Suffering a black eye can make even the most reasonable person do the most unreasonable things. While that’s not necessarily the case with E. Seth Wochensky’s black and white short “Shiner” – we don’t know if the main character, who suitably sports a shiner, was reasonable to begin with – it might offer some justification for what happens in this twistedly fun flick.
The film’s backdrop is a rural farming community and its musical complement is equal parts rock and twang, resulting in a supremely redneck feel. The Guy with the Black Eye determinedly zips through the quiet setting in what appears to be an old Caddie, until he purposely halts at a specific house (the origin of his black eye, perhaps?) and begins his brief but enjoyable one-man reign of terror.
“Shiner” appeals to the inner-bad a*s, as it includes angry driving, unapologetic revenge, a neat explosion and an ode to man’s natural fire extinguishing capabilities. It’s almost completely void of spoken word, save an expertly dropped f-bomb, and although I’m unclear on exactly what to make of it all, I’m pretty sure the word “cool” applies.
