Written and directed by Fabian Farina and Mariano A. Mattei, using Artificial Intelligence to rewrite his unborn daughter’s DNA, a renowned geneticist saves her life but erases her humanity. When deaths begin to follow her childhood, a detective must decide whether the murders are the work of a father protecting his secret—or the evolution he unleashed. Starring: Colbie Tomei, Fabian Farina, Meghan Malloy, Mariano A. Mattei, Eric Francis Melaragni, Mary Avgerinos, Meghan Malloy and Thandiwe McMillan.
One of the key stumbling blocks of films that tackle AI and robotics is falling too far into that cold, clinical tone and becoming entirely over the top, which is exactly why it’s a pleasant surprise to find that Colbie Tomei delivers this performance perfectly. Tomei’s portrayal feels drawn straight from horror, the way she carries herself, especially when it’s supported by some great framing and positioning choices by Fabian Farina and Mariano A. Mattei, is right on the money to create a creepy yet curious tone. She’s a big part of the success of Evelyn and the more it leans into the qualities that her performance brings, the better it is.
That’s because it feels like Evelyn is destined to exist in the world of films like Megan, rather than going down a traditionally sci-fi, thriller or action road. The film weakens when it tries to inject the feel of tech-action cinema, particularly with the score. When it attempts instead to add in ominous and spooky notes, things are much stronger. It’s a similar issue with the opening credits, they don’t feel necessary, are a little drawn out and the music choice doesn’t match the vibe of the visual. It starts the short off on rocky footing, but you can see the intentions behind it, so it doesn’t throw things completely off course.
An element which balances that out is the cinematography (from A. Ceasar Pizarro), it gives the aesthetic a darker edge. A lot of sci-fi-thriller flicks, when they’re on a budget, tend to get stuck too much in the everyday, and having that brightness and simplicity to the visual, undermines the sinister or dubious layers they’re trying to inject. Whereas here, Pizarro along with Farina and Mattei, manages to keep things in a suspicious realm. It never feels too tethered to reality, and while there may be a couple of less than graceful additions or props, that doesn’t detract from the atmosphere.
Evelyn is an entertaining blend of sci-fi, thriller and horror. It’s at its strongest when it leans into those creepy, ominous vibes and really puts the power in Colbie Tomei’s hands. She delivers an excellent performance that feels terrifically reminiscent of so many beloved horror characters. The way she’s able to walk that line of keeping a hint of childhood while making clear people should fear for her capabilities is perfect, and impressive for her young age and it being her first leading role. It’s shot well, the cinematography work is strong and while there may be a couple of weaker points here and there, it’s a well-made, enjoyable short.
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