Horror Short Review: Secret Santa (2018)

At 2:31, Secret Santa is a micro-short, yet tells its twisted tale in concentrated and captivating fashion. Directed by Lee Patrick Robinson and starring Daniel Bouvet and Jeff Alsop-White.

Stephen is working late at the office during the Yuletide. Alone, his temptation to open his secret Santa gift is too much to bear and he gives in. Even the tag that says he shouldn’t open until Christmas isn’t enough to dissuade him.

Anyone who has ever been part of a workplace secret Santa can attest to the cheap and thoughtless gifts given to them by co-workers. However, this gift is for Stephen and a lot of thought has been put into it.

Just what is inside? Check out the short to find out yourself.

The build is solid and the payoff worthwhile. It leaves you with a dark sense of evil and malevolence without resorting to cheap jump scares. Something that is quite surprising, seeing as this has all the hallmarks of a short that will do exactly that. Instead it shows you just enough to send your imagination into overdrive and leaves you with a feeling of dread.

Very effective.