“Girl #2” (Fantasia, 2017): The Slasher Isn’t the Most Dangerous Character in This Excellent Horror-Comedy Short

When, in classic slasher movie fashion, a maniac runs rampant through a sorority house bludgeoning its residents to death, viewers might think that things couldn’t get worse for the protagonists. They would be wrong, though, in the case of director David Jeffery’s incredible short film Girl #2.

The short opens with Jenn (Katy Yoder) coming out of her hiding place and surveying the carnage that has taken place so far. She finds another surviving sorority sister, Stacey (Mia Faith), and the two plot what to do once the hulking killer (Michael Bailey Smith) breaks into their hiding place. This conversation is where the real trouble begins!

Girl #2 pulls off both its horror elements and comic moments expertly. The tension is palpable as Jenn sees her sorority sisters lying dead around the house as she tries in vain to find a way to escape. Once actress Kari Wahlgren’s (Gravity Falls; Star Wars: The Old Republic) sharp debut screenplay takes a turn toward the humorous, though, it nails those elements as well, and in quite a biting manner. I will avoid spoilers, but I’ll hint that the comedy focuses on a slasher film trope and how Jenn and Stacey react to that. David Jeffery –  well established as a television producer, with such projects as Bones, Prison Break, and Queen of the South to his credit – proves himself as a highly talented director here, which is another huge reason why both the horror and comedy scenes work so cleverly. Neither horror that is based on suspense (as opposed to, for example, mere jump scares or shocking gore) nor comedy is easy to get right, but Jeffery shows he knows how to present both cinematic styles quite well. Director of photography Bradford Lipson, a highly accomplished television cinematographer, captures the events marvelously.

Star Katy Yoder (whose credits include TV series Drop Dead Diva and Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell) is sensational as Jenn. She is pitch-perfect when conveying terror as well as the other heightened emotions her character goes through, taking the comic lead, and performing the physical demands of her role. She is a true talent to keep an eye on. Mia Faith (They’re Watching) is rock solid as Stacey, bringing a great deal of verve to her role. Michael Bailey Smith (no stranger to horror with roles in the 2006 remake of The Hills Have Eyes and 2007’s The Hills Have Eyes II) is also great in his role and even has the chance to stretch the emotions of his killer character out a bit.  

Girl #2 is an all-around dynamic effort that horror and horror-comedy fans should go out of their way to seek out. The short is currently on a film festival run, including screenings at the recent Fantasia International Film Festival. It has already captured several awards for best short film and for its cast and crew, and I’m certain that this trend will continue.

For more information, check out the short’s official website at http://www.girl2movie.com/ or its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GirlNumberTwoFilm/.

(5 / 5)

Joseph Perry

Joseph Perry fell in love with horror films as a preschooler when he first saw the Gill-Man swim across the TV screen in "The Creature from The Black Lagoon" and Mothra battle Godzilla in "Godzilla Vs. The Thing.” His education in fright fare continued with TV series such as "The Twilight Zone" and "Outer Limits," along with legendary northern California horror host Bob Wilkins’ "Creature Features." His love for silver age and golden age comic books, including horror titles from Gold Key, Dell, and Marvel started around age 5. He is a contributing writer for "Phantom of the Movies VideoScope" print magazine and the websites Gruesome Magazine, Diabolique Magazine, Ghastly Grinning, The Scariest Things, Horror Fuel, and When It Was Cool. He is a co-host of the "Decades of Horror: The Classic Era" and "Uphill Both Ways" podcasts. Joseph has also written for “Scream” magazine, "Filmfax" magazine, “SQ Horror” magazine, and the websites That's Not Current an HorrorNews.net. He occasionally proudly co-writes articles with his son Cohen Perry, who is a film critic in his own right. A former northern Californian and Oregonian, Joseph has been teaching, writing, and living in South Korea since 2008.