REMAIN CALM Review: A Smile Is All You Have

Directed by Jake Lewis | 13 min | Horror, Comedy | Cinematography by Emil Gurvin

Most short films rely on jump scares. Others build their terror on a single impossible rule. Remain Calm, directed by Jake Lewis and based on a story developed with Sam Lewis, falls brilliantly into the latter category. The film recently made its way into my social media feed, and it is a rare instance where the viral hype is entirely justified.

The premise is a goldmine for dark comedy. We are introduced to two gas station clerks working a desolate night shift in the middle of the desert. Erwin, played by Nick Swardson, is content to endlessly scroll through TikTok. His coworker Matt, played by Pauly Shore, longs for a deeper connection or at least someone to share his chips with. Their mundane shift is interrupted by a government agent with an unnerving and unforgettable smile. This agent is played by horror sensation Doug Jones, whose physical performance sets the tone for the entire film. He delivers a terrifying warning about a creature named Mr. Frett. The rule for survival is simple but impossible. You must remain completely calm.

This 13-minute short film had me laughing my lungs out. The irony of forcing characters to maintain absolute composure while a repulsive creature lurks within is brilliant. The monster feeds on the exact panic that horror films are designed to provoke. Jake Lewis executes this vision perfectly, balancing the absurdity of the situation with genuine tension. Asking someone to remain positive when faced with mind-losing terror is a fantastic metaphor for the pressures of modern life.

The technical execution makes the film stand out significantly. Cinematographer Emil Gurvin does an outstanding job ensuring that every frame captures the dread waiting just out of sight. The visual composition keeps the audience trapped in the claustrophobic convenience store alongside Matt and Erwin. The sound design is equally impressive. As someone who finds overly relied-upon eerie audio irritating, I deeply appreciated the restraint here and how well it was executed. The audio cues build suspense organically without forcing the audience to feel afraid, but there is this longing to see what happens next.

Remain Calm offers a highly original concept with massive franchise potential. The execution is so sharp that it is easy to see this being developed into a feature film. I certainly hope a studio like A24 takes notice of what the Lewis brothers have accomplished here.

If you need a short film to watch rather than doom-scrolling on your phone, you should head straight to YouTube and devour this one. Horror fan to horror fan, I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Did you find it funny, or would the creature have gotten you in the first five minutes?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5