Slash in the Box Review

Slash in the Box is a short written and directed by Nick Everhart. As you may guess by the title, it involves a jack in the box that is not your average play toy. Taking what we all know to be true (that these things are creepy as hell), Nick decided to play on that very root fear in a fresh and humorous way.

This short stars Tyler Hollinger and Elizabeth Masucci as an almost picture-perfect couple (you might say like Ken and Barbie). Without character names, I’ll fondly refer to them as Ken and Barbie from here on. We open on the two in their kitchen, where Ken has brought home a dusty old jack in the box, given to him by a sweet old lady at some shop. He seems amused by his new finding, which reminds him of his childhood. Barbie on the other hand is rightly disturbed. When the two go to bed is when the nightmare happens. A string of loud and eerie sounds interrupts the couple’s slumber and things just get bloody from there.

You might guess by the title that this short isn’t trying to be super serious with its subject matter. It is fully aware of the silly nature of a terrifying jack in the box but at the same time, they’re not far off. The presentation is well done. There isn’t a lot of time to lose the audience’s attention considering it only runs for a few minutes, so every shot was precisely placed and leant itself to the story. I very much enjoyed the short-but-sweet performances by both actors and their “little friend”. The lines could’ve easily been cheesy or forced but I read it almost as witty and self-aware. My only quam would be the constant use of creaking wood floors and sharp violin strings that were just on the border of annoying. Though I understand how useful both those things can be, I would appreciate more subtlety.

All and all I would definitely recommend this for an entertaining experience between friends who love the genre. Savage Score springs a 4 out of 5. I would’ve love to see more from the one kill depicted but I understand their tactic and respect it. And for that Gore Score splashes in at a 4 out of 10, unless you include the end credits which makes it a 8. But I don’t count that. I hope you all get a chance to catch Slash in the Box. That is before he catches you. Checkout the horror short right here for free