Movie fans and horror critics from around the world all agree: PAINKILLER is a must-see short! Here are some highlights. Visit the sites to read the full reviews. You can also see audience reviews on IMDb.
“On the surface PAINKILLER is an interesting sci-fi story, but the longer you watch it, the more it blooms into a doomy body-horror shocker that will pull you along against your will. PAINKILLER is as intelligent as it is bad-ass. It’s a must-see.”
Cory Carr, Slaughter Film
[PAINKILLER] is a very well thought through movie that leads to, well, let’s call it happy ending. The movie is complex yet very simple…. I’m inviting you to check it out, absolutely our highest recommendation!
Short Horror Films
“‘Painkiller’ indeed is an incredibly creepy film, very mean in its premise, but subtle enough in approach and slowly enough paced to let the horrific situation really sink in, and at the same time affording the characters enough depth to turn this into a mean piece of body horror rather than just a creature circus.”
Mike Haberfelner, (re)Search my Trash
“Those who are fascinated by body horror will need look no further than Painkiller for your demented kicks. A strong stomach will be required, not necessarily because excess is facilitated, but because of the psychological connotations of its brief and violent punctuations.”
Richard Charles Stevens, Rivers of Grue
“Overall the script is tight and written quite well. Kelly Rae LeGault’s intense portrayal of the scientist who uses her own body to test the organism is chilling, and wonderful at the same time. It’s not often that I find a film with a perfect balance of mystery and growing dread that ‘Painkiller’ has.”
Cassie Carnage, Cassie Carnage’s House of Horror
“Director Jeremiah Kipp (‘Crestfallen’, ‘Baggage’) and writer Jerry Janda have crafted a nasty little gem, which in its short, (15 minute) run time, manages to combine body horror, medical horror and ‘mad scientist’ horror into a very creepy ride.”
The Horror Nerd, horrornerd.net
“Jerry Janda has written a brilliant short film. Kelly Rae LeGault is the standout here. Her portrayal of the woman scientist who becomes the test subject is intense, engaging, frightening and heartbreaking. Her swift turn from ‘normal’ to ‘non-normal’ plays out exactly as one would expect with an array of emotions. I say let’s see more of her.”
Misty Layne, Rogue Cinema
“In its shocking coda, Painkiller encourages us to examine the weird custom of witnessing cinematic suffering, the dubious addiction horror fans have wherein we subject ourselves, repeatedly, to abject imagery: a vicarious transaction.”
Benjamin Poole, The Movie Waffler
“Jerry Janda’s script weaves a wicked short tale. Though a good story is key, a film needs solid acting, and Painkiller delivers just that. Director Jeremiah Kipp and his crew have fashioned a gripping, highly entertaining sci-fi/horror hybrid in Painkiller.”
Joseph Perry, Gruesome Magazine
“It’s not often movies really give me the creeps but this one did! It’s truly a gruesome piece which indeed shocked me. It’s not that it’s a very gory film and that might be the strength about it. Less is so often more.”
Tommy Söderberg, The Flick Fanatic’s Companion
“There is a focus on showing the intensity of the pain and not shying away from that. This of course means that Painkiller is not for the faint-hearted. I enjoyed this short. In the little time it lasts it keeps to the point and hits the audience like a punch to the gut.”
Paul Metcalf, Truly Disturbing
“The movie’s tone constantly switches between fun, dark and disturbing, thanks to some silly-but-nice practical effects, lots of thrilling tension, unexpectedly intense twists and turns, and a few unexpectedly harsh scenes. The ending is just wow. A killer of a thriller.”
Maynard M., Maynard’s Horror Movie Diary
“This was my favorite. This is horror at its best and gruesome. When two scientists work with DNA manipulation to create a bio-symbiotic cure to block pain, all hell breaks loose. This film gives new meaning to pain management.”
Marie Gilbert, Gilbert Curiosities
“”The clever aspect of Painkiller isn’t the science but the theme of addiction and how far people are willing to go to achieve an end result. The dark and seedy nature of the closing scene will stick in the mind for quite a while. Overall Painkiller is a compact story which caused me to wince on numerous occasions.”
Karina Bamber, Mundane Rambling
“Painkiller boasts a fantastic premise, full of imagination. It is unique and fascinating sci-fi/horror with real human heart and emotion. It is undoubtedly very shocking, going to some dark, dark places, and takes its intelligent base scenario to a truly warped conclusion.”
Steven Hickey, Hickey’s House of Horrors
“A deeply intricate story, Painkiller focuses on a truly troubling subject matter in terms of pain management in the chronically and critically ill, touching on issues that face society that will no doubt evoke an emotional response from the viewer.”
Robyn Andrew, Cryptic Rock
“In a world where cancer seems to be spreading but we are still so behind in preventing and treating it, Painkiller asks some very important questions and really provides the viewer with some food for thought. It is a hard-hitting, uncompromising experience.”
Dr Lenera, Horror Cult Films
“Jerry Janda gives a really good and creepy performance here. When, towards the end of film, he explains that somebody always pays, he does so with just the hint of a self-satisfied smirk, one that tells you everything that need to know about the character and how he views the world. Along with playing that creepy man, Jerry Janda also wrote the script for Painkiller and what a script it is.”
Lisa Marie Bowman, Through the Shattered Lens
“All in all, this is a great short film that brings up issues of pain and addiction as well as co-dependency in relationships. It may not have monsters hiding under the bed or in the closet, but it deals with real life horrors — especially addiction and abuse. It’s refreshing to see a horror movie such as this, where the scenario is believable. It’s movies like this that really get to you in the middle of the night and make your skin crawl. ”
Shannon McGrew, Nightmarish Conjurings
“This movie is wild! I can’t believe more people in the indie horror community have not heard about this. The plot is so cool and it’s got some good effects work in it. It’s only a short film, but it really packs a punch.”
Nick Gootee, What I’m Watching
“Kelly Rae LeGault did a nice job of portraying someone who’s going through a terrible change in her body. Jeremiah Kipp did a great job in bringing Jerry Janda’s script to life. Jeffrey S. Gould as Director of Photography also made Painkiller look really nice.”
Mike Ortega, Code 415
“The acting is strong from top to bottom and the story is one that really hits home in a time where cancer is running rampant and relatively so little progress has been made in fighting it. I’d love to see a feature length version of PAINKILLER.”
Seth Poulin, Celluloid Terror
“Actress Kelly Rae LeGault in the role of one of the scientists gives us an excellent interpretation that blends beautifully with…shocking scenes in some parts of the film. One of the best short horror films I’ve seen.”
Fotis Anthimos, Bloody Fever (quote translated from Greek)
“Painkiller’s final outcome is a sadist’s dream come true and writer/actor Jerry Janda is the perfect sadistic bastard. Knowing that the story that makes up the short came from the mind of Janda only solidifies that it is one of the most mind-bending films.”
JP (Jeff), Creepercast
“There were only four actors in the short and they performed well. The character of ‘Man #2’ is fascinating. Painkiller is a nod to Cronenberg style body horror with a twist of addiction and a story that is as intelligent as it is disturbing. I highly recommend checking it out.”
Jukko, Horror Underground
“There’s shades of Cronenberg and William Castle’s THE TINGLER, and a nasty twist once a third party gets involved. The film left me with the thought: Every masochist needs a sadist. It also left me uneasy about the depths and shadows of the human condition, as some of the best horror does. And it adds a bone-chilling creepiness to the phrase, ‘It’s not enough.'”
Phil Fasso, Death Ensemble
Also, members of the cast and crew have been talking to horror journalists about their experiences with PAINKILLER — both for print interviews and online radio appearances. Get a glimpse into the creative process that made PAINKILLER possible — and learn about other projects involving talented members of the PAINKILLER crew.
- Jeremiah Kipp, Jerry Janda, print interview with Horror Feast Q&A’s (August 19, 2016)
- Jerry Janda, print interview with Rogue Cinema (November 2015 edition)
- Jerry Janda, appearance on the Imaginarium podcast (August 17, 2015)
- Jerry Janda, appearance on the Horror Happens Radio Show
- Jerry Janda, appearance on the Imaginarium podcast (March 16, 2015)
- Jeremiah Kipp, print interview with Rogue Cinema
- Jerry Janda, print interview with (re)Search My Trash
- Jeremiah Kipp, print interview with Gilbert Curiosities
- Kelly Rae LeGault and Jeremiah Kipp, replay of appearance on The Horror Happens Radio Show
- Kelly Rae LeGault, interview with Cryptic Rock on the red carpet at Macabre Faire Film Festival
- Jeremiah Kipp, print interview with Review Fix
- Jeremiah Kipp, replay of appearance on Sadistic Cinema radio show
- Jeremiah Kipp, print interview with The Slaughtered Bird
- Jeremiah Kipp, replay of appearance on the Terror Troop Podcast
- Jeremiah Kipp, appearance on the Imaginarium podcast
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