Unbelief is a ~10 minute short film based on a short story by Michael Marshall Smith, and it’s one of the best 10 minutes I have ever spent in front of a screen.  Tobin Bell (SAW) and Andrew Howard star as two men who meet in a park on Christmas Eve.  Howard is Kane, a man who makes his living killing others.  Usually it’s just a quick job and he collects his money, but this time the job is personal.  The reason is because of who Tobin Bell is.  I won’t reveal that here because it’s a pretty awesome reveal, but you know this guy.  Since Unbelief is only 10 minutes long, I’m going to leave it at that – any additional information would simply spoil this great short.

Almost the entirety of Unbelief was filmed on a green screen.  When you see this film you will realize how amazing that is.  I had absolutely no idea, and if we hadn’t been told, I would have guessed it was filmed on location.  It is truly beautiful.  Tobin Bell is, as usual, fantastic.  He gives a performance that quickly reveals exactly who he is, without ever telling you.  He doesn’t really deviate from his normal acting style, but I wouldn’t really want him to.  Andrew Howard is equally good as Kane.  You see his internal struggle with what he is about to do.  Through his facial expressions you can see the skeletons in Kane’s closet.  There are 2 guys in this film and they both play off each other near flawlessly.

Unbelief isn’t a traditional horror movie.  It won’t scare you, and you won’t be left with a feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach.  However, when what is happening on the screen really hits you, the horror will be there to hit you too.  Unbelief was an official selection at Telluride Horror Show and will be touring the festival scene until next Spring.  If you get a chance to see this short, take it!  You really need to see and enjoy the unique, albeit short, ride.

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