Short Review: Friend of the World (2020) by Brian Patrick Butler


Trapped in a bunker together, a young filmmaker and crazed general try to piece together the cause of global war.

Overall, this was quite an enjoyable effort. The fact that so much of the short is spent on the discovery of the new world after the devastation has occurred, especially with the anthology-style format that keeps everything simplified and straightforward, gives this a fun start as they get to know each other and come to terms with the situation. Their back-and-forth nature that borders on the antagonistic as their clash of personalities and personalities creates some incredibly fun tension the longer they're together, which is certainly exacerbated by the constant zombie attacks that are utilized throughout here. These are featured alongside the gruesome carnage of the other deformed survivors and an appealing setup all give this a lot to like.

That said, the film's general style and appearance might be somewhat problematic for some. The film has a bizarre, nearly-avantgarde style with the circular discussions about the state of the world and their current hope for survival, frequent need for staying in touch with each other about how their personal styles are being disrupted, and the different means by which they dispatch the zombies and other creatures they encounter. That, when combined with the unconventional storytelling route where everything appears to be just off-kilter and nonlinear to where it's sometimes impossible to tell if everything is a dream or not, is something that might not always be for everyone which ends up lowering this one slightly.

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