An Atmospheric Delve Into the Deep

Wisner and Temple make great use of montage and sound to reflect Max’s stress and confusion, their camera also often feels like an uninvited intruder during more static scenes, slowly zooming in on the family’s quality time like a predator waiting to strike. It evokes a style similar to horror films from the 1970s – its retro title card alluding to a clear inspiration, relying on a nightmarish quality to its images that make them quite unforgettable, and a plot for the audience to piece together without clear explanation.
With a run time under 8 minutes, Wisner and Temple are confident with their voice, utilising every frame to linger, watch and frighten. While its visual style could be pulled from a variety of existing references, the recent audience interest in ‘prestige/elevated horror’ that favours mystery and crisp, monumental horror images such as the ones depicted here make this directing duo and exciting team to watch.

Thank you to Chloe Leeson, founder of Scream Queens, for this fantastic review!