The Bet

Going into The Bet, i didn't know what to expect. I was thinking of something along the lines of a avid gambler gets chased by a bunch of mafia guys looking to lop off some fingers, but what i got was a film that started off enigmatic and slowly metamorphosed into something abstract and beautiful.

This poster horrifies me.

To explain the plot would only to limit the overall effect of the film. All i can say, is it is about a game between two people; the stakes being your life. When it started out i was confused, also annoyed. Not annoyed because of the directing, sound, or cinematography. I just wanted to know exactly what was going on. Things that we cannot understand are always the most sought after pieces of information. Cryptzoology is proof of this.


The Bet unfolds like a magnificent eclipse of the cinematic kind. Wonderful and abrasive, Director Michael Dunn ensures that you will be entertained and be thinking in a wider manner. If you are looking for a headscrew of a short film, look no further. The Bet does in its under 20 minute runtime, what "art-house" film makers have been trying to do for decades. The film is an entirely open film, perfect for discussion and analysis.


To call The Bet "Lynchian" would be like supporting Post-Modernism and if this true, then the world might be dead. While the film has the atmospheric tone to it and the imagery to kick, this doesn't show it's influences easily. Perhaps on another layer. The Bet is a great short if i have ever seen one, and i will surely be looking forward to Michael Dunn's future projects. Hopefully he keeps his inspirations in place and doesn't become another Mathieu Kassovitz.

-Maq