“Black Button- Short Film”: Critical Analysis Essay

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Most short films are created based on love. It is difficult to get a short film based in the occult since mystical films are difficult to make. The Black Button is however a unique and captivating short film with a mystic theme. It is this uniqueness that gives it its characteristic captivation. Despite its captivation and appropriate mystic plot, it has some weaknesses (Taing 1).

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The film starts with the main character, Mr. Roberts, inexplicably in a white room. In the room, there is another man and between them a black button. The environment created by the room is somehow unreal with Mr. Roberts not knowing where he is and what that setting is all about. The man gives him two basic choices to make; push the black button and walk out of the room with 10 million dollars or walk out of the room empty handed. The first choice however has a catch; if he pushes the button, somebody will die. Mr. Roberts does not understand what is going on and thus he reaches for the door but he finds that the door is locked. He then turns to the man doubting the reality of the scenario. The man shows him the money and at this point, he gives him the key to the door. At this point, Mr. Roberts starts weighing the option of taking the money and he seems genuinely interested in the money. Roberts gets more confused as he approaches the button. The two get in a heated argument and the man gets angry threatening to withdraw his offer. Roberts seems more confused. He gets upset and reaches for the button. He hits it but nothing happens for a moment. After a while, blood starts flowing down his face. He gets confused and wonders what is happening. The man tells him that he is already dead and Robert is shown driving and crashing. He also explains that Roberts would have been saved from the crash had he taken the key and left.

The crashing is continually shown and Roberts gets bloodier. The man leaves the room and the film ends (Taing 1).

The success of the film, Black Button, can be attributed to its thematic uniqueness. As stated earlier, it is mystic and thus it handles an uncommon theme. The plot of the film has also been carefully selected. As an example, consider the choices Mr. Roberts has to make. These choices are made simple in order to avoid complicating the film. The fact that Mr. Roberts is told that somebody will die makes the viewer attentive because he/she wants to know when and how this will happen. The identity of the man giving Mr. Roberts this offer is concealed, making the viewer arrive at symbolic speculations that give the film its captivating nature. Despite this creative plot, the film has some minor problems. For instance, the viewer anticipates something bad to happen to Mr. Roberts. This dilutes the effect of the suspense created by the mention of death at the start of the film. Additionally, the film has an extravagance of symbolism. The concealing of the identity of the man with Mr. Roberts makes the viewer struggle to understand the context of the plot. Viewers may also have problems relating Mr. Roberts’ accident to the deal he makes with the man (“Black Button- Short Film” 1).

Works Cited

Taing, Shawn. “A Brilliant Film that will make you Drop your Jaw”. 2008. Web.

You Tube. “Black Button- Short Film”, 2010- Web.

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IvyPanda. (2021) '"Black Button- Short Film": Critical Analysis'. 10 December.

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IvyPanda. 2021. ""Black Button- Short Film": Critical Analysis." December 10, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/black-button-short-film-critical-analysis/.

1. IvyPanda. ""Black Button- Short Film": Critical Analysis." December 10, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/black-button-short-film-critical-analysis/.


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IvyPanda. ""Black Button- Short Film": Critical Analysis." December 10, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/black-button-short-film-critical-analysis/.

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