A seasoned detective struggles to make sense of his daughter’s untimely death.
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Review by Julie C. Sheppard:
At the outset of this gripping short, When Fighting Monsters, there is an astute onscreen quote of warning by Nietzsche – – to paraphrase, when attempts are made to fight evil, unjust deeds, you must to be careful that the darkness of revenge does not take you over, so much so that you are eventually just as corrupt as the original perpetrators. The actor playing the central figure convincingly portrays a character who falls into this dangerous psychological trap.
The screenplay makes use of pointed dialogue between characters where subtext is king. What is left unsaid is even more powerful than what is said, as the story unfolds. The main character attempts to control the narrative of innocence, but things start to close in on him.
Much of the film is engulfed in darkness, both physically and psychologically, with disconcerting nighttime scenes and emotional moments riddled by bitterness and anger. Swirling, eerie music and rhythms frame the highly dramatic moments. The warning off the top is prophetic, as revenge and madness come together with tragic results.
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