Horror Short Review: The Shell (2021)

Three minutes of horror to leave you feeling very cold inside. The Shell is a disturbing short from Burnt Mill Road.

Written and directed by Jacob Arbittier, it stars Whitney Bowers and Mia Gascon. A mother is telling her young daughter a bed time story that starts to get more and more intense. The little girl is visibly disturbed as her mother rants about her skin being nothing but a shell and she needs to peel it back to reveal her true self.

There’s not much to this short but it is incredibly effective. In just three minutes, it does a tremendous job of showcasing how mental health issues can affect those we love. The duo, Whitney Bowers and Mia Gascon are excellent and you’ll quickly believe the mother and daughter bond.

Which just makes the finale even more sorrowful.

Visually distressing, the payoff is not something you want spoiled. This is one you’ll want to check out yourself below.