Clearwater

There's not a lot going on in 'Clearwater,' but of the content on hand, it's worth further consideration.

First we see the surrounding area - the deep forest, and the small river that runs through it. The shots captured to show us the setting are quite fine, and it's a beautiful landscape.

Second we're introduced to the sole character, an unnamed woman venturing to a spot alongside the river to sunbathe. Actress Joan LoLuo isn't particularly given anything to do here except look pretty and eventually express concern. Normally I'd find this bothersome, but to be fair, LoLuo isn't the star of 'Clearwater,' anyway.

The third, most important, and most prominent element of the short are the visual effects and animation. We get a small taste of the computer-generated imagery with close-up visualization of a mosquito biting the woman and partaking of her blood. What happens next, though, is the real centerpiece, as the insect has a purpose beyond mere sustenance. The visuals look pretty great to these eyes - there's no mistaking that it's all crafted on a computer, but the graphics look as believably lifelike as they could. Bigger productions of years past, with larger budgets, have worked with less capable technology to convey similar ideas much less convincingly. Fantastical though the short is, the concept is presented as realistically as it could be. I'm impressed.

On the other hand, my major critique is that the fourth and final element - the ending - feels pedestrian. I'd stop short of calling it a jump scare, but the intent is much the same. It's a trope that's tiresome and gravely overused in general, and most of all in horror shorts. A similar narrative conclusion could have been imparted differently and better - less shock, more dread. Little cleverness is required to improve on an idea that's become a cliché.

Still, despite the letdown of the final seconds, 'Clearwater' is very well made. If it feels incomplete, it's only because one easily imagines a larger story that could be conjured from these 6 quick minutes - one that I certainly wouldn't mind seeing. Writer-director Rob Jabbaz also had his hands in creating the visual effects and animation, it seems, and as such he has my commendations. While 'Clearwater' isn't perfect, the core is solid and inventive - and worth a scant few minutes of our time.

Beautiful location, beautiful girl and EVIL little disease bugger joins in : Mosquito.

Then it gets really weird and creepy. Really Good FX's for a short film less than 6 mins long. Made my skin crawl, especially since I'm basically Mosquito CRACK, they Love Me! I hate them! Ick :o I was hoping for a slightly different ending. Felt a bit flat, but Worth a Watch if your a fan of disturbing type horror. ;D.

'Clearwater (2020)' is a short film in which a young woman unknowingly becomes a blood donor for an otherworldly creature. Most of the piece is dedicated to a surreal sequence that's created entirely using CGI. The special effects are relatively convincing and the visuals are fairly arresting. The aesthetic is fairly disturbing, too. However, the central set-piece is arguably a little too long. It also doesn't feel strong enough to carry the weight of the overall film. Still, the short has a definite structure to it and it's well-achieved overall. It's very simple, but mostly effective.

A pretty young woman is sunbathing in a gorgeous secluded spot. As she dozes, she is bitten by a mosquito. He blood is transported to a really ugly entity and eventually transforms. It's interesting to see the special effects dealing with the transformation.

The CGI is superb for a short story. I think it would put some full feature film animators to shame. My one question is with the story. Shouldn't the clone have been an infant girl instead of a full adult? I'm assuming the clone was made from DNA in the bloodmeal inside the mosquito. Nevertheless, job well done. I'd love to see these animators tackle full feature films.