Portland Horror Review: TiCK (2018) - Nightmarish Conjurings

I haven’t watched a lot of shorts, but I’ve seen a hell of a lot of vampire films in my day. I’ve been a sucker (forgive the pun) for this kinda ghoul since I was a tater tot, and I’ve seen pretty much everything imaginable done by this point. I must admit, rehashed ideas tend to get a little stale so each bloodsucking frenzy I acquaint myself with is met with a hell of a lot of hesitation. Which is why I’m overjoyed to announce that TiCK was absolute cinematic perfection – a term I seldom use.

In the 12-minute runtime TiCK not only managed to establish a protagonist I deeply cared for but presented likely the cutest, tiniest little monster since Sam in Trick ‘r Treat. Coupling the cuteness with truly beautiful cinematography and creative alterations to the traditional ‘vampire killing’ rules, I was blown away by how much of a punch this packed in such limited time.

I want to call this almost a condensed version of revolutionary vamp horror Let the Right One In. However, the child in question here nearly feels more authentic. Reflecting this is her youthful exuberance towards her cherished items, including family photographs and comic books. As aforementioned, I truly felt my heart swell when it came to this young girl despite the very brief introduction.

It is also worth noting how systematic the art of vampire hunting becomes in this fictitious society. Witnessing headhunters traipse suburban neighborhoods with no remorse induces an anxiety unique to pandemic horror, and functioned as an interesting take on traditional role-reversal. I felt deeply personal pangs of disgust throughout, creating a murky line between moral and immoral.

I find myself almost wishing this was a full-length picture, however sometimes dynamite comes in small packages – This is definitely such a case.

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Breanna Whipple

Breanna is a freelance writer with an undying love for horror and heavy metal. Growing up in an isolated city in Northern Alberta, Canada, much of her childhood was spent planted before a tv screen consuming the works of John Carpenter and Wes Craven. Fascinated by things that frightened her since viewing The Exorcist at the ripe age of five years old, she became hell-bent on viewing as many movies possible — A habit that would follow her through maturation.

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