Short Film Review: “Rachel”

Directed by David L Knight
UK • Drama • 10 Mins

Young junkie Alex wakes up in an abandoned warehouse bound to a chair. Consumed with guilt, he is simultaneously haunted & taunted by the presence of Rachel, the daughter of his abductor. 

Rachel is a snappy, hard-hitting drama that wastes no time at all getting to the heart of all matters. The brilliantly concise dialogue from director David L Knight quickly establishes the backstory, characters and intentions without being overly expositional. Additionally, Knight introduces us to this world with great skill in such a tight period of time - yet nothing feels rushed. In fact, the unbearable and uncomfortable nature of what we are witnessing may, for Alex’s sake at least, make you feel like you want it to be over quicker. 

Cinematographer Martin Tucker captures the haunted quality of the location with his excellent visuals, blocking and framing, which all help immerse us in this world. And the tension of it all is masterfully pulled off, aided by the fantastic work of editor Charlie Morton and the uneasy score composed by Peter May. 

Several aspects of the film bring Reservoir Dogs to mind, and David Pritchard as Rachel’s father and Alex’s abductor is every bit as intimidating as Michael Madsen, doling out his own brand of relentless violence. Yet here it’s not unwarranted or for his own personal pleasure. He has a very clear motive as he tries to elicit a confession from Alex.

Closing with a very chilling ending, there are seemingly no winners in this superb story of guilt and vengeance.

Rachel is an engrossing short with a great premise, solid performances and some fantastic production values. 

8/10

Rachel was nominated for Best Drama at our 2022 film festival.

Reviewed by Philip Pugh

Watch Rachel Here: