Director Dylan Mulick brings the very delicate art of possession intervention to the forefront with his latest short, The Program, and if I may be so bold with a (hopeful) prediction for the future, it’s that this mini-film manages to kickstart either a new TV program or movie series – it’s just THAT good.
Industry vet Robert Forster (Jackie Brown, Mulholland Drive) and Mark Gantt star as a couple of underground interventionists that deal with people who “possibly” could be possessed, and tonight a young man (Brett Fleisher) has been brought in by force to deal with the potential demon that is hiding within himself, whether he likes it or not. Their methods are cool and calm, yet with a subdued sense of unknowing about the danger that surrounds them, and it’s not before long that pure evil will rear its very ugly head.
The performances by all involved are rock-solid, and Mulick colors this short film by numbers in such a way that you, as the viewer, know that hell is coming for an imminent visit; yet, there is not much that can be done to prevent it. Holding down the majority of the short (only topping out at about 12 minutes) inside of a makeshift interrogation room is a stroke of genius and only adds to the heavy sense of foreboding: Is the world ready to deal with such an occurrence, or is dealing with these incidents on the down-low a better option so as to not cause a panic?
There are lots of questions to ask here, and I can only hope that someone in power can get their eyes on this short film and turn it into the rightful powerhouse it could be on either television or on the big screen. This quickie is highly recommended, even if the devil has his say.
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