The Sniper (2024) Tells a compelling story in an efficient manner
Director: Daston Khalili
Stars: Johanna Watts, Eli Jane
Running time: 20 mins
Directed by Daston Khalili (who also produced and edited) and written by Chris Calzia, The Sniper is a 20 minute short film that packs a lot of layers into an ostensibly simple story.
The film opens in an unnamed American city, as a rifle sight is trained on various unsuspecting bystanders from an apartment window. The would-be shooter is Regan (Johanna Watts), a former military sniper with a steely look in her eye.
However, just as Regan appears to be about to pull the trigger, she’s distracted by the arrival of her therapist, Marion (Eli Jane), who has brought her some groceries and claims to be there to check up on her. It transpires that Regan is off her medication and claims to be hearing a voice in her head, telling her to shoot people out of her window.
Due to recent events in the U.S., this short has gained an unexpected amount of topicality. The idea of someone with mental health issues having access to dangerous weaponry is already terrifying enough, but it’s impossible to watch this without getting extra chills, given what happened in Pennsylvania.
Essentially, this is a gripping two-hander, as Marion tries to talk to a clearly troubled Regan and unspoken tension simmers between them. Is Regan dangerous? Is the rifle all in her head? Is there something more between them than a patient-therapist relationship?
Khalili ups the tension further by including insert shots of what we take to be Regan’s perilous mental state, represented by an image of her angry face bathed in aggressive red lighting, like she was in Inside Out, but her only emotion was RAGE.
The film builds to an effectively suspenseful climax, as we worry more and more about Regan’s mental state and just how much she’s actually listening to the voice inside, which she refers to as “the blackness”.
The film’s most intriguing element is the fact that it is open to multiple interpretations, so everyone who sees it will take away something different. It functions as a straightforward psychological thriller on the surface, but it’s also about recovering from trauma and finding the strength to carry on.
Similarly, the suggestion of a same-sex relationship between the two women gives it the hint of a coming out story, with Regan coming to terms with her own desires. That in itself adds an extra layer to the inserts of Regan’s angry face – perhaps it represents her raging desire instead?
Watts and Jane generate palpable tension together and deliver strong performances, though the costume department goes a little over the top on the symbolism by dressing them in identical vests, one black and one white.
In fairness, assuming the rifle is actually real, the film does end up posing some pretty damning questions, such as why a mentally ill former sniper who’s getting psychiatric help is still allowed access to weapons, as well as calling into question the therapist’s duty of care to her client.
Ultimately, this is a well made short that tells a compelling story in an efficient manner and builds to a note of effective suspense. It also serves as a decent calling card for everyone involved.
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