In ‘Adam’, Gemma Paul recreates the story of Frankenstein in a more simplified and engaging way. The focus of the story is to create the perfect bride for Adam, the result of Doctor’s first experiment. It is not easy to play with life and death, but in this story, it seems like nothing is impossible, and the god-like powers are in the hand of the doctor all this time.

​

‘Adam’ is presented as being a horror short, but the spooky-factor is overwhelmed by the great production, and knowing the story of Dr. Frankenstein from our teenage years, it is hard to be genuinely frightened by it. What we loved in ‘Adam’, though, is the power of lights and shadows, as the short relies on the perfect movement of lights that creates the masterpiece, unreal effect of this film.  Also, we loved how Gemma Paul preferred to use a more theatrical approach than the usual cinematographic one that we’re all accustomed with, with almost no surprises. When the bride lies on the table, and the doctor asks Adam if he killed her, the slow movement of Adam shows the power of steady shots and the majestic work of an actor who knows how to send powerful emotions through subtle movements of his facial muscles. Warren Hicks plays a remarkable role in this piece, being intense like a supernova in every scene, reason why ‘Adam’ can also be perceived as extremely personal and intense.

​

‘Adam’ is the perfect piece for the ones who forgot how nice and charming short stories can be. It does not have the fear-factor of modern horror stories, but it compensates with its perfect shadow play and exquisite acting. After watching ‘Adam’, you will definitely crave for some old-school movies that bring to the spotlight their story without having to rely entirely on CGI and extreme visual effects in order to make a point.

​

Written by Vlad A.G