The Ethereal review

By Mark Young

The Ethereal is classed as being micro-budget, shot by independent filmmaker Josh Young, with a tight 15minute runtime that can either help or hinder, by either trying to cram too much in or by not doing enough within that period. Here, that runtime acts not as a constraint, but as a means of providing an experience that is jarring, as only the most uncomfortable watches can be. 

Things start to happen almost immediately – random drawings on the floor, windows being open that were closed and a kitchen given the special attention of an unseen assailant. It’s all pretty standard stuff that establishes that at least the man of the house knows that there is something going on. There is an air of unease, camera angles and lighting that add into the gradual escalation of things not going right – furniture not arriving, odd behaviours and illness are all presented upfront, and you don’t know if it’s all of them or not. 

Some behaviours are difficult to explain, like why you would enter the house with a gun drawn and safety off, bearing in mind it’s dark inside with no way of knowing who’s there. Jagged noisescapes are deployed; are these to establish his mental state?  It certainly appears that he’s on some form of downward spiral, but you are kept guessing as to what is real or imagined. That jarring use of electronica to suggest violence happening off camera is well used; it’s harsh, abrasive, acting like a punch to the throat. The payoff is well played and completely wrong-foots you (and I won’t spoil it here). Despite it being a micro-budget offering, The Ethereal is a decent 15 minutes where the director’s aesthetic wins the day. The use of colours and sound to keep you engaged is fantastic, and the actors do what they can with the lines they have. 

It’s showing on the fall festival circuit, and if you get the chance, give it a go. It’s definitely not a waste of your time.