Take a break, watch this 4 minute short horror: 2 AM The Smiling Man. 

• Thrill factor: ★★★★☆
• Scare factor: ★★★★★
• Originality factor: ★★★★★
• Entertainment factor: ★★★★★

Short films, especially horrors and thrillers are a great way to dive right into the horror with only a short buildup, to create a great twist or scare or even a metaphorical message. They’re like a rollercoaster, you’re going up and then down real fast. It’s a short ride, but meant to evoke an emotional reaction very quickly and with big results. They’re perfect to watch on your break.

2AM The Smiling Man is directed by Michael Evans and written by Shun Otsubo. It stars Sean Simon (Roamer), Paul Foltz (The Smiling Man). 

Plot

‘While walking home late one night, a man notices another man walking as well. Only this man has an eerie smile. What are his intentions?’

Short Review

This short knows how to turn something that should have been quite normal into something very strange and eerie. With a very simple premise, it really creates a very unsettling feeling in a very short but believable amount of time. It’s all very subtle, and therein lies the horror. While it gets stranger and weirder and more creepy by the minute. Who would have thought a simple smile could be so very scary? Creepiest part is that it is based on a true story…

My favorite part

The smiling man portrayed by Paul Foltz did an excellent job turning him into a creep without looking the part. He smiles with his mouth but not necessarily with his eyes and that’s what makes it so disturbing. And not to mention his odd behavior, as if he’s not quite right, or out of place. You can conjure up a whole story all around this character.