Review for ‘‘The Sickness’’ by Ian Volner

A three-way meeting point of psychological horror, satire and personal experience, The Sickness by Ian Volner is an awesome take on the soul-crushing performance anxiety everyone experiences at some point in their lives, effectively dissected within 14 short minutes.

Deceptively simple, the plot kicks off from the first seconds as we are introduced to our stressed protagonist practicing his lines for an upcoming audition. What follows as his sanity progressively unravels is a visual and textual acid trip steeped in paranoia and self-loathing. With clear influences from works such as Villeneuve's Enemy and the Saramago story it's based on, as well as esthetic nods ranging from Kubrick to the darkly humorous gothic imagery of Poe, The Sickness' daring script and visuals leave nothing to be desired, and much to be troubled and amused by.

Every technical aspect of the film is top-notch, from the subtle yet evocative editing to the aggressive lighting and color choices. Playing with contrast in every sense of the word, Volner crafts an expertly-produced, high-quality short that lacks for nothing, even when utilizing special effects and makeup even mainstream productions can't get right. Finally, perhaps the most impressive part is everyone's acting, with the protagonist being the obvious highlight, as he carries a nearly completely one-man, one-spacestory to great heights with one foot in drama and the other firmly in satire.

A heartfelt gesture to all those struggling with self-esteem issues, performance anxiety and self-doubt, The Sickness takes the viewer on a poisonous trip of dark comedy and nightmarish imagery, leading them to catharsis through its emotional intensity and relatability. A testament to the director and crew's fearless and original thought process and vision.