes of contemplation of this box the man decides to go back to where he dumped the body but the body isn’t there. When he goes back to his house, the dead man is at his door with a blood scribed note around his neck. What appears to be his own inner monologue, tells him he needs to put the man in the box but the box is locked but wait…..the dead guy is wearing the key to open it.

When he turns the key to open the box he discovers that there is already someone or something in there. Naturally he decides almost immediately that it is time to take and burn the box. It is also noteworthy that the music that plays throughout the film, particularly in this scene, is very reminiscent of the old Tales From the Crypt episodes whereas it is mischievous, creepy and ominous all at the same time which sets up the third act beautifully.

This movie is most definitely worth your 30 minutes and will be hitting festivals soon. Be sure to keep an eye out for BOX.

Follow BOX on Facebook and actor Jimmy Dempster on Instagram @realjamesd

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