After being awarded the Sundance Short Film Special Jury Prize for Directing, which was presented to the film’s director Masha Ko, we were really excited to check out The Looming.

The film starts off creepy as we are introduced to a lonely elderly man called Chester taking a bath. He startled by a noise in his seemingly empty home and tries to track down the noise to no avail. While he’s unsure of whether or not it’s just in his head, his only companion in the home, a virtual assistant called Luna, confirms the noise. It then cuts to an office setting, where the man is telling the horrific story to his coworkers; while one is sympathetic, the other scoffs at him saying that he’s probably dealing with memory problems. Once he’s home again, he begins encountering more frightening occurrences, and he calls his daughter in a desperate attempt for help. Rather than help him, however, his daughter is also doubtful. To make matters worse, Luna seems to be malfunctioning, leading the man to constantly be forced into the dark.

The Looming is tragic, terrifying, and beautiful. The whole film was filled with some really creepy imagery, with a monster that reminded me of ones you would see in the Silent Hill videogames. It also successfully played with your emotions, having you question the sanity of our lead character. However, you can’t help but empathize with Chester, who seems to be lonely and desperate to spend time with his daughter. Loneliness can definitely mess with your mental state, and The Looming really showcased this. While loneliness is a major factor, likewise, is aging and even artificial intelligence. The film reminds us that some people’s only relationships may be with a virtual assistant, and that is the tragedy in this film. Despite Chester’s attempts for help, in the end he succumbs to a society that forgets our elders.

We give The Looming a 5/5.