The cinematography represents the lead motif for see this short horror. And, in same measure, the embroidery of themes. A young woman as babbysitter for the children of a neighbor. The clash with the past presences of a family who seems so different. The rules. And the words of children. And the survive. All - as portrait of a nuanced state of feel. Good performances, inspired atmosphere. And wise way to propose answers.
2 Reviews
Boring and poorly executed
I_Ailurophile6 August 2021
I think there are sketches of good ideas here. Even as the short employs a common horror trope, the general thrust of the narrative is something worth exploring. I like that the "protagonist," wrapped up in something very abnormal, isn't depicted as the usual angelic do-gooder.
That's about the best I can offer for praise, unfortunately. The image feels slightly hazy and unfocused, presumably in an effort to imp the production values of the early 90s during which 'Real gods require blood' is set. The sound quality is much the same, seeming marginally dulled and muffled. One can't necessarily fault young children for speech patterns that are naturally difficult to discern for anyone who's not accustomed to being around kids - yet the fact remains that the young ones at the heart of this short have very poor diction, and deliver lines so sloppily that I plainly admit I missed some of it.
Tertiary male characters are named or shown on screen, but owing partly to that lack of verbal clarity and partly just to poor writing, I'm unsure who they are, or what if any purpose they have in the story. Props specifically shown on camera several times likewise serve no clear purpose. The exact nature of the oddity the protagonist witnesses is, once again, unclear. With so much of the short mired in obscurity of one sort or another, there's no sense of horror to be gleaned, and neither the performances nor the general visuals presented to us impart any fright or dread.
I think there are sketches of good ideas here. But I have no more kind words to offer. 'Real gods require blood,' perhaps, but I think they require crash courses in writing and film-making, too.
That's about the best I can offer for praise, unfortunately. The image feels slightly hazy and unfocused, presumably in an effort to imp the production values of the early 90s during which 'Real gods require blood' is set. The sound quality is much the same, seeming marginally dulled and muffled. One can't necessarily fault young children for speech patterns that are naturally difficult to discern for anyone who's not accustomed to being around kids - yet the fact remains that the young ones at the heart of this short have very poor diction, and deliver lines so sloppily that I plainly admit I missed some of it.
Tertiary male characters are named or shown on screen, but owing partly to that lack of verbal clarity and partly just to poor writing, I'm unsure who they are, or what if any purpose they have in the story. Props specifically shown on camera several times likewise serve no clear purpose. The exact nature of the oddity the protagonist witnesses is, once again, unclear. With so much of the short mired in obscurity of one sort or another, there's no sense of horror to be gleaned, and neither the performances nor the general visuals presented to us impart any fright or dread.
I think there are sketches of good ideas here. But I have no more kind words to offer. 'Real gods require blood,' perhaps, but I think they require crash courses in writing and film-making, too.
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