Young men can be jerks. An apocalypse doesn’t necessarily change that in the short Canary, directed by Taka Tsubota and written by Jasper Chen. In fact, despite the real monsters lurking outside, the true horror exists within a cabin where a group of men torment and bully a peer.

The short never reveals what exactly caused the apocalypse. The protagonist Alan (Barron Leung) passes time by writing in his journal and penning stories. Through flashbacks, we see that his cousin George (Kiyoshi Shishido) invited him to a cabin, but George’s buddies, Ignacio (Matthew Mitchell Espinosa), Enoch (Thaddeus Newman), and Nev (Andrew Hayden Kang), aren’t exactly good dudes. First, they harass Alan over a humiliating video of him that went viral. They then demand that he wait on them and fetch their bowls of food. When he refuses, they push his head down, forcing him to lick up beans. Suddenly, the world is attacked by spider-like creatures, stranding the group at the cabin. When George leaves to seek help, Alan loses his only ally. You truly feel for the fella in that moment, wondering how he’s ever going to survive, not only against the monsters, but also against his abusers.

The entirety of the short, especially the cabin setting and ever-present darkness, feels incredibly suffocating. The violence, coupled with the periodic roar of the creatures, disturbs, while the sound design overall constantly amps up the tension.  Meanwhile, Leung gives a strong performance as a victim, and you consistently wonder if his character will ever defend himself, especially against Nev. That’s the question at the heart of this film. Will Alan ever retaliate?

While I still had a few questions once the credits rolled, Canary is an unnerving 17 minutes. From the outset, it’s clear this will be a nail-biting thriller.  The creatures are menacing and wicked, but not nearly as much as the humans.

7.5 Out of 10