Well-told stories don’t necessarily have to be done in a feature format. Many directors have found huge success by making short film tales. Being able to convey a narrative in such a brief format is a skill that very few possess. Created by Vincenzo Nappi, First Bite is a new horror movie within this same category. Despite having an intriguing concept, the final result falls short of its intent due to its poor filmmaking and various production limitations.

The story follows a young woman who has found herself sick at a metal concert, soon questioning the source of her illness. The small cast is led by Catherine Saindon and is supported by Hana Kashaf.

In and of itself, the idea introduced here is an interesting one. Its simple set-up seems perfect for a quick runtime, with a lot of potential to be a quick and enjoyable watch. Furthermore, the lead actress does a reasonably good job with the task at hand, and there are some impressive gore effects. With these factors in mind, there sadly isn’t much more to commend.

The end-product presented to us has not been made well enough to transfer its intended impact. Although there is very little dialogue at all, the words we do hear are wooden and unnatural. This fact is compounded by the poor performance of the sole supporting character. Likely made very quickly, the limited camera angles are another negative but are understandable given the presumed assets at hand. What is not understandable is the odd choice to use a film grain filter. This element adds nothing to the movie and is simply distracting.

Many ingredients are needed to create a successful cinematic story. They often vary from project to project, but a common one is simply budget. First Bite is an example of a release shackled by its lack of resources. Perhaps with more tools, the result could have been far different. Then again, it might have also ended up largely the same. Only one thing is clear; this is a short film that strives to be far better than it actually is.