Horror Short Review: The Barber (2020)

Dark Matters presents The Barber, a Ukrainian horror short written/directed by Sergi Pudich and starring Sebastián Antón and Yura Sorge II.

The former plays the biker Rafael and the latter plays the barber. Rafael is an obnoxious young man who demands that the elderly barber open after closing so he can get his hair cut. He is allowed in, admiring the shop, before taking his seat.

Just a little bit off the top, trim up the sides and a smooth shave.

Rafael talks and talks but the barber doesn’t speak a single word in reply. The only time he gets a response, a head nod, is when he mentions the polaroid pictures that are stuck on the mirror. Pictures of different kinds of ears with earrings in them.

Rafael makes a joke about the barber cutting off the ears but does acknowledge that the barber isn’t exactly the most talkative. It’s when the barber goes to get Rafael a whisky that he notices the barber’s cutting tools are not conventional. This barber has a thing for ears with earrings in them and guess what Rafael has?

To say anymore would spoil what is a very classy and well-made horror short. One that doesn’t go in the direction you might initially expect, yet is far more entertaining because of that. It looks great too and the sound really adds an ominous vibe.

Now, it is billed as a horror comedy but truth be told, aside from a final line, there’s not exactly much in the way of comedy to be found. At best, the concept is a little silly and that is in itself, somewhat amusing.

It’s well worth checking out. Especially as Dark Matters has pledged 100% of the ad revenue raised by The Barber to support Ukraine in fighting Russian invaders.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W24Jpows8JM