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Review: Patrick Rea’s I.V. League

The Hit-maker’s Latest Short Film

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Patrick Rea is the gift that keeps on giving, folks. In the last year alone I can remember reviewing his short films Hoot, Howl of a Good Time and Pillow Fright, as well as seeing his feature The Invoking 2 hit all of the home media outlets worldwide. While it’s true that the filmmaker churns out new material at an uncanny rate, his films never lack quality or originality. At this point, I’d like to think of him as a great musician – like Michael Jackson or Prince – with an unlimited treasure trove of unreleased materials that’ll satisfy horror fans for many years to come. Well, today that treasure trove was specifically cracked open for me and I had the chance to view his most recently short film I.V. League.

Of course, Patrick Rea wrote and directed the short film which features cinematography from Hanuman Brown-Eagle. I.V. League stars Misty Dixon and Katrina Volonnino with special appearances from Misty Dixon, Katrina Volonnino, Davis DeRock, Jeffrey Staab, Kristin Rea, Jason Turner and Adam Polk. After an unfortunate accident leaves a man badly injured and in a coma, all of those around him clamor to his side to lend support to him and each other. As they await the inevitable, an intricate web of guilt, lies and deceit comes to the surface. The man in the coma is anything but a saint, but the people pandering over him are far, far worse.

I.V. League was a particularly interesting viewing for me as it showcased something I hadn’t yet seen in Rea’s catalogue of short films. Sure, some of his previous shorts featured campy elements, but I don’t think I’d consider them outright comedy. I.V. League has definite comedic value to it and it’s cool to see that the writer/director isn’t scared to tackle varying genres. The humor featured within isn’t comparable to gag humor or attempts at being overly obnoxious; more-so it’s comprised of dry humor and wit, subtle nods that you have to pay attention to pick up on. The ever evolving web of lies is an added bonus to the comedic theme as it gives viewers the “…really?” reaction at almost every turn. It’ll keep you involved, that’s for sure!

The only problem with this being that there’s not much room for horror. There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to classify I.V. League as a horror film at all. This out of genre experience has dark characters, it has looming suspense and a body count, but I still don’t think I’d count it as horror. The title I.V. League obviously brings ones thoughts to a hospital setting, which had be expecting a different plot – like a nurse who kills patients or a group of doctors who harvest organs, but there was none of that here. Original content, sure, but I think I’d classify I.V. League as a dark action-comedy over a horror film, but considering Rea is a prolific horror filmmaker, I don’t mind posting this review here to lend my support.

Well acted and flawless from a production aspect, this short film is a great vehicle to kickstart a feature film in the future. Another great point about it is that it broadcasts undiscovered talent to horror viewers. While there are a few familiar faces in I.V. League, the majority of the principal players are new to the business and can benefit from such a high quality production, and the continued success rate of the crew members speaks volumes about their professionalism and drive to make art. Look for I.V. League at a film festival near you, hopefully. Final Score: 7.5 out of 10.

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Michael DeFellipo

(Senior Editor)

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