Ben (Chase Coleman) is having a difficult time. His relationship is on the rocks, and his career is stagnant. Everyone around him is filled with holiday cheer, while all he can think about is planning his escape. After several attempts fail to pan out, he turns his sights to an unconventional approach that leads him down a path where he will either meet his maker or discover who he truly is and what he has to live for.
No stranger to thrillers with a claustrophobic perspective, writer-director Frank A. Cappello (Constantine, He Was a Quiet Man) does what he does best with Empty. Cappello pulls viewers into an isolated world where Ben is suffocating to the point that he is incapable of seeing the blessings and hope around him. This is a character-driven pressure cooker with an earned catharsis that surpasses any budgetary constraints through rich storytelling and assured direction.
As a true micro-budget indie film, Empty proves Cappello is a well-rounded and resourceful filmmaker. Having worked on major studio productions previously, he knows what it takes to make a project shine despite financial constraints. Operating with a minimal cast and lean production crew, with Cappello wearing many of those hats himself, directly enhances the gritty realism on display. Without a budget for CGI or elaborate stunt choreography, suspense is generated through practical mechanical setups, tactile sound design, deliberate camera framing, and raw performance endurance, all heightening the sense of dread and personal self-exploration Ben experiences.
Moses, dressed as Santa Claus, shares a quiet moment at night in Empty.
“Everyone around him is filled with holiday cheer, while all he can think about is planning his escape.”
The compact cast works hard together to bring this intimate story to life. Coleman’s Ben is thoroughly relatable in his regret and self-doubt; reaching middle age, anyone watching can understand the anxiety and exhaustion he faces with every sunrise. As Ray, the man to whom Ben entrusts his final wishes, Colin Cox shares a synergistic energy with Coleman that makes their dynamic feel immediate and visceral. The standout performance belongs to Cami Varela as Margie, the maintenance worker and de facto superintendent of Ben’s building. Varela’s Margie provides the moral and emotional compass in an otherwise bleak, indifferent landscape. Her childlike, earnest belief that there is good in everyone and always something to be grateful for creates the crucial anchor between Ben’s death wish and the pulse of life still surrounding him.
The narrative engages from the opening frame to the final beat. Keeping viewers constantly curious about where the action will lead, Cappello has crafted a fresh premise that never risks feeling stale. Part of what makes the story succeed is its delicate balance of raw emotion, dark humor, and sustained suspense, which keeps the pacing sharp and unpredictable. Empty is packed with mystery, tension, and surprising heart, making it a genuine must-see independent feature.
For screening information, visit the Empty official website.
"…Empty is packed with mystery, tension, and surprising heart..."
