Two men make a wager with each other over the fate of a bound and gagged female hostage that they keep switching back and forth between their apartment rooms. Director Michael Dunn, who also co-wrote the darkly compelling script with Chris Smith, not only makes expert use of the grimy and claustrophobic apartment setting, but also adroitly wrings plenty of nerve-rattling tension from the intriguingly eerie and ambiguous story (who exactly are these two guys and how long have they been doing this?). The ace acting from the bang-up cast keeps everything on track: Lou Diamond as the outwardly compassionate Henry and Walt Turner as the sadistic James both do sterling work in their roles while Courtney Gardner Jensen makes for a credibly scared and pitiable victim. Moreover, the fact that the central premise comes across as frighteningly plausible gives this harrowing honey an extra unsettling edge. The final image is truly chilling. Kudos are also in order for Kurt Rauf's muted shadowy cinematography and Rachel Bellinksy's spare shuddery score. A real on the money nail-biter.
2 Reviews
OMG, I love "The Bet" - totally freaked me out!
amyrolltide26 July 2008
OMG, I love "The Bet" - totally freaked me out! This is what a short thriller is all about.
Scary, dramatic, and nail-biting! Aaaaaaagh! I couldn't get it out of my head for days.
Amazing thriller.
The setting...the environment....so dirty and concerning and scary.
The actors are fantastic, they totally communicate the fear and confusion that the director must have been seeking. They seem like unknowns to me? but also seem very talented, very convincing. The directing, the photography, the set-design....all spot-on.
You leave this movie saying, WTF??? in a very good and intriguing way.
When's the next one coming out?!?!?!
Scary, dramatic, and nail-biting! Aaaaaaagh! I couldn't get it out of my head for days.
Amazing thriller.
The setting...the environment....so dirty and concerning and scary.
The actors are fantastic, they totally communicate the fear and confusion that the director must have been seeking. They seem like unknowns to me? but also seem very talented, very convincing. The directing, the photography, the set-design....all spot-on.
You leave this movie saying, WTF??? in a very good and intriguing way.
When's the next one coming out?!?!?!
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