2021 JERSEY SHORE FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
When a man (Dustin Teuber) wakes up, confused as to where he is and how he got there, he must examine his new reality and what it means for him and the people around him. As he meets new people and experiences new things his outlook on life and the way he’s lived in the past will be changed forever. Can the Undertaker right his wrongs and atone for his past mistakes before it’s too late?
Undertaker is as existential a film as I’ve seen in some time, with nearly every word meaning something philosophical and metaphorical in nature. I’ll be honest, there are moments throughout Undertaker that I was lost and it took me a minute or two to catch up with what was being said. This is both good and bad for the film. It isolates some viewers that may require that minute to catch up, and ostracizes them to some degree as they struggle to understand the purpose of the film or even a singular line. At only ten minutes in length, Undertaker doesn’t give viewers much time to figure things out, making it nearly essential for viewers to keep pace with the film--and again, there are moments when that is difficult.
On the flip side, however, Undertaker presents its viewers with something important and relevant, but also incredibly articulate. The fact that writer Kris Salvi is so articulate in this script allows viewers who have a deeper understanding of life to appreciate what is being said. Furthermore, Salvi forces viewers to think deeply about the content and develop a better appreciation not just of the film, but of the world around them. There is always something beautiful about a film that makes you think, a film that makes you question your reality and look inward, and that’s exactly the purpose of Undertaker.
Black and white, ominous, and even a bit uncomfortable are all characteristics of Undertaker. Through the lack of color viewers enter a world of discomfort, and that discomfort never relents. Viewers are never entirely sure of what is happening to the protagonist or where he is, and the fact that Undertaker is completed in black and white develops even more ambiguity.
What allows that ambiguity to grow and take hold of the audience is the acting, as it’s impeccable. Teuber, Jennifer Drummond (customer), etc. are each tasked with giving as little away as possible. Emotion is nearly absent from each of their performances (with the exception of Teuber’s), as they are asked to both guide viewers and leave them in the dark. Their performances throughout are beautiful as they do exactly what they are asked and require viewers to continue looking deeper into themselves and the rest of the world.
Undertaker is, for lack of a better word, odd. Salvi and director Chris Esper ask quite a lot of their viewers, and give them very little content in return. In many ways Undertaker requires viewers to participate as the events play out. Viewers get out of Undertaker what they are willing to put into it. If you’re willing to simply accept everything at face value, refusing to dig deeper than the surface, you’re likely to get very little in return, but those who are willing to look for answers are likely to be rewarded by the time the film is over. I love what Undertaker offers the world, and I believe that films of this nature have a place in cinema and can be some of the most important films in Hollywood.
Directed by Chris Esper.
Written by Kris Salvi.
Starring Dustin Teuber, Jennifer Drummond, Justin Thibault, Teddy Pryor, Michael Lepore, & Kris Salvi.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
Click here to view the trailer: https://vimeo.com/605247209
