Finn Callan’s allegorical representation of mental illness returns to haunt our screens in Guest 2. Despite initially struggling for funding, the company behind the horror meditation app Chilling (imagine if Calm had a horror section in their Sleep Stories) took an interest in Callan’s work and the two teamed up to produce the sequel. This kind of support and innovation within the creative industry is really great to see and any horror fans should definitely check out Chilling!
With the original Guest reaching 12 million views on YouTube, the wide-eyed creature at its centre captured the hearts of horror-lovers. Despite having no dialogue and moving very little on screen, The Guest became an iconic character, even inspiring viewers to create fan art. In an interview with Dread Central, Callan describes the success of the character as “overwhelming”. But far from buckling under this pressure, Callan builds on the success of the previous film to deliver a poignant message through the dark shadows of the horror genre.
Jill (Jennifer English) returns home from an exhausting shift only to find her brother, Ethan (Simon Bigg), has ignored her plea to tidy up. The flat is still a state. But for any viewers who jump to the conclusion of laziness, the truth about the debilitating effects of mental illness on even the most fundamental elements of living will become strikingly apparent. Despite knowing that her brother is struggling, Jill’s empathy is outweighed by her frustrations. She’s also preoccupied with some of her own issues and only finding a solution at the bottom of a hipflask. Callan takes a sensitive and balanced approach to both Jill and Ethan’s situation. He allows us to draw our own understanding and find reflections of our own attitudes rather than forcing a particular reaction. This gives the audience space for their reactions and forms a critical part of the film’s success. With space to breathe and think, we are able to find shadows of ourselves and those around us in the folds of the narrative. This ultimately makes Guest 2 more impactful by facilitating individual reactions.
Jill reluctantly agrees to fill in for Ethan while he remains shut in his bedroom, hosting his support group. Here she meets Mia (Natasha Biggs), a woman who is plagued by visits from The Guest. A branch of the narrative extends into Mia’s life, revealing a deeply lonely and insecure woman. The support group brings Jill and Mia together and they strike up a friendship over coffee. The significance of these human interactions is represented by the comings and goings of The Guest. When alone, The Guest at best haunts the periphery of Mia’s life. At worst, their silent but oppressive presence completely overwhelms all other sensation. When talking to Jill, the darkness brought by The Guest is kept somewhat at bay.
But what about Ethan? Alone, he hosts The Guest in his bedroom. Will The Guest move on, or are they here to stay?
With fantastic writing, acting, direction and cinematography, The Guest 2 is an important and sophisticated horror short. Embodying the pervasive nature of mental illness as a ghastly figure continues to be effective in the second instalment. It’s clear to see why the character of The Guest became so popular. In a way, giving the amorphous nature of mental illness a physical form takes back some sort of control. Visualising the pain in this way helps to vocalise things that seem unspeakable. The Guest doesn’t need to speak – their presence is effective enough to communicate the intense distress and discomfort the hosts experience.
The impact of The Guest cannot be spoken of without giving mention to the special effects makeup that make the horrifying creature possible. The concept for the creature was created by Callan and special effects artist Fran Giacovelli. However, due to scheduling conflicts, he wasn’t available to work on this film. In order to recreate the iconic character, Callan found the talented Georgia Nicole Paxton. She transformed actress Anna Fraser into The Guest as she reprises her role from the previous film.
Beyond the uneasy atmosphere The Guest creates, Callan has worked hard to weave many elements of horror and psychological distress into Guest 2. One such element that particularly struck me was the number of people at the support meeting. The room is overcrowded, densely packed with bodies. Not only does this create visual distress, but also represents the many, many people who struggle with mental health – with their own unwanted guests. Drawing these elements together is the music of Simon Petersson. The score is ominous and minimal, creeping in nature – just like The Guest. All aspects of the film are drawn together with a nuanced cohesion to create an excellent example of the power of short film.
After premiering November 24th, the film is following the success of Guest and is well on it’s way to 1 million views already. Watch Guest 2 at the bottom of this page!