'Erax' Review: Fantasy film has its moments but feels rushed for most parts
We're familiar with films in which bedtime stories come true. We're familiar with board games that alter reality, with permanent effects if one loses. However, the concept of mystical books is still somewhat alien to us and this is where 'Erax' steps in. The fantasy film's official synopsis reads, "Monstrous creatures leap from a magical storybook and unleash mayhem and mischief for Auntie Opal and her tween niece Nina in this spooky short film."
Starring Jasmine Cephas Jones and Genesis White, 'Erax' starts with a car being parked and as it backs up, the vehicle bumps into a perfectly stacked open library. Opal (Jones) steps out and puts the books back in place and grabs a hefty one from the rack, making her way inside a house. We soon find out that Opal has missed her niece's party and that she has a strained relationship with her brother. Suddenly, the car bumping into the rack doesn't feel coincidental anymore. It actually feels like a sign of a normally functioning family being disrupted by Opal. Her brother, already late for work, leaves Opal to deal with an upset Nina (White). Opal gifts the hefty book she found at the rack outside the house to Nina who begins to read it and this is when things start to take an eery turn. Tiny monsters begin to vanish from the pages of the book and appear inside the house. To prevent the book from sucking them in, Opal and Nina have to defeat the monsters, and whether the duo manages to do so or not forms the rest of the story.
Directed by Hebru Brantley, the short film has moments where it works and seems filled with potential but 'Erax' feels rushed for most parts. Jasmine Jones, known for her appearances in 'Blindspotting,' 'Hamilton,' and 'Mrs. Fletcher,' plays her part well. However, it's Genesis White as Nina who steals the show. White, convincingly plays a tween and crushes it while countering Opal and during action sequences. The technical aspects of 'Erax' elevate it when necessary. The visual effects are a little tacky but that's understandable given the scale and size.
The problem with 'Erax,' apart from its pace, is that Brantley doesn't spend enough time establishing the mysterious nature of the book. We do get a glimpse of the book glowing when Opal picks it but that's about it. Giving the viewer more information about the origins of the book would have made 'Erax' a more interesting experience. The short film is more like a climax sequence of a feature and maybe there's one in the works. I, for one, would definitely like to see what Brantley does if he gets to expand 'Erax.'
'Erax' is currently streaming on Netflix.