Writer-director William Briggs spins a tightly wound thriller in Silk, set on a weekend retreat full of secrets. The film eases us in with a simple encounter as Silk begins to spin his web around his unsuspecting guests.
A man named Silk (William Briggs) finds himself on a park bench, spying on a young woman, Moose (Sonja Cimone), admiring a butterfly in a flower bed. After she leaves, he captures the butterfly in a jar and later finds her again at a bakery, where the two discuss their love of butterflies and the entomology society she belongs to. He offers it to her, but she declines. When he invites her to visit his home to see his collection, she refuses again.
Later, Silk researches Moose’s club and sends invitations to Moose and the rest of her entomology society. He offers to fund their work and host them for a weekend retreat at his estate. But Moose and her friends are not the only ones there. There’s another group there, a stranger and his heavy hoping to make off with some more cash, and a mysterious intruder, April (Marla Easton), who seems to know Silk intimately.
“Silk begins to spin his web around his unsuspecting guests.”
That night, Silk appears cordial and his intentions pure, but there’s an uneasiness about how he behaves. As members begin to ingratiate themselves toward Silk, they are not seen again until there is only Moose left.
Silk is a fascinating little indie thriller. It has all the charm of a low-budget B-movie. We’ve got a sinister plot that surrounds itself with the theme of insects, which is precisely how the relationship between Silk and his new friends plays out in the end. I like to think of it as a heady horror.
What Silk has going for it that most indie productions don’t is access to a large mansion. In fact, the cast of characters feels like they came from an extended edition of Clue. In the end, it’s all pure fun. Starring as Silk, Briggs creates a well-defined “villain,” and his bet with April is a smartly written relationship considering the horror tale that plays out.
Running at a brisk forty minutes, Briggs wraps his tale with the confidence of a filmmaker who has limited resources but a big tale to spin. Silk is a clever, low-budget thriller that makes the most of its cast, setting, and eerie insect-laden premise.
For more information, visit the Silk official Facebook page.
"…His cast of characters feels like they came from an extended edition of Clue."
