The third short film co-directed by Joseph R. Davis and Brian Gerson, Puppet is a low-budget indie horror effort centered around a group of friends who are gathered together when an infection begins to spread causing more than a little murder and mayhem. 

The film stars a favorite of The Independent Critic, Tara Cardinal, and she shines as Emery, a young woman who is dragged off to a gathering under false pretenses by Telia (Leah Ann Cevoli).

She's not exactly happen when she finds out the truth. 

If you know anything at all about Cardinal's background, her presence in the role is enough to elicit a chuckle before she even says a word. Of course, it's not long before a rather straightforward film becomes anything but straightforward as the virus hits and a twisty horror short gets into the good stuff that is likely to appeal to more traditional horror fans. 

Puppet is the kind of film where to give too much of its storyline away is to spoil all its fun. So, suffice it to say that while everything in the opening minutes may seen dry it certainly has a purpose and helps fuel everything else that unfolds. 

The film's ensemble cast, which also includes Berna Roberts as Alice, Matt Jayson as Emmett, Ryan Demarest as Dan, and the film's screenwriter Jeffery Potts as Jeremy, seem to understand the film's vibe and be having fun with the project. 

Puppet is the kind of film you expect to see at an indie or underground film festival, a low-budget effort that is obviously low-budget yet constructed in such a way that you have fun watching it and find yourself looking up the cast on IMDB to check out their other credits. For more information on the film, check out its Facebook page linked to in the credits. 

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic