Bad Animals (2001) User Reviews

Bad Animals -- Clever Fun

[willdreyfus · 8/10 · 5 January 2024]

The beauty of this 3 minute short is its simplicity. It sets out to create a single conflict that escalates into something that becomes engaging albeit ridiculous. It's also a great sample of what someone can do with little to no resources.

Obviously shot in the north valleys of Los Angeles on, say, a Sunday morning, the shots are most likely stolen (ie: no permits pulled) and the ancillary characters (extras) most likely just real people. What unfolds is clever and a sound example of the element of plot. There's little character in this piece as we're unsure what exactly the protagonist wants other than to be left alone, but the plot builds and with it the tension. What's onscreen remains true to the world its created, and this is a major plus in creating non-realistic short films.

Any longer than 3 minutes and this tale would be soggy and unsustainable, but the plot builds in tension and the ending is over the top ridiculous. It's not so much funny as it is strange but also quite clever. As a sample of plot for students setting out to write and produce their first manageable short film, this is a solid effort and one worth your three minutes to review. <<

Unusual and conceptually imaginative short film despite the fact that it doesn't do much more in the final frame than it did in the first

[bob the moo · 12 April 2007]

A man at a bus stop feels a pair of eyes on him and, on the other side of the road, spots a man in a bird suit staring at him. He is uncomfortable and is glad when his bus comes and he gets on. However this is not the end of his problems as things get more than just uncomfortable.

This short film starts really well with an absurd yet slightly sinister scenario that is amusing and interesting. What it does with this is not brilliant but it is short enough to perhaps be forgiven. The film continues with the same idea but builds it until it comes to a head. Personally I found the conclusion a little weak and was disappointed that a better direction had not been put on such a cool idea but it was still quite weird fun. The delivery on DV is good, with plenty of good shots set up whether static or action. It does get a little scrappy when the story gets, well, a little scrappy, but the weird images carry it over.

Not brilliant then, but an unusual and conceptually imaginative short film that does the job and gets out, despite the fact that it doesn't do much more in the final frame than it did in the first.