WATCH THE FILM HERE
First, the Recap:
One has to love when moving into a new place comes about, even if initially not due to our current situation being the best. They say necessity is the mother of all invention, but we can certainly agree having to leave that which we were already comfortable with and now have to settle into something brand new, even if that IS a living space, can be disconcerting, especially when said new place isn’t even READY to be inhabited yet–for whatever reasons! Casey (Simona Rose) has arrived to her new flat only to find it in total disarray. Complaining to the landlord (Rudy Ledbetter) and trying to get an explanation from Ashley (Kate Ray) whom she arranged the flat through, things are already tense even as a distinctly NEW kind of issue arises that could put Casey in a slightly more–menacing–plight.
Next, my Mind:
While it might be stated that we as individuals prefer when possible to march to the beat of our own drum, this concept doesn’t quite work as well when the beat we’re listening to isn’t exactly occurring on our own terms–or naturally either–as is illustrated in a very abbreviated timeframe plus completely evident, overtly inconspicuous manner through this 5-minute horror short film from rising grassroots Bulgarian indie writer/director/producer/cinematographer/editor Miroslav Petkov along with associate producers Alain Marche and Sherry McCutcheon plus assistant producers Stephen Kreil and Karis Maree. Having recently reviewed Petkov’s previous effort entitled “The Whisper“, the filmmaker fully chooses to continue embracing his evident adoration of the chosen genre that solidly and primarily intermixes supernatural and mystery elements with what could be construed by some as “slasher” horror facets to create another brief but engagingly entertaining project to simply sit back and enjoy to the ride through.
This time around, the narrative which follows a young woman’s move into her new flat that takes a decidedly creepy and nasty turn carries itself with just the right degrees of uncomplicated storytelling to most effectively utilize it’s brisk pacing to draw you in and keep you invested for the five minutes of time provided, conveying a fully fleshed out tale of woe in that period, and just relishing the quick freaky fix it therefore intends. As often does occur overall within the film realms at ANY level, are we witnessing in itself any NEW ground here, honestly no. BUT, this critic always applauds the indie cinematic world and those creating it for still managing to discover enough ways to still somehow make their films FEEL fresh and worthy of a watch. Perhaps it’s from the context and perspective, in my opinion, that there’s a greater sense of the heart, dedication, and perseverance that so many indie filmmakers must embody to simply MAKE a movie, much less choose to put it out there to the entire world to be scrutinized, and THAT is admirable to me, bold, confident, and willing to take in whatever commendation OR castigation they receive.
Additionally, and again with the horror genre for me anyway, what also makes it impactful is by presenting scenarios that if you put YOURSELF in that position being portrayed, it would unsettle you as much as the characters we’re watching, and that did at least occur for me with the film to an extent that at least elicited both some unnerved feelings but then ALSO some minor chuckles in that the finale and how it comes to fruition for the narrative’s protagonist carries a certain amount of, albeit DARK, humor to it. I will leave it at that, as you have the opportunity to watch the film through the link above. And while it is in a more basic, regular life-oriented manner, one COULD extrapolate thematic ventures that address the ideas of how we as people are impacted by change, the frustrations of moving into a new place, hard to deal with landlords, the innate uncertainties and fears we have of anything that’s unknown or we’re not able to explain, and finding out the history behind something that we weren’t aware of all have their place within this film. Above all, though, this IS truly just entertainment and not meant for deep thought!
Rose is starting to establish herself as a “go-to” actress for Petkov’s ongoing efforts (another film I will be reviewing soon), and for me she is a great choice here, as her ability to play the “everywoman-stuck-in-harrowingly-extraordinary-circumstances” suits her well–and could become a consistent thread for her to pull on. As such, the actress continues this trend through her role as Casey, a woman in a state of transition as she moves into a new flat she’s acquired which from the start turns out not to be in “as promised” condition. Battling an apathetic landlord to get things in order, Casey soon begins to realize there are OTHER factors in play that are also not so pleasant to deal with either. As the situation keeps manifesting, Casey then learns there’s more to this flat than was disclosed, leading her to a confrontation with the unnatural that could spell a more drastic definition of wishing to end one’s purchase agreement early! It’s a very straightforward performance Rose provides that befits the film and its purpose, and hence for this critic, works just fine!
The primary supporting turns here come through Ledbetter as Casey’s landlord who seems to want to help her get the place in order, yet also seems to come across as one of those cads of a manager who really doesn’t fully give a crap, and Ray (who “appears” in voice only) as Ashley, the realtor Casey went through to buy the flat but who neglected to advise the new tenant about specific details the residence’s history–possesses. So, in total, “Drums” displays the very core of indie filmmaking at its roots, fostered by a passion for the art, stalwart determination to showcase growing talents, and the foundational desire to see this level of cinema make an impact on the grander world stage while delivering solid entertainment and, ideally, garnering the support required to KEEP making these strides to accomplish all of it. Staying the course and not giving up is key, and Petkov & Co. are sure out to prove they are going to DO just that. Now, you’ll have to excuse me for a moment, as I keep hearing this random staccato clattering in the other room I need to check out. I’ll be right back—right?
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
