Sundance 2022 Film Festival – Something’s growing inside a young fashion designer (Rachel Sennott) that’s either an actual creature or a manifestation of her anxiety and self-doubt. No matter, Appendage, written/directed by Anna Zlokovic, is an entertaining six minutes. It’s an inventive creature feature with a perfect bit of body horror.

Sennott’s performance here is good. You feel her nerves and her character’s immense pressure to please her boss, Cristean (Eric Roberts). In the opening shot, we see her heels, as she steps into the studio. There, she whispers to herself, trying to muster up the courage to show off her designs. It’s a real human moment. No matter how talented she is, she fears that nothing she creates will be good enough to satisfy him. The sound design in this opening works well, too. The noises as she scratches at her binder and smacks her lips are all amped up, increasing the tension and discomfort.

To complicate matters, she has a bleeding, growing appendage. Her tummy also gurgles, ramping up the impending body horror. She then births an outlandish and funny creature that curses and puts down its host. This is one of the most foul-mouthed little monsters that I’ve seen in some time. It’s a real hoot. Moreso, the creature represents the protagonist’s own self-doubt, which she must overcome if she’s ever to make it in the industry. It says things like, “Kill yourself. Do it now.” It also has some gems like, “You’re a failure and deserve to die.” Talk about one tough critic.

Kudos to the special effects team for making the creature look so cool. I wouldn’t mind more of this monster in a longer runtime. It reminded me of Belial in Basketcase. To add, there’s just the right amount of comedy in this piece, and some nice back and forths between host and monster. This short strikes just the right tone.

Overall, Appendage is a fun depiction of an artist’s struggle that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The creature steals the show, though. This monster deserves a name and a longer movie. I wouldn’t mind seeing Sennott and this nasty little fiend on-screen again together. Fans of The Thing, Basketcase, or The Fly will enjoy this one.

Appendage screened at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. It is slated to become a feature-length film for Hulu, along with other shorts from their “Bite Size Halloween” collection.

8 Out of 10