Soul Heist is certainly an entertaining buddy movie, only a buddy movie featuring soul-stealing demons. In fact, I wouldn’t mind seeing the two leads go on more adventures together, pittied against the forces of evil. This short film is an indie movie tease that left me wanting more. It’s also a film that acknowledges famous horror movies and tropes, without ever feeling irksome or too self-referential about it. Horror filmmakers obsessed with all things meta can learn a thing or two here.
The film is a two-person cast that stars Sabrina Knappett as Nashley and Jake Larton as Dave. The short opens with black-clad, red-eyed demons swarming Nashley’s bed. Moments later, they steal her soul. Just prior to that gnarly sequence, the film features a quote from Lisa Simpson, which sets the right tone and tells viewers that yes, this is going to be an absurd horror comedy. It never strays from that. Once the demons snatch Nashley’s soul, she enlists the help of Dave, her best friend and a film bro. They eventually go an adventure to reclaim Nashley’s soul before it’s too late. Armed with a shotgun, they go toe-to-toe with the demons, and it makes for quite a ride.
One of the film’s strengths lies in the back-and-forth dialogue and witty banter between Dave and Nashley. The two reference horror movies and various tropes, but it’s never overdone, like, say, some of the recent Scream sequels. The self-referential moments and awareness of the horror genre hit just the right note and strike the appropriate tone. This is a credit to the script, co-written by director Julian Hoffman and Zac Spiegelman. Dave and Nashley easily could have become annoying, like the familiar film buff who constantly namedrops various directors or movie quotes. In that regard, this short is restrained.
By the end of the film, I wanted to explore more of this world. I hope to see Dave and Nashley continue their battles against evil, be it demons or other nasty creatures. I’d also love to see what this creative team could do with a slightly larger budget to bring some of these baddies to life. Soul Heist shows a lot of promise on a tiny budget. Hopefully, we get to see Dave and Nashley charge into battle again soon.
