Short Film Review: Adam DeFilippi’s ‘The Prank’

There aren’t many short films that I think are decent. As much as I love the old days of horror, this film jumps right on the train and pulls you into different emotions at once. It is refreshing to know that there are always going to be independent moviemakers. In today’s society, someone is finding their brand, whether it is horror, comedy, etc. and I’ll be here through it all.

The Prank, written and directed by Adam DeFilippi with cinematography by Alex Leyba (they both star in it), did something that almost no film could do – it brings the laughs with a bit of heart. Filmed on a shoestring budget with just two guys armed with a camera, a hotel room, and a tiny knife, The Prank is wonderfully shot and well made with a pretty kick ass soundtrack and a message to never trust your friends.

With The Prank, you can just have a good time watching. What happens when two friends prank each other so much the unthinkable happens? It can’t be any good. The Prank is full of karma swinging back throughout the whole film. There are even a few jump scares, which I sometimes find overdone in most modern horror, but this takes it back to the renegade days, where everyone had a crap camera and no story line. It’s the sub-genre I enjoy the most. I love really bad movies, always have, always will. I am the guy that has the Ed Wood collection. With The Prank, this all works really well and is highly impressive for a first-time filmmaker. No crap camera here!

The Prank uses a lot of your emotions in decent ways. It’s not quite triggering but for any survivors of being at the end of their rope, I suggest watching it with a friend. It will create bad thoughts sometimes but hey, we are all survivors in our own way. If I had any type of dislike for this movie, it would have to be dragging out of the attempt to end your life. However, I can close my eyes when it’s something I don’t like.  I am not ashamed to admit that. What I learned is I guess something does scare me – reality. I use horror as an escape from all the hustle and chaos of daily life. This short film helped a lot with that in a fun way.

So, if you just want to have some laughs that get serious, I highly suggest giving this short film a try. The ups and downs keep your interest and before you know it, ten minutes fly by. I admit I ended up watching it over and over, to the point where my wife made me shutdown the computer; it’s that funny to me, only I have the humor of a five-year-old. The Prank fits me well in that respect; it’s really weird and straight to the point.  There is no gore or blood, but still holds a certain creep factor.

It’s not what I expected at all. It’s one of the funniest things that I have seen in a long time. I personally say they nailed their goal. The film can do a complete 180 at any time. It can also switch right back on a dime. The story was original, and it worked on a lot of levels. It takes a different road with tricks and surprises throughout.

The Prank is now available on YouTube!