Scooter
2022 · 12m · USA
Directed by Chelsea Lupkin
Genres: horror
Tones: provocative, surreal, tense
Abandoned by her boyfriend in the middle of the night, a woman discovers someone trapped in the back of a van and faces an impossible choice that could cost her life.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Feminist horror where the monster might just be patriarchy. Ambiguous-monster allegory is the most overworked register in indie horror right now — and ALTER pumps these out by the dozen.
A feminist horror where the question of which monster is real is left deliberately unresolved — Lupkin is reaching for Carlota Pereda's Cerdita territory. ALTER distribution and the Huesera comparison flag genuine ambition; whether it transcends genre I'll reserve judgment on.
Keeping the identity of the actual monster — creature or patriarchy — deliberately ambiguous at 12 minutes is the right structural stance for the allegory. ALTER channel, 72K views; whether the staging sustains the unresolved reading is the craft question.
Reviews
The identity of its true monster remains ambiguous, emphasising the genre's capacity for nuanced storytelling.
A thrilling ride, simple, angular, direct. Inventive and satisfying.
Festivals
- Fantasia International Film Festival 2022
- Sitges Film Festival 2022
- Beyond Fest 2022
- Overlook Film Festival 2022