I often talk about how short film can be an amazing and lucrative art form where artists can explore ideas that wouldn’t work in a feature. A killer table can only haunt for ten minutes, a life-sized stop motion piece is a lot of work for two hours whilst a man in slow motion would drag, literally, over the run time. I think short film can help you tell a story and learn to cut it down - edit yet still enrich the audience.
That being said, there are cases where a story is explored and while it fits in to the time restraints, standing on its own, it is just a step forward to a feature. There is something a little strained about that, I believe, but sometimes it’s genuinely incredible to explore a story on a wider scale. This can be said about short film Captcha which has been released on We Are Colony this week.
Arthur Darvill still is one of those actors who has a massive fandom behind him during his Doctor Who stint as the loveable Rory. Last year, he looked to break away from his character by appearing in Broadchurch and stage musical Once. This year, he looks set to move further away despite the somewhat science fiction elements of Captcha Because his performance here is striking, unforgettable and with a gracious charm. As Mel, he is immediately contagious and enhances the story with a likeable quality that has you invested in his charm. Darvill has all the qualities of a great leading character and as Mel, he fleshes out his troubled journey with bouts of spirit and emotion.
Opposite him is Amy Beth Hayes who could easily be wasted on another trope. Yet as femme fatale as she is, her work here is fantastically done. She is able to gift Katya with trouble - both for Mel and the agency she works for - and is equally believable in through both sides of her. As she powerfully travels through the story, Hayes is delightfully reminiscent of Peggy Carter and such agents with much more than secrecy and skill that strongly develop their characters from 2D stereotypes. Hayes is an enthralling watch that takes this film to a stellar level. All of these performances is heightened by the spooky unseen voice of Zoe Wannamaker urging Katya to kill and be ruthless.
With illuminating cinematography, Captcha towers as a great adventurous short based on a great idea that is tantalising and begging for a bigger platform. The stunning SFX with an undeniably beautiful score, this is a stirring story propelled in to excellence by Ed Tracy’s directorial splendour. Enthusing both the grimy yet sublime imagery, the essence of noir mysteries and the steam punk element so greatly received by audiences, Tracy’s short film may stand greatly on its own but still, you can’t help but beg for more when it finishes.
Captcha is available on We Are Colony now