- Release year: 2023
- Director: Colin Krawchuk.
- Producers: Brian Clarke, Patrick Ewald, Carlo Glorioso, Ted Hentschke, Chad Horn, Cory Okouchi and Katie Page.
- Screenplay by: Colin Krawchuk and Michael Sheffield.
- Cinematographer: Joe Davidson.
- Music by: Rafal Gosciminski.
Synopsis: Emma (Lelia Symington) and Jocelyn (Delaney White) are half-sisters and they just lost their dad (Matt Servitto). Since his funeral, they are accosted by what they think is a man dressed up as a jester. The evil Jester (Michael Sheffield) usually walks around in Halloween performing tricks and punishing in gruesome ways all those who don’t appreciate him, but this time he has his focus on the sisters and all those around them.
Shotgun Commentary: Gruesome and a bit strange if you haven’t watched the previous short films. Don’t expect any depth, just body parts and a very slick villain.
Source: The Jester (Colin Krawchuk, 2023).
Review
First things first, I watched the movie before I saw any of the short films, so the film was a bit confusing at the beginning. Things start happening right away and there is no explanation for them whatsoever, nor will there be at any point of the movie. The characters use very cryptic, abstract phrases like “the darkness in me” that feel like they come out of an angsty teenager’s diary, but don’t give any useful information to decipher the situation at all.
Source: The Jester (Colin Krawchuk, 2023).
Once the film was over, I was trying to make out what the Jester was supposed to be. The thing is, he looks like a jackass with superpowers who tortures, maims and kills everyone who crosses him. However, Emma’s final speech sort of hints he should be something else?
Full on overthinking
During the film, you want to believe that there is more to his attitude than just overreacting to anyone who slightly looks at him weird. It feels like the Jester embodies justice in a very raw, gory, vengeful way if you take into consideration how he behaves with the polite kid who follows the rules versus how he does with everyone who is rude. However, as a tool for justice, he needs a bit of tuning because taking someone’s eyes and teeth feels like a bit of an overreaction to someone who hasn’t even been mean to him. Other way more obnoxious and self-centred people (Alexis, played by Mia Rae Roberts) are off with barely a scrap. Also, c’mon man, killing people just for doing their job is so not cool.
Source: The Jester (Colin Krawchuk, 2023).
These incongruences, paired with the aforementioned last speech, made my theories go elsewhere. The whole “some days are worse than others” and “I learned how to live with it” makes me think he might represent regret? Nevertheless, that would only work for the three main characters/victims, not for all the other dead people. So the final conclusion remains what it was: he is an asshole with superpowers that messes with people because he feels like it, quite underwhelming to be honest.
The star of the show
The Jester itself is a really charming character, though. Charming, that is, for a sadistic psychopath. He has a clean, stylish aura around him (granted, it might just be the fitted suit) and moves in a very graceful and expressive manner, more than making up for the mask hiding his facial expressions and speech. He is so charismatic that he renders everyone else around him invisible, which doesn’t really feel like a significant loss anyway.
Much ado about nothing
While the level of gore was unexpected, it was pleasantly surprising to watch the imaginative ways in which it was used. It is a pity that the rest of the movie wasn’t as imaginative and carefully planned. The story is full of plot holes that never get solved and vague phrases that have absolutely no meaning for the spectator. There is nothing wrong with a simple slasher, but at least an explanation of the villain’s intentions or m.o. would have been nice. Especially since you save so much time the minute you decide to not dive further than two lines of background for each character.
All in all, the film is about the Jester and his killings, everything else is immaterial. Immaterial for the spectators, for the Jester, for the victims and, seeing the plainness of the script, for the creators too.
Advice to take from this movie:
- Don’t be a d*ck to weird people if they are not being mean to you. Or be, you might end up losing an eye regardless.
- When in doubt, maybe don’t stab people in your dreams that you wouldn’t want to stab in reality.
- A black and orange suit can be extremely elegant and flattering when worn with the right attitude.
Source: The Jester (Colin Krawchuk, 2023).
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