The Reckoning of Darkness

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• 2018

• United States

• 27 mins

• NYC Premiere

• Winter FEAR Awards Horror Film Competition

Directed By	Christopher Kulikowski
Produced By	John Paul Pettinato, Christopher Kulikowski
Starring	Paul Fox (Victor Frankenstein), Brett Gipson (The Creation), Jessica Spotts (Agnes Gifford), Chase Victoria (Elizabeth Frankenstein)

The Year 1818: Set on a remote island at the extreme north of the British Isles, a mysterious man named Victor washes ashore, seemingly the sole survivor of a shipwreck. He is restored to health by the local inhabitants but guards the secrets of his haunted past and of an evil which has found its way to this remote world, hell-bent on vengeance. So starts the dramatic and violent chain of events in which the tale of Victor’s sinister experiments gradually emerges.

About the Director

“Cinematized” at an early age, Christopher has worked steadily in the motion picture business since moving to Los Angeles in 1987. He secured his first job with legendary visual effects pioneer Douglas Trumbull, and has contracted his varied abilities with over 100 production companies and producers, often working as a post-production supervisor, director, writer and editor. His vast experience has allowed his skills and imagination to become cinematic reality.

Reviews

It’s no surprise that “The Reckoning of Darkness” has been raking in awards at most of its festival appearances. From the direction, to the cinematography, to the performances, this is an amazing production. Director Christopher Kulikowski has assembled an impressive team to help realize his vision, capturing a rich period romanticism that’s the equal or better of many mega-budget productions. The acting, led by Paul Fox as Victor Frankenstein, is subtle and believable. Jessica Spotts also stands out as a local who finds Victor washed up onshore of a remote British island. But honestly, there are no weak links to be found anywhere among the cast or crew.

We are offered glimpses of the Creature, both in flashback as an angelic-looking “Adam,” and as the woeful monster into which he devolves (an impressive makeup by Jonathan Thornton and David Charles). Since this short is meant to serve as a proof-of-concept for a feature-length production, the viewer is left tantalized and wanting more after the film’s fleet 26-minute runtime. Well, the “proof” is certainly there onscreen. One can only hope someone steps up to secure financing to finish the director’s vision. It’s well deserving of it.

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