Blessings are always accompanied by curses, which is especially true in writer-director Aaron Van Maanen’s short film, Hypodermic. Be it shame or guilt, Isaiah (Lakin Mims) has a secret he’s hiding from his girlfriend, Jackie (Tiffany Liechty). So when Isaiah is found passed out by the lake, Jackie wonders if he’s drinking again.
There’s a mystery behind Hypodermic that plays out to the end, and it’s a creepy one. When alone, Isaiah is wrenched with pain, and we see a worm-like parasite crawling beneath his skin. Later, a worried Jackie questions him, and all Isaiah can say is he never felt better in his life.
“…wrenched with pain, and we see a worm-like parasite crawling beneath his skin…”
Hypodermic is a solid, straightforward tale that asks an interesting question surrounding the theme of pain versus pleasure. Lead actors Mims and Liechty give good performances setting up the mystery and maintaining the tension while keeping us engaged with the story. The “parasite” effect may look a little cheap, but it gets the job done. Like any good sci-fi tale, the film has something to say about what it means to be human.
Leaving us with an open-ended finale is a luxury I can afford in a short film like Hypodermic. Short films should make you think. So then, what would you do if you were Isaiah?
"…asks an interesting question surrounding the theme of pain versus pleasure."
