Short Film ‘Riley Was Here’ Is A Fresh New Take On The Zombie Genre – Movie Review

ALTER’s latest exclusive – Riley Was Here, will drop on their channel Wednesday, August 14, at 9 am. Be sure to check it out and read our review down below!

Filmmakers Mike Marrero (Buzzcut 2016) and Jon Rhoads (C*ckwater 2016) have co-directed a slick, clever, new horror short called Riley Was Here. The film stars C*ckwater’s Elena Devers as Raquelle and newcomer Julio Trinidad as Junior.

Synopsis

A zombie outbreak has come and gone with humanity barely surviving thanks to a miracle vaccine. Eight years have past since the event and Junior still struggles to move on from his horrific losses. Drugs don’t work, alcohol doesn’t work, nothing eases his pain. At the end of his rope, Junior turns to the mysterious Raquelle for controversial treatment in hopes of peace but Raquelle is struggling with loss herself and her intentions aren’t as clear as Junior had hoped.

Let me start off by saying that I really loved this movie! It was incredibly well made and managed to pack a complex and complete story in a short 15 minutes. The storyline is a fresh and original take on the zombie genre, where survivors, searching for a new high to help them escape from the pain of living, are actually infecting themselves with the virus to experience what it’s like to be undead.

Julio Trinidad is dynamic in the role of the troubled Junior, a man who is looking for the experience of being one of the infected. He comes across as an empathetic character who has perhaps seen too much in his lifetime and is just looking for some kind of escape. Elena Devers, who specializes in “aftercare experience,” is also fantastic. There is terrific chemistry between the two of them, even though they have an antagonistic relationship.

The strength of the film is also in the slick visuals and vivid soundtrack. This is the work of confident and talented filmmakers. They also make brilliant use of practical effects and allow the basic horror of the storyline to speak for itself in most cases.

The entire movie is available to view online on YouTube at the following link:

Riley Was Here is fine work, and I can’t wait to see more of Rhoads and Marrero’s films in the future! A definite must-see!