Just recently, a friend of mine recommended a few horror shorts to me. They were all from a production company called Deranged Minds Entertainment. After watching some of their material, “deranged” describes their work perfectly. One of the horror shorts I watched was Used (2017), and I just couldn’t let it go without a review.
The lovely people behind Deranged Minds Entertainment are Tristan Clay and Destinie Orndoff. Used was directed by both Clay and Orndoff, although she wrote the screenplay and is the main star in this horror short.
The story revolves around Regan (Orndoff) who decides to out for the night and have a few drinks. Unsurprisingly, this very attractive woman is constantly hit on by many men, pursuing and urging her to hook up with them. When she meets Donnie (Clayton Abbott), he seems like a decent dude, but still, he has only one thing on his mind. Although he thinks his charm has won her over, she still decides not to go home with him, so he take matters into his own hands. When she wakes up lying on a bed in a cheap motel room, the tables are turned and he receives way more than he bargained for. #girlpower
Although I was shocked by Used, it was in a good way. This is a fantastic horror short with a bold storyline, relatable characters, and extreme brutality. Used is a real life horror story. This very thing happens every single day and Deranged Minds Entertainment shed light on it, offering audiences a strong message that is SEEN and HEARD clearly. Major props go to these filmmakers.
If you love blood and gore, you’ll love this. They go heavy on it all and they don’t hold back. There’s one scene in particular where a part of the body may or may not be cut off and is used as a gagging mechanism. I’ll admit that when it came to this part, my reaction was, “Oh shit!” But then I laughed. I guess I may be a little deranged myself.
Although the acting isn’t what stands out in Used, the actors feel raw and genuine. This shouldn’t surprise me, though, as I felt the same thing about Destinie in the upcoming slasher Party Night. I’ve now watched her in three features. I can honestly say I love her style and think she will be one of the new age Scream Queens or Final Girls.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I’m elated that I now know about Deranged Minds Entertainment. They’re definitely a company to keep your eyes on and I will be reviewing their horror shorts Sin and Red Eye as well. Make sure to watch the horror short above and to support them on facebook and their official page. Used is beautifully deranged, brutally honest and a great addition to the horror community for 2017.