By GLENN TOLLE
Starring Melanie Campbell, Nick Earl, Kaitlyn Joy Kerney
Written and directed by Conrad Faraj
Conrad Studios
Having recently reviewed BEFORE WE VANISH, aliens have been at the top of my mind and I’ve been hungering for another tasty alien fright flick. Thankfully, I came upon one that – although only seven minutes and fifteen seconds long – still manages to quench my thirst.
The film in question, directed by Conrad Faraj and appropriately titled THE VISITORS, follows three teenagers who decide to kill some time and visit an abandoned factory that’s supposedly infested with aliens. Since this is a horror film, they don’t just end up killing time, they end up killing themselves. Not from tetanus or asbestos, but from the claws and jaws of beings from another planet.
This is a solid short that features some middle-of-the-road acting, a relatively pedestrian script, and very cool aliens! It’s shot found footage style, but it is never too shaky, and throughout its running time manages to build a tasty sense of dread that keeps the viewer glued to the screen. To be honest, when I went out in search of a new alien horror fix, I wasn’t looking for anything overly original or long. If anything I was looking for something creepy, competent and quick. THE VISITORS is just that.
I’m excited to see director Conrad Faraj’s other alien film FIGHTING THE SKY (2017) to which THE VISITORS is “a companion short film.” What’s more, I’m excited to see his mutely coloured fantasy film THE COLOURS OF DESIRE (2017) which is being released on February 27th 2018 via FILM & FASHION. THE VISITORS is not without its flaws, mid you, but it is still quite entertaining. If you’ve got seven minutes and fifteen seconds to spare, I recommend you take a chance and check it out! You may not want to go urban exploring for a while afterwards.
Thank you HORROR SOCIETY for turning me on to this short and to Conrad Faraj’s other up-and-coming endeavors.
