Dead in the Dark

The writer-director Conrad Dela Cruz delves into the nuances of the crime genre with the intricate screenplay. Louie Fuentes, Kayle Baculi, Jake Montajes, and Phillip Jay Kho assist Dela Cruz in giving shape to his imagination.

The plot of Dead in the Dark revolves around Two thieves who try to burglarize a desolate house during a rational brownout to find out something about the place that changes their lives forever.

The short film begins with the mid-shot of the homeowner lost in a deep thought with a lighter in one hand adjusting the frequency of the radio sitting in the dark adding the elements of mystery and suspense increasing the degree of engagement with the content for the audience. The voiceover in the background and the lights flashing quickly transition to the next scene followed by the title of the movie comes onscreen maintaining the pace of the flow of the narrative so that the viewers don’t lose interest in the same. The set design, the blue and red colour lighting, eerie sound, dialogues, costume, hair, makeup, and props are utilised and incorporated brilliantly to add realism and relatability when dealing with various subplots in the storyline of the crime genre.

In terms of performance, Jake Montajes plays the homeowner who is stressed as well as anxious about certain issues trying to combat the internal battles daily. The body language and the facial expressions of Montajes establish the subject matter of Dead in the Dark allowing the audience to learn many life lessons from this character in the story.

Louie Fuentes plays the role of the Thief 1 who is more practical one out of the two and wants to concentrate on finishing the task at hand rather than worrying about the emotional drama going on. Fuentes depicts various shades of the burglar with his acting skills in different situations in the script.

Kayle Baculi as Thief 2 is a treat to watch. She has come to accompany Louie Fuentes with executing the robbery successfully but her emotions and morals keep getting in the way of her work. Baculi’s dialogue delivery and body language emotionally bind the viewers to Dead in the Dark even after they have finished watching it.

Dead in the Dark talks about the importance of being able to communicate what one is feeling to their friends and family rather than opting for the extreme decision of taking their life. The short film reiterates that taking the wrong path whether professionally or in personal space will always result in harmful consequences in the long-term. The cinematic piece highlights the fact that life is unpredictable so we should be prepared for both surprises and dangers at all times. The creative piece tells the audience how crucial it is to be emotional and also possess moral values so that people can differentiate between what is right or wrong helps them to make their lives better for themselves as well as their loved ones.