A woman is inside a car, unable to get out because of a mysterious outside threat, and in the backseat, a man sits trying to convince her that what’s outside is more dangerous than himself. It gets pretty physical, as she struggles with the man in order to leave the entire situation. We won’t spoil what happens because 1) the outside is more important, and 2) the directors do a great job at keeping a permanent state of tension, and there’s no option but to acknowledge such a good job.
It’s not a big secret, or even hard to identify that 5.7 Seconds is about something more than what you can see firsthand. Directed by Shane Cibella and Tim Aslin, 5.7 Seconds is a unique short feature that depicts a premise usually associated with the horror and thriller genre, and then a change of perspective confirms that it isn’t just a survival story. This is more about the threat of what could lie outside, the psychological terror that women face on a daily basis, and the sense of survival women shouldn’t need in order to function normally in a society that should take care of them.
5.7 Seconds is all about its twist—the one whose existence is predictable but whose subject remains obscure up until the end. Our inability to guess what happens is due to the entire change of perspective about Jane’s journey. Outside survivors decide to act based on a leap of faith in a poetic kick to the repression of an idea. It may be a bit interpretative, but it’s exactly what the writers and directors demand from the audience, who are still in shock over Jane’s violent but inevitable outburst. We need to understand that Jane has survived the attack by a monster, but this doesn’t mean the monster lies dead in a puddle of blood. It remains more alive than ever.
Nevertheless, the engagement is possible only due to a solid execution of a setting. The altercation inside a car with foggy windows is riveting and thrilling. It’s impossible not to feel a natural sense of claustrophobia when Jane is forced to fight for her life in a very limited space. The cinematography, the sound design and the performances by Shante DeLoach and Henry Hetz are impressive. They help make you feel of a personal hell designed to portray an ordeal that oftentimes we fail to recognize in our daily lives.
5.7 Seconds is good proof of how a short film doesn’t always have to be a proof of concept for a feature film. It works perfectly as a short because it’s narratively sharp and doesn’t need further expansion to make the viewer understand its subject.
Film critic. Lover of all things horror. Member of the OFCS. RT Approved Critic.
