Sundance 2024 Film Festival – Plenty of horror films deal with nightmares. However, I haven’t seen a film that executes such a well-worn concept quite like Dream Creep. The short, written and directed by Carlos A.F. Lopez, takes a rather familiar idea and puts a fresh spin on it, leading to quite the harrowing ending.

The short stars Ian Edlund as David, who wakes up after hearing voices coming from the ear of his girlfriend, Suzy (Sidney Jayne Hunt). Meanwhile, her voice tells him that he needs to save her and take pretty drastic measures to do so. In fact, there’s one scene involving a thermometer that’s quite shocking. In fact, the last few minutes of the short make for a surprising and bloody good time.

What works especially well in Lopez’s film is the pacing. He saves the gore and blood for the wanning few minutes and creates a slow build-up to the most gruesome moments. The payoff is worth it, and the weird voices emanating from Suzy’s ear are hair-rising enough before any blood is even spilled. Because this is a two-person show, a lot also rides on the performances. Thankfully, both Edlund and Hunt do a good job, Edlund especially, who must carry much of the short because Hunt’s character is asleep for about half the runtime. Edlund’s character grows more and more desperate, and Edlund manages to turn in a convincing performance. You feel his character’s fear and anxiety.

Overall, Dream Creep is a clever concept. It starts with a jolt in the middle of the night before the nightmare bleeds into waking life. It may start slow, but by the last minute or two, it accelerates and doesn’t relent. This short proves that Lopez is definitely a talent to watch.

8 Out of 10