Beasts of Death
What wouldn’t we do for the ones we love, and what abysses can the depths of grief take us to? Beasts of Death is an animated short film that wears both its heart and its influences on its sleeve. Although it’s understandably underdeveloped (it’s less than eight minutes long, after all), its instincts are right, and it quickly establishes a strong stylistic voice.
The teenage Claudia is in the depths of despair. Having lost her mother, she turns to the dark arts in an attempt to get her back, resulting in a duel with the devil that leaves her very soul on the line. Beasts of Death feels like it draws from both Tim Burton and Genndy Tartatovsky in its artistic sensibility, with a macabre atmosphere counterbalanced by a sharp, distinctive animation style. Refreshingly, it reminds viewers that a gothic aesthetic doesn’t have to mean a palette composed entirely of blacks and greys. Instead, director Sandra Powers fills the screen with vibrant neons that create an otherworldly tableau, one that ends up being more eerie than if it had stuck with a more traditional vibe.
As Claudia’s battle against the demons rages, it is set to a booming pop track. At moments, it threatens to overpower the film’s visuals and thinly drawn narrative, but audiences who fell in love with K-Pop Demon Hunters will likely find a similar appeal. While there are some short films that manage to tell an entire, fully realized story within their brief runtime, Beasts of Death serves as more of a proof of concept than a self-contained narrative. We’re given just a taste of the potential that lies within both Claudia’s fight to rescue the spirit of her late mother, as well as the talent of Powers herself.
It’s a testament to the raw energy of the story that we find ourselves wanting to spend more time in this world, exploring both the mythos of the underworld and the connection between Claudia and her father, who is also grieving and clearly worried about his daughter. In a perfect world, we would get to see all of this fleshed out in a way that it deserves, since it’s clearly laying the groundwork for something more substantive. As a short film, though, it is tantalizingly brief, giving us just a glimpse into a larger concept. It makes it feel a little incomplete, but nonetheless compelling. What it does do, however, is establish Powers as a creative force to be reckoned with, and hopefully one we’ll see more from soon.
Directed by Sandra Powers
Starring Ximena Galiano, David “Cherry” Cáceres, Micky Bane, Rocío Olivera
Runtime 9 min
Language Spanish