A woman (Socorro Jones) sits at a table staring at Wendy (Jessica Ruth Bell) who sits opposite her. There’s something off about Wendy, but the woman attempts to be diplomatic while conducting an intake session with her. You see, poor, clueless Wendy has a cleaver lodged in her head. She is unaware and seems to be functioning normally. However, as things play out, the woman speaking with Wendy finds it increasingly difficult to ignore the lethal injury. MEAT CLEAVER! is a sidesplitting horror short from the mind of writer-director Jared Asher Harris that is a gleefully silly little piece of moviemaking.

MEAT CLEAVER! is rife with twists and turns that are best left unmentioned so this review will remain vague. Suffice it to say that the short felt like next-level Monty Python as the story moved along. Everything is played straight and with a heightened absurdity. The expert production values also rise to the occasion with some beautiful production and set design from Allison Jensen. The costumes by Sailor D. Gonzales enhance the storytelling as well. Also of note is the fine cinematography from Griffin Voth who uses a square 4:3 aspect ratio while keeping things symmetrical for the most part. All of these elements coalesce to create a solid piece of work.

Jones and Bell open the film in a small white office with their comedic back and forth about the cleaver in Wendy’s head. Both really work well together and the comedy works. That’s not to mention David Fyne and Rob Moore who appear later adding the other side of the story. Both are utterly hilarious and add beautifully to the movie.

If you have 15 minutes, do yourself a favor and watch MEAT CLEAVER! below.  Jared Asher Harris’s short is a comedic gem executed with talent and style. There is also a super catchy theme song at the end by Mo Troper that gives heavy They Might Be Giants vibes.