The mark of a good writer/director is the ability to create original material that’ll stick with the audience after their viewing is complete. I was sent a shortish (30 minute) film to review earlier this morning and I instantly recognized the filmmaker who emailed me – Rickey Bird. His name was so familiar and following a quick search of HorrorSociety, I remembered his previous works Camp Crystal Lake and Infection. In a joint collaboration between Hectic Films Productions and FRI, A Familiar Spirit is Bird’s latest project that is about to hit the film festival circuit. Does it hold up to his usual standard of quality? Read my review below to find out.
A Familiar Spirit is written and directed by Rickey Bird. Lead cast members include Chris Kovacs, Chelsea Newman, Erica Rey, Lionel Washington, DT Carney, Danny Spanks and Ivan Torres. Based on actual events, A Familiar Spirit follows a young couple as they move into a spacious house almost a year to the date of a previous unsolved murder. Following an unexpected break in, something is awakened inside the house that threatens to tear their relationship… and their throats… apart. Instead of vacating, they stay and are forced to deal with the consequences of trying to outlast something that’s already dead.
I was sort of hooked as soon as this short film started, mostly due to the fact that the opening had to do with use of social media and streaming, which is a trend in horror films that I’m becoming more and more a fan of. It was a quick and effective way of showcasing the first murder without devoting too much time to the man’s demise and it was also a mystery and suspense building tool as well, because nothing is ever explained about what happened to him. The film just smoothly transitions to the car break in and the girlfriend exiting the house all bloody. These are two very solid tactics that will grab the audience’s attention from the get go. From there we meet the increasingly obnoxious boyfriend who makes me route for the evil entity lurking in the shadows of the new home. I mean, his girlfriend is very upset by the break in and attack yet he still proceeds to record her for his vlog despite her obvious signs of trauma. Not cool, bro. I doubt you’re that popular anyway.
I don’t want to touch on the film’s plot anymore because I don’t want this to become a spoiler filled review. So, from here I’ll jump into my critique of A Familiar Spirit from a production related standpoint. First, it feels like a horror film, especially due to the awesome scores and backing tracks that highlight the horror and emotions on screen. I enjoyed the dark cinematography employed here, which I think is a typical trait in Rickey Bird films. I enjoyed the acting, which was high caliber for an independent shoot; and even the dog with the camera strapped to its back pulled off an incredibly good performance, too. How, though?! I give Rickey Bird credit for incorporating a chase scene into A Familiar Spirit, but I do have to say it came off a little comical and could have been choreographed better. The short film is half narrative film and half found footage. I could have done without the latter style, but the camera work was still impressive. There’s a little give and take here, but all in all A Familiar Spirit was professionally shot and a contender for awards in several categories when it’s shipped to film festivals.
Speaking of awards, I think the familiar spirit is going to win a bunch of them. He was my favorite character in the entire project and I wish we could have learned more about his backstory. Where did he come from? Why is he haunting the house? More-so, I’d like to know how he was created. Whether made-up with practical effects or built with digital effects, the spirit is an incredible piece of movie magic and the perfect villain for this short. Since I can’t tell how he was made, I’ll give credit to Nick Reisinger and Jason Sanders for their work.
A haunted house flick you don’t want to sleep on, A Familiar Spirit bends several subgenres of horror to create a suspenseful and visually stunning experience. Well shot and well acted, A Familiar Spirit has cute animals, surprise erotic elements and genuine scares; tho they aren’t all interrelated. And, it’s got a great movie poster. I want it. Final Score: 7.5 out of 10.
