Film Review: The Institution
By: The Mf’n Rapture
Count: 382
The Institution is a short film by Padded Room Productions that attempts to tell the eerie tale
of an abandoned institution and the fates of those
who dare to enter. While there are positives that,
if held under the scrutiny of a technical film
review, would certainly warrant some praise, overall,
the short does not entice one to want to see the
full-length script. The sort is an excerpt of a
film dealing with the final grad requirements of
a class of college students studying forensic science.
Their choice of a graduation assignment, as it
appears, is to investigate the scene of an unsolved
crime. As it turns out, the case is closely linked
to one of the students, and they are granted permission
to carry out their mission. Without giving too
much away, it’s safe to
assume from the swelling score, and the tense atmosphere
set in the film’s first few graphic moments,
this is not a good look...
It must be said that for a small budgeted short,
the production quality is of an impressive standard.
The camera angles, partly traditional steadycam,
and partly semi-wobbly Blair Witch style, creates
a compelling atmosphere, even if the events unfolding
the plot don’t do the same. The cast also does
a credible job of maintaining an air of authenticity,
all the way until what should be the film’s
climax where, honestly, it turns a little goofy.
The scene where the trio of students is supposed
to be terrified by their gruesome discovery falls
flat, as the three actors seem to instantly occupy
different roles. The film’s best performance
is that of it’s most ill-fated character, the
sheriff seen taking the worst of the villain’s
gruesome scheme, despite the fact that all he is
given is grunts and moans to work with. Which isn’t
to say that anybody else was bad, they just didn’t
have a good source to work with. Director Brad Lamar’s
script is not terrible, dialogue or storywise, there
just wasn’t enough to intrigue the viewer into
discovering what the rest of the plot has to offer.
It shows pretty much that directing is Lamar’s
strong suit. All in all, this wasn’t the worst
way to spend 15 minutes, but that’s only cause
there was nothing else to look forward to.
Written by:
Brad LaMar
Clayton Monical
Directed by:
Brad LaMar
Produced by:
Clayton Monical
2.5 signatures
 
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