The funny thing about “Teddy” is that there is no reason for it to go beyond an eleven minute run time. This film’s premise is so hackneyed and predictable, it’d barely make a decent feature length film. Which is not by any means a criticism, just an honest observation. You have to respect Slasher Studios for comprising an entire narrative and condensing it in to only eleven minutes.
We witness the crime, learn about the characters, and see the motivation for the killer’s revenge all in barely a half hour, and this boils down to nothing more than an ode to the common slashers. Particularly “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” Four college kids of the cliché assortment are driving to a retreat one day when their beer chugging jock driver accidentally smashes in to man by the road and attempt to cover up the accident as his son watches on in the woods. Of course, they leave him there, and now the bear wielding boy has an axe to grind with their misdeeds. Director Steve Goltz is a talent to watch out for, if only for his ability to create one hell of a maniacal slasher film that is short in length but vast in talent and classic potential.
I’d kill to see what he and his crew can do with an original screenplay, and some funding for their project, as “Teddy” is a goofy narrative but brings a lot of horror chops to the table. Especially in the way of convincing performances from the entire cast, all of whom make great use out of the story and play their parts to perfection. Goltz also manages to stage some wicked kills paired with sleek imagery, all obvious homages to slasher and zombie flicks. It’s not called Slasher Studios for nothing. I foresee “Teddy” being a hit at many horror film festivals from here on in and if you’re in the mood to bear this gem, by all means keep an eye out for it.