Left Alone in the Snow (2021) Review

Left Alone in the Snow is a new short from writer/director Rickey Bird Jr. Now, if you caught my review of Cold Blooded Killers, you know there was a bit of controversy about how much of the blame for how that film turned out was his and how much was due to interference from the producers. Which made me curious to see what he could do without the meddling.

Lilly (Chelsea Newman, Anonymous Killers, Alien Warfare) is a screenwriter who has isolated herself in a cabin to finish her latest project. Something she’s beginning to regret due to the snowy weather and weird neighbours like the Peeping Tom, Teddy (Rickey Bird Jr.). Frank (D.T. Carney, Rattlers 2, The Beast Beneath) seems nice enough, but a girl on her own can never be too careful.

Shot in two days with a cast and crew of six people Left Alone in the Snow looks like an old-school B movie right down to the familiar, basic plot that hides a couple of surprises. It’s sort of like I Spit on Your Grave meets Home Alone. With bear traps.

Newman does a nice job of going from cute and vulnerable to dangerous as the isolated heroine who has to use her wits and anything else handy to fight off danger. Indie horror veteran Carney is, whether friend or foe, a convincingly intimidating presence.

Left Alone in the Snow doesn’t have much in the way of gore, its thousand-dollar budget didn’t stretch that far. And the script leans more on suspense than bloodshed. What there are look painful and seem to have been done with practical effects.

A fast and fun way to kill fifteen minutes, Left Alone in the Snow is available to rent on Vimeo for under five dollars. You can find out more about it on the Hectic Films blog, and see more of their work on their website.