Squeeze Toy By Chris K. Daniels

Squeeze Toy – By Chris K. Daniels – Short Film Review

Squeeze Toy is a thrilling short film. It’s written and directed by Chris K. Daniels, and is surely going to keep you on the edge of your seat for eight minutes. It is the story of a young man named Adrian who is imagining people and situations that are not real. He is on the verge of losing his mind trying to differentiate between what is real and what is just a figment of his imagination. In his head, he has established a conspiracy theory that involves him being chased by a triad of two girls and a boy named Halloran.

As it begins, one is not quite sure of what they are getting themselves into. The opening sequence welcomes you with the cries of help of a woman clearly in danger, followed by some intense suspense music that gives you the vibe as if you are watching a spin-off of Stranger Things. This music, composed by Thomas Nielsen, continues to exploit the understanding and perception of the viewers throughout the film, increasing the mysteriousness of the plot. It keeps them curious and at the same time excited to find what is about to happen next.

The main character Adrian is also the narrator of the film. His narration clearly depicts his state of mind and is a little humorous at times too. There are moments in the film where he sounds pretty convincing and for someone who does not know the backstory of the film can end up believing his self-constructed conspiracy theory. He carries a small yellow squeezable toy throughout the movie. It also derives its title from this object Adrian seems to be attached to. The title appears to be a metaphor for the vulnerable minds who are gullible enough to easily fall for conspiracy theories, stemming either from the real world or their own minds, and can come under their influence.

Also, the lighting in the movie is fits its mood and plot perfectly. It is set in an apartment building with dull-lit corridors and hallways. The rooms are lit with cryptic blue and yellow lights. And the makeup and costumes, especially of the triad (Adrian’s perceived enemies) are quite intriguing. The fragment of his imagination, Halloran, is shown to be almost as scary as he is in Adrian’s mind. He gives off Joker-esque grins that prove Adrian’s greatest fears that they are coming after him.