Cocoons of Outer Space Review

Cocoons of Outer Space is a 2017 short film directed by Joel Caetano. This film was screened for review as part of the Free Independent Film Weekend Fright Night 2021.

A wonderful homage to the wonder years of low budget cinema and John Carpenter style DIY filmmaking, Cocoons of Outer Space brings a certain charm to the world of sci-fi horror.

A story of a woman just trying to relax. This short has a lot of fun with the simple premise of strange creatures invading our planet. In keeping it locked in to a single location, there is a smart consideration to the visualization of the creatures themselves.

This is where the film stands tall, in the effects department all around. The creature designs feel very inspired and how they are brought to life is created practically but with precision.

Caetano wore many hats to make this film come to life, and his creativity shows in spades here.

The presentation overall is just wonderful, and the bits of comedy we get to lighten the mood does not feel forced either. When the gore sets in, it works effectively and gives plenty for horror lovers to enjoy.

The music feels straight up classic Carpenter with plenty of synths to go around and even mixes it up a bit with some fun reggae infusion.

Watching our lead character slowly become stronger as the film goes on too feels particularly earned. We even get what one can assume is a nice Snake Plissken reference as the piece continues on as well.

What culminates is a nicely paced short film that builds an effective world and leaves us in an unexpected place by the time the credits roll. Cocoons of Outer Space clearly had a great direction from Caetano and his entire team. The vision is splendid and the entire piece was a fun brief ride throughout.

This film was screened for review as part of the Free Independent Film Weekend Fright Night 2021.

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