Fair-minded leniency is scarce when assessing the high-concept horror film “Shortcut,” especially given its resemblances to “Jeepers Creepers 2,” a movie centered on teenagers trapped and terrorized by a humanoid bat monster. While many American indie horror films tend to be self-referential, “Shortcut” fails to distinguish itself. Unfortunately, the movie lacks the strength to justify defending it, even without considering its parallels with the aforementioned film, which has become controversial due to director Victor Salva’s criminal charges.
Viewing “Shortcut” on its own merits reveals it as an amateurish production and a mindless genre exercise. The creators display only a superficial interest in characters whose personalities are thinly drawn and stretched through tedious dialogue and voiceover narration. Despite being a high-concept creature feature and teen melodrama, the film falls short of expectations.
If not for a more sophisticated narrative or filmmaking craftsmanship, the movie could have been more palatable. The opening voiceover narration is aggressively bland, and the film concludes with the character Nolan (Jack Kane) stating, “No one believed our story or took us seriously.” Yet, Nolan and his classmates lack clear definition or credible threats.
Nolan is one of five students facing unexpected perils during a routine drive through the British countryside. These generic obstacles minimally impede the aimless trajectory of Nolan and his forgettable companions, characterized by clichés reminiscent of “The Breakfast Club.” The characters, including pouty rebel Reggie (Zak Sutcliffe) and bratty but good-natured Karl (Zander Emlano), fail to leave a lasting impression.
The bat creature pursuing the group appears visually appealing but fails to instill fear in the adolescent protagonists armed with hormones and courage. The film includes sketchy sex jokes that add little to the overall narrative. Reggie, the closest thing to a representative protagonist, lacks depth and serves more as a placeholder than a symbol of youthful rebellion.
Screenwriter Daniele Cosci overlooks the potential of Nolan and Bess’s love story, which unfolds amid the threat of a hairy howler called “The Nocturnal Wanderer” on the night of a lunar eclipse. The dialogue between the characters is uninspired and fails to capture genuine emotion.
The question arises: What attracted the filmmakers to material like “Shortcut”? The film’s appeal remains unclear, possibly rooted in the outdated belief that teenagers are more resilient than perceived. However, “Shortcut” can be better described as a “Throwback,” embodying retrograde nostalgia.
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