Shortcut Review: A Creature Feature With Stranger Things Vibes

Release date: September 25, 2020
Running time: 80 minutes
Starring: Jack Kane, Andrei Claude, Zak Sutcliffe

A group of five classmates is trapped inside their school bus after a mysterious creature invades the road.  Stuck with a dangerous creature just outside, they will have to work together to have any hope to survive.  Time runs and every passing minute decreases their survival chances against the constant threats of that unknown entity.

Shortcut starts off amazingly with some really beautiful cinematography.  The shots are simple, yet have such a great sense of color and style that it basically pops off the screen.    The yellow leaves and countryside contrasted with the red buss was a very nice touch.  It is really a neat trick as the colors are generally muted but come together to form something beautiful.  And this also goes for the simple, understated but highly effective opening.  It uses old style pages and more foliage to really give you a sense of history and nature.  And all of this is complemented by some fantastic music that gets you in the horror mood early on.  Really, everything that this film does before we meet the creature will sink its claws into you and and drag you through this wonderfully done film, all before we see the claws of the creature itself!

The film mostly follows a group of five kids who end up being stuck inside their school bus.  And the kids are very entertaining to watch.  Often the risk of a young cast is that the acting itself can be noticeably off, but these kids feel natural with just the slightest hint of camp.  Their camaraderie is noticeable from the start and there are several funny little scenes to help highlight the connection between them.  I especially liked the dynamics of the groups when they were forced to split up, and seeing how the various kids react to danger and panic.  This movie has drawn comparisons to Stranger Things and it is definitely warranted.  From the type of film, to the style, to the music, and the young cast, this film definitely evokes that series.  

The story overall has a nice pace without getting boring.  Although the premise is that the kids are trapped in a bus, enough happens to move the story along that you never feel like the film, unlike the bus, is stalled.  It feels paced exactly right and the Shortcut is the perfect length for this genre.  And part of this pace lets the movie really highlight the sense of dread and tension.  Especially at the start, you get some heart thumping moments as the kids try to figure out what is going on.  These situations also provide an opportunity to highlight the fantastic sets and wonderful lighting in this film.  And the creature itself is very frightening early on, but can become less frightening as you get more exposure.  This is a normal aspect of creature features, but just know that this might happen.

Shortcut is a thoroughly enjoyable creature feature that gets its claws into you early with its wonderful cinematography, young talented cast, perfectly toned style, and Stranger Things vibes.

Watch it.

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