Short Film Review: 'The Tattooist' (2018)

The Tattooist certainly leaves a bold impression upon first watch—completely enthralling in its visual trajectory.

★★★★½

NR - Horror (1 minute)

dir. Michael Wong

“Follows the dark obsessions of a tattooist whose studio is acclaimed for its exceptional and intricately crafted tattoos. Those who receive his prized masterpiece are drugged, imprisoned, and then forced to fight their fears in a race against the clock to escape. Can they escape or will they become victims?”

— Official Synopsis

The Tattooist certainly leaves a bold impression upon first watch—completely enthralling in its visual trajectory. Director Michael Wong envisions the horrors of an everyday activity going entirely awry. Even more impressive is how the cast and crew are able to sell the concept from start to finish.

At an abrupt minute and twenty second watch, this micro-short still manages to linger in your mind even after it’s over. While the experience of watching The Tattooist doesn’t last long, that frightened feeling never really goes away after. Between Pai Seang Lee’s editing and the quick snaps of cinematography by Mayela Magrou and Troy Sandford, Wong has created something as brutal as possible; managing to tell a complete, competent story that comes full circle (literally). I, personally, would love nothing more than to explore this concept at feature length.

Watch the full film here: www.vimeo.com/michaelwong/thetattooist/