Film Review: Seermass (dir. Kevin Austra)

Seermass is a short thriller about a young lawyer (Kerwin Gonzalez as Calvin) who is called in to represent a murder suspect, Seermass (Kevin Austra). But everything is not what it seems as their conversation reveals striking revelations.

Kevin Austra as Seermass

Let's take it from the start: in the opening scene - through a one-way mirror, Calvin sees his future client, Seermass Richards. After a short call with his wife, he goes in to meet Seermass. The rest of the film takes place in the investigation room. When discussing one-location films, this one is a perfect example of how to do it right! The well-written story and excellent plot twists really held us glued to the screen. And we haven't even touched on performances yet!

The interaction between the two characters is fascinating. Calvin reads Seermass the accusations, and we get a glimpse of what awful things the man sitting in front of us is capable of. Throughout the entire film, you just couldn't shake off the feeling that Seermass is about to jump Calving and brutally attack him at any given moment. This short really takes "keeping you on your toes" to the next level.

The conversation continues. Seermass keeps changing the subject, asking Calvin personal questions, clearly inconveniencing him (and us!), and totally creeping us out. The delicate balance between the characters shifts beautifully. and Calvin, who takes the lead in the beginning, is getting weaker and weaker by the second half of the film. You can easily tell which character is more manipulative, but you can't even guess the half of it until the first big plot twist hits.

Kerwin Gonzalez as Calvin

Both actors' performances are impressive. Kerwin Gonzales is excellent as Calvin. He walks on the line between being an amateur, young lawyer, and at the same time a clever man who isn't intimidated by criminals such as Seermass.Kevin Austra is terrifying as Seermass, and his quiet moments are mesmerizing. His subtext is rich and varied, and he can tell a whole lot with just a single look. This role is different than Austra's past performances, and it was a delight to see this other side of him as an actor.

Seermass Trailer

In May 2020, Seermass won 3 awards at the New York Film Awards, including Best Thriller, Best Supporting Actor (Kevin Austra), and Best Cinematography (Chris Cole).