In writer/director Brian Karl Rosenthal’s POV, a quiet night between two people quickly curdles into a deadly game of survival. The film takes a simple setup and drives it straight into slasher territory, where the shadows want to stab you, and your next move is the last one.
On October 31, in a world under a state of emergency and strict lockdown mandates, Halloween looks very different. News anchors warn people to stay inside, avoid contact, and trust the rules meant to keep everyone safe. Aubrey (Katie Mackey) and Frank (Chris Frank) decide to make the best of it by staying home together. She pours a glass of wine in a devil costume, he leans into the mood with his own slasher-style look, and the two try to turn a tense night into something playful and “cozy.”
But outside, a stranger pulls up in front of the house in a mask. As Aubrey and Frank head off to bed, a sinister presence moves around the property and eventually inside the house. Suddenly, Frank sees something moving underneath the bed sheet, and just like that, Frank is no longer a member of the living. Now, Aubrey is alone to face a masked killer in a house that has become a trap.
“Now, Aubrey is alone to face a masked killer in a house that has become a trap.”
Horror comes in many disguises, and i Rosenthal’s POV, the menu item is gore in all its bloody variations, with a killer whose knife is his weapon of choice. Sharp enough to take out Frank and make Aubrey his next victim. Did you know skin has a whole lot of gross properties? This is a lesson Aubrey will soon learn. Better her than me, I suppose.
Running at a brisk 15 minutes, the film sets up this Halloween night with an eerie tone and eases us into the bloody mayhem, along with a couple of surprise appearances. It has good action sequences and squeamish moments that are sure to bring the screams to your midnight film block or late-night movie-and-chill.
POV delivers a lean burst of Halloween carnage that knows exactly what kind of midnight crowd it wants to please. By the end, the film leaves Aubrey battered, the body count higher, and the blood doing most of the talking.
"…an eerie tone and eases us into the bloody mayhem..."
