This was a very clever, short film that truly could be made into a full length

Khalani Simon-Barrow, Luke Speakman, and Jackson A Park in Weapons (2025)

Luke Speakman and Elyse Corbett in Jack's Lantern (2024)

Avery Gibson and Porter Scanlon in Jack's Lantern (2024)

Michael R. Ciminna in Jack's Lantern (2024)

Alicia Kelley

Avery Gibson

Luke Speakman

Michael R. Ciminna

A lonely boy, who believes his jack-o-lanterns come to life, is drawn to carve a pumpkin on Halloween night, while his Mother tries to shield him from the scary truth.

Jack&apos;s Lantern

Jack&apos;s Lantern is a tightly wound short film that proves just how effective restraint and ambiguity can be within a limited runtime. Clocking in at only 24 minutes, the film never wastes a moment, immediately pulling the audience into a creeping sense of unease and curiosity. From the start, it toys with expectations, constantly making you question where the story is heading and what kind of horror it&apos;s actually building toward. By the time it cuts to black, it leaves you suspended in that perfect space between satisfaction and frustration, where wanting more feels intentional rather than incomplete.

The film&apos;s greatest strength lies in its ability to keep the audience guessing. The central question-whether the pumpkin is something supernatural or simply a manifestation of a fractured mind-remains deliberately unresolved. That uncertainty becomes the engine of the story, keeping viewers locked in as each scene adds just enough tension to push the narrative forward without revealing too much. The choice to stop where it does is bold, and while some may crave clearer answers, the ambiguity ultimately enhances the film&apos;s lingering impact.

Avery Gibson delivers an excellent performance, anchoring the film with a portrayal that walks a careful line between vulnerability and menace. His character feels unstable in the most compelling way, leaving you unsure whether you&apos;re watching the slow unraveling of a troubled mind or someone genuinely witnessing something unnatural. Gibson&apos;s subtle shifts in expression and behavior sell this duality, making every moment he&apos;s on screen feel unpredictable and unsettling.

The mother character is another standout. Her fear feels raw and authentic, not exaggerated or melodramatic. You can sense her internal conflict-whether she truly believes something terrible has happened or whether she&apos;s suppressing the truth out of fear or denial. That emotional tension adds depth to the story, turning what could have been a straightforward horror setup into something more psychologically layered.

While the neighborhood kids mostly serve their purpose, a few performances feel less polished and slightly distract from the overall immersion. That said, they never derail the film, and their presence still contributes to the unsettling atmosphere and the sense that something is quietly wrong beneath the surface.

Technically, the film is mostly well-executed, with solid editing and effective pacing, but there are noticeable glitches during the dinner scene where the image freezes. These moments pull you out of the experience and feel unintentional, suggesting a need for tighter quality control before release. Despite this flaw, the overall presentation remains strong enough to maintain tension and mood.

In the end, Jack&apos;s Lantern is a very effective short film that understands the power of suggestion. It&apos;s eerie, confident, and emotionally grounded, using strong performances and a carefully controlled narrative to leave a lasting impression. With minor technical refinements, it stands as a compelling piece of short-form horror that lingers in your mind well after it ends.

Jack's Lantern is a tightly wound short film that proves just how effective restraint and ambiguity can be within a limited runtime. Clocking in at only 24 minutes, the film never wastes a moment, immediately pulling the audience into a creeping sense of unease and curiosity. From the start, it toys with expectations, constantly making you question where the story is heading and what kind of horror it's actually building toward. By the time it cuts to black, it leaves you suspended in that perfect space between satisfaction and frustration, where wanting more feels intentional rather than incomplete.

The film's greatest strength lies in its ability to keep the audience guessing. The central question-whether the pumpkin is something supernatural or simply a manifestation of a fractured mind-remains deliberately unresolved. That uncertainty becomes the engine of the story, keeping viewers locked in as each scene adds just enough tension to push the narrative forward without revealing too much. The choice to stop where it does is bold, and while some may crave clearer answers, the ambiguity ultimately enhances the film's lingering impact.

Avery Gibson delivers an excellent performance, anchoring the film with a portrayal that walks a careful line between vulnerability and menace. His character feels unstable in the most compelling way, leaving you unsure whether you're watching the slow unraveling of a troubled mind or someone genuinely witnessing something unnatural. Gibson's subtle shifts in expression and behavior sell this duality, making every moment he's on screen feel unpredictable and unsettling.

The mother character is another standout. Her fear feels raw and authentic, not exaggerated or melodramatic. You can sense her internal conflict-whether she truly believes something terrible has happened or whether she's suppressing the truth out of fear or denial. That emotional tension adds depth to the story, turning what could have been a straightforward horror setup into something more psychologically layered.

While the neighborhood kids mostly serve their purpose, a few performances feel less polished and slightly distract from the overall immersion. That said, they never derail the film, and their presence still contributes to the unsettling atmosphere and the sense that something is quietly wrong beneath the surface.

Technically, the film is mostly well-executed, with solid editing and effective pacing, but there are noticeable glitches during the dinner scene where the image freezes. These moments pull you out of the experience and feel unintentional, suggesting a need for tighter quality control before release. Despite this flaw, the overall presentation remains strong enough to maintain tension and mood.

In the end, Jack's Lantern is a very effective short film that understands the power of suggestion. It's eerie, confident, and emotionally grounded, using strong performances and a carefully controlled narrative to leave a lasting impression. With minor technical refinements, it stands as a compelling piece of short-form horror that lingers in your mind well after it ends.

bappamtv

Jack's Lantern

🎭 Top Cast

🎬 Technical Specs

🎯 Categories

⭐ Featured Review

🎬 More Like This

📖 Synopsis