Review: HUSH

HUSH is screening all over the country in various film festivals. As of this writing it has won 18 different awards. I started to pick up on the following of this short film on Twitter, and eventually I was sent an online screener. I had high hopes going into my viewing. Here’s my review.

HUSH is written and directed by Michael Kehoe. Cast members include Alexandra Grace, Riley Connor, and Kira Halling. HUSH, which is apparently inspired by true events, tells the story of a young woman who is on a babysitting job one night when the power goes out. As she goes to check on her charge, she quickly learns everything is not peaceful in the pitch-black house.

So, I’m not sure if “inspired by true events” was the correct introduction for this horror-short. If anything, HUSH is based on a very popular urban legend. I’m not going to spoil it for you, because that would ruin the big reveal. However, I will say that this is the first time I’ve ever seen said urban legend depicted on screen before. I give Michael Kehoe a lot of credit for taking a nightmarish story that thousands of people have only read about and re-creating it so perfectly on screen. The right layer of suspense, false flags, and a killer reveal that had me saying, “Yeah, she’s fucked.” This is an urban legend based film with a lot of bite to it.

My only issue with this particular urban legend – and the film in relation to it – is that it caps off right as the terror begins. I was left wanting more, to see the confrontation take place, and I’m sure horror fans watching HUSH in the film festival circuit will agree. This could be chalked up to the “leave it open to the imagination” film-making tactic, but in this scenario I wanted to see it all unfold. A taste is simply not enough. Had this title gone even one minute longer and showed a little more of the antagonistic forces, I would have been pleased! Time was certainly not an issue here because viewers will be drawn in from the start. I know I was!

Also what made me want to see more is the quality of this production. HUSH has seamless editing and the lighting job within was one of the best I’ve seen in a short film. 95% of the film is shot in “darkness,” but you never have to strain to see the action, nothing ever looks out of focus. The audio levels are correct and the added noises are never overbearing, instead they’re ever present in the background which gives highlights to the fantastic performances from the two actresses. Riley Connor is a little star in the making and I hope that we see Alexandra Grace in a horror movie again soon. She was great! Also, the choices involved with creating the antagonist at the end were spot on. Really great decision making choices from everyone involved with this production.

Really, I have no complaints or criticisms for HUSH, except that I wish it was just a minute longer. I can see why this short film from Michael Kehoe is kicking ass in film festivals. I’m going to rate I a 9 out of 10!