‘Witch Hunt’ [Horror Short Review]

Independent films are where it’s at. They’re pretty much free to put their vision onto the screen anyway they see fit, of course budget pending, and as a result, we the viewer are greeted to an experience you’re not going to see via a major studio, and Richard Chandler (Gilgamesh) is quickly rising among the ranks as one of the most prominent names in independent film.

His latest flick is a short horror film which is titled Witch Hunt, and is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows. The film follows Father James Costello (Graham King), a homosexual catholic priest, who questions his own faith after witnessing a botched exorcism, but he still tries to overcome this conflict he is battling with himself. However, things become more difficult after the tragic passing of his lover who was murdered by the town’s sheriff, Sheriff Tormada played by Tony Ramos Wright.

The thing is, Tormada is also a homosexual, he hates or blames god for his own lack of acceptance and in turn hates himself for who he truly is. In return, he takes this out on Father Costello, as Costello is at peace with who he really is. Tormada also abuses his power and is a total sociopath who abuses people due to his lack of acceptance and the pure hate he has inside of him.

So, when a cult of witches, led by Morrigan Ramsey (Lilith Astaroth) rolls into town, bodies start piling up due to the human sacrifices that is being performed by the cult, this in turn leads Tormada and Costello to once again cross-paths, and soon chaos erupts with this boiling pot of witches in the center of it all.

The film also features two Bosnian witch hunters who are siblings; Dominic and Agatha Damarus. We soon learn a little of their back story in which Agatha is unable to talk due to her tongue being cut out at a young age, and they soon turn into witch hunters to rid the world of this evil. It just so happens that it’s in the same town as the war between Tormada and Costello and soon it all erupts.

The idea for the film definitely gets you thinking and I’m sure it may stir some controversy due to the many themes throughout. The cinematography is great, there are some great moments that really catch your eye, the same goes for the music throughout as it blends well with many of the themes.

There are a few gore scenes and plenty of nudity on display here and it works. But, as this is a short, it feels as if they tried to cram so much in such a short amount of time and it leaves you, the viewer, trying to get your head around everything. Some of it feels rushed such as the back story of the witch hunters as well as the cult of witches, as this cult could have had a film all of their own, so I will give Chandler this, he knows how to leave you wanting more.

Hopefully though the short garners enough attention so Chandler can expand on the story, as the foundations are there, it’s just not fully achieved.

I will say, I absolutely loved the look of ‘Death’ played by Christian Cromwell. That character alone caught my attention, so Chandler, if you ever do a spin-off, please have it centered on this character, it just feels as if there is so much to tell and the possibilities are endless. And let’s not forget Sister Dragojevic played by Lynn Julian who plays a vile character so freakin’ well!

So, yeah. I enjoyed this one. It’s not without its faults, but it’s visually striking, controversial and it’s not ashamed to show it’s true ugly colors. Chandler is once again cementing his place in the genre, and I urge you to keep your eyes on him as I think he is just about to truly explode on the scene.

Keep those eyes peeled as I believe the film is hitting the festival circuit, so if you get the chance, give this one a view. In the meantime, hit up their official Facebook page.