Proximity (2013) User Reviews

An unknown organisation pits people against each other in a brutal game of cat and mouse.

[JessManDude · 8/10 · 19 December 2013]

'Proximity' is a short film, directed and produced by Ryan Connolly and co-written with Seth Worley. In it, an unknown organisation pits people against each other in a brutal game of cat and mouse.

This short was fantastic. It's visually stunning, and the dialogue is excellent. Todd Bruno and Josh Connolly both deliver strong performances as Jake and Luke, as do the other actors in their various roles.

When it comes down to it, what you've got here is a short film with a reasonably original plot that was written in only a couple of days. You've got fast paced action, you've got great acting performances from all involved, you've got visual dynamite and finally, you've a director who definitely deserves a shot at Hollywood.

If that summary above appeals to you, then watch this film, it's only 10 minutes out of your life, and you will not regret it.

8/10

• Joseph

Good But Let Down By A Lack Of Backstory

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 28 February 2014]

One thing I've noticed in my marathon viewing of short films is how obscure most of them are . Some have been available on youtube and other similar sites for a while and yet there hasn't been as many as five people coming to IMDb to give a short film as much as a rating . Sad . Very sad , so it's nice to see so many people who have felt the need to vote and comment on Ryan Connolley's short film PROXIMITY and hopefully everyone who enjoyed this can go and search online for a few other undiscovered gems

I did like PROXIMITY but didn't love it It's a hard hitting story replete with violence rarely seen in a short film and this means it's morbid and gritty but somewhat charmless . It also involves a little bit of cheating . The protagonist is far too knowledgeable about his situation which could be interpreted as being ambiguous as to who he is and his origins but it's more likely that Ryan hasn't thought up a backstory for the situation and this harms the narrative . There's also a scene where the man on the run removes the shackle from his colleague and insinuates that he cut off the his foot off but how would this be possible in the time frame . Of course since you don't see this it's again open to interpretation but is it likely he managed to remove the shackle without it exploding ? No in my opinion . It is a relatively exciting high concept short but so many other stories featuring a high concept plot ambiguity and a lack of explanation can spoil things

Given the amount of time, this turned out really well.

[adamf2112 · 8/10 · 22 December 2013]

Ryan Connolly's newest short film. After the funding for his other short film, Outsiders, fell through, Ryan co-wrote this and went into production shortly after.

Given the circumstances, and how long it took the crew to make this, this turned out REALLY well. A great concept, solid acting, good visual effects, and great cinematography as well. The only gripe I have with the film is the dialog, it really wasn't needed, but I understand why it's there. The audience was easily able to pick up the concept for the story, but the characters IN the story needed to know. Overall, a fantastic film.

Amazing

[iiiiiiiipppp · 10/10 · 14 December 2013]

There is nothing bad about this short film. The act is amazing and so is the editing and knowing it was made in a small amount of time shows how much Ryan can work under pressure to pull of something great.

The quality of the film and all the props was stunning. Hope there will be more amazing work coming from you because i love watching everything you do (not in a creepy way) so i hope to see more like this and tel in the future.

not only is this film amazing but Ryan is amazing himself. He can make amazing youtube videos and also films and film riot is a great way to improve films without going to film school or university.

Solid but even as a short it needed a bit more meat on those bones

[bob the moo · 8 March 2014]

Four men are in the back of a van with bags over their heads. They are released in a field by two armed men. Two of the men run off in separate directions only for a device on their ankle to arm then trigger, blowing their leg in half and leaving them at the mercy of the two armed men to finish off. Seeing this, one of the two remaining men (Jake) tries to ensure that the same does not happen to him.

Proximity has what most short films needs, which is a great central idea which hooks you in very quickly. In this case it is the threat of death and the urgency of Jake that does it and although we do not understand the whys, the action still has good pace and keeps you involved. The cinematography is shaky but clear – it is a well used device to add urgency and excitement into the image but it is still an effective one and it mostly works here. In some ways the short and folded-in scenario helps the film be this way but on the other hand it would have been better with a bit more detail and finesse in the idea.

So, for example, with four men, this "game" will almost always end with people with no legs within 100m of the truck – it is just by chance that in Jake's case his partner isn't one of the ones that run off, and I guess this is the minority of cases. The same lack of finesse is at the end of the film too because, without any context, it really doesn't mean anything other than that the writers couldn't come up with something that worked better. It still is worth a look because it is pretty tight and engaging in the way it feels urgent and tightly paced, but it really did need a bit more detail and fine-tuning around the edges to make it work better.

Intense and Powerful

[SJ_Subash · 9/10 · 14 December 2013]

I had been looking forward to this short film since i am a big fan of Filmriot.This Short film is totally different from their previous short films.

Josh is awesome and his performance is perfect for this film.And Todd as a leading protagonist did a excellent job.His acting was really intense and matured.

I like the visuals in this short film and the Soundtrack is really outstanding. Overall i love this film and i am looking forward this film as a Feature film. Love you Filmriot.

(This is my First film review and i am so glad i have a chance to review Filmriot's Proximity Movie.)

Brilliant

[MackenzieCriswell · 7/10 · 14 December 2013]

This film is the perfect example of a no budget film that was only possible through the effort of people who are amazing at what they do. One of the best short films I have ever seen. Great for anyone who wants to be a filmmaker. This film was made after the budget for Ryan Connolly's last short film fell through. But rather than give up, he made this short film with the people and equipment that were already down to help him. Not only because of the fact that it was written and filmed so quickly, and still has a nice flowing and interesting storyline, but also because of the fact that this film is so inspiring to the audience of aspiring filmmakers it was directed towards; I am giving this film 9 stars out of 10, for being a work of art!

Brilliantly Executed

[patrickj-141-765118 · 8/10 · 23 October 2014]

Great concept, brilliantly executed, and great cast! Music and SFX are top notch and the fact that it was created on a shoestring budget makes this piece that much more inspiring and fun to watch. Ryan and Seth... definitely a team up worthy of anticipation for the next project!

The location and simplicity really make this an overall fantastic piece. The actors have great dynamic and really bring the tension to life. From beginning to end the build is masterfully done and the reveal at the end is well delivered. The visual effects are well done and not hokey or overdone by any means, the fact that you don't even realize that they are in the film at all says everything. Shaky-Cam has been beaten to death but in this context, fits the bill wonderfully and doesn't take away but actually adds to the tension and overall delivery of the film. A definite must see for any indie film makers and a great watch overall. A great film to not only watch but dissect and study, the motivation and direction is A+

Interesting and thrilling.

[makar-kirikov · 7/10 · 15 December 2013]

"Proximity" has a very interesting concept, as well as a good execution. It is set in a world which reminds me of "The hunger games" but still manages to be original and fresh. I would like to see an expansion of this idea and this world, perhaps in the form of a mini series or even a feature film. "Proximity" has decent acting, good visuals and narrative story telling as well as a thrilling build up with a quick, but satisfying resolution.

Proximity is a good example of the work that Ryan Conolly is expected to produce. Low budget, yet high quality, made very quickly, yet is seems like the film had more production value than it actually had. Compared to his other two short films "Tell" and "Losses" I would say that "Proximity" is a step forwards in many directions. Even though I feel like "Tell" was written and directed better than this film (due to the long time spent on the making of "Tell" compared to the 10 days of production for "Proximity") it is still a strong standing independent project, which is worth checking out.

A true movie that has a Hollywood feel even though it was done low budget

[ianrocks93 · 10/10 · 16 December 2013]

I loved Ryan Connolly's short films including Losses, Tell, and now PROXiMITY, he has a lot of talent and I would like to work with him sometime in the future. Todd Bruno pushed his performance like always to an extreme level, I love his acting and he has a lot of potential as an actor. Josh Connolly, however, wasn't as well as Todd, he over reacted in some scenes but overall did a fantastic job. This movie really had that twist at the end where I went like "Holly crap" that ending is why I gave PROXiMITY a 10/10. PROXiMITY was something I waited for for that whole week, they announced it on Monday so I set a timer so I could watch it on Thursday. It was the best short film I've seen all year and that's the way to end 2013.

Great short film, very intriguing!

[caleb-620-999106 · 9/10 · 15 December 2013]

This is an awesome short film! The story is very creative, and intriguing. The style of film making used here was awesome. The style was like that of the style used in Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. The acting was also very good - not b-rated at all. It is about two men rigged with proximity bombs to their ankles. They are bound together trying to survive while being chased by their captors. Ryan Connolly and the Film Riot team did an awesome job here. They did an amazing job with the effects and sound. The scene when the character Jake was trying to get the bomb off of Luke's leg was very intense, also when Jake is drowning his captor in a mud puddle. Thanks again Film Riot for a great film!

Good action without story.

[vedant-naik · 3/10 · 15 December 2013]

When I heard the film's title "Proximity", I was incredibly excited to see what Ryan Connolly was working on next. However, his latest film was disappointing to say the least.

The film had crisp and wonderful visuals as well as an incredibly kinetic tone. The action was directed well and was masterfully done, considering the lack of budget and special effects.

However, that's where the good parts end. The film lacked any kind of story or sub-text. From what I gathered, a group of men are driven to the middle of nowhere and then hunted down by gunmen in black. The catch? each one was shackled (literally) to a partner with bombs attached to their feet. If they move too far apart, they explode. The story had much unrealized potential and could have been great. In a film like this, the story needs to drive the film forward. I was confused and wondering what the hell I was watching for most of the time.

Overall I give the film 3/10 as a critic.

The ending cannot save it

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 11 September 2015]

"Proximity" is an 11-minute American short film from 2 years ago written and directed by Ryan Connolly. Connolly is considered one of the best short film directors currently working and many people are looking forward to his full feature films. This one here unfortunately does not really attract my attention. The only thing I kinda liked about it was the setting, the premise and the ending with the final plot twist. However, the action in-between felt a lot like style over substance to me. Good thing is if you are not an English speaker, you can still watch this one as there is almost no dialogue in here. But why am I writing this. You obviously cannot understand my review either. Anyway, Connolly cast a whole bunch of family members for this short film, but it's not really mediocre acting which keeps this film from being a success. In my opinion, it is the script which feels like a considerably weaker, more male-oriented version of "The Hunger Games". Not recommended.

Was this a school project?

[rjtheoret · 2/10 · 19 January 2014]

So I came across this movie on YouTube and decided to check it out. I'm not sure what the story behind this film was, exactly. I am just assuming that it was a school project. Some of the cinematography was nice... but that's about it. It comes off as more of a concept for a feature film. It is not very effective in telling a good story or drawing you in and making you care. It's pretty empty and feels like it was probably written in less than 30 minutes. The shaky camera work and tight edits try to trick you into a sense of tension (rather ineffectively, I might add). At the end of the day, it basically serves as a demo for the D.P. and doesn't do many favors for the writers and/or director. Acting-wise, there is not much to say... literally. The actors basically run around grunting most of the time. As far as I know, this movie is only available on YouTube, which should serve as a good indication of what the quality would be. I am giving this 2 stars for the cinematography. If the makers of this were in high school, then I will cut it some slack. If not, well, keep practicing.

Leaves more questions than answers

[freemanpatrick7 · 7 March 2016]

I can't remember if it was a movie or TV show that used the same type of proximity devices to keep prisoners from trying to escape. Only, in that case, the bombs were collars around the neck. Anyway, because of that movie, I instantly knew what the situation was with the collars.

But that was one of the few questions that got answered and it wasn't answered by the film.

Why deal with collars in the first place? If you're going to take men out into the woods to kill them, why play games? Just kill them and be done with it.

Why were the men being hunted in the first place?

If you're hunting men for sport, wouldn't it be more sporting to hunt them while they still have two good legs?

Why did the second prisoner come back to fight Jake when he could have just kept on running?

How did Jake fight so well with a stick shoved into his gut? He didn't even act like it bothered him after the initial shock.

The acting was good and the action was excellent.