In ‘Spiral’, James Price delivers a twisted slice of psychological horror that feels like an uneasy walk through the mundane gone mad. Set in the gritty underbelly of Glasgow, the film stars Conor McCarron as Tyzer, a man stuck in the endless monotony of life – each day an exact replica of the last. As Tyzer begins to realize that every moment repeats itself in an unsettling loop, his grip on reality starts to unravel. If that doesn’t draw you in, nothing else will.
Cinematographer Gavin Hopkins traps the audience in Tyzer’s spiraling descent, employing fast-paced camera work and stellar framing that heighten the growing tension. The films moody atmosphere, enhanced by outstanding production quality throughout, draws you deeper into the chaos of Tyzer’s unraveling mind
What hooks the audience is the way it merges dark, biting humor into psychological horror – a clever narrative twist that pays off in spades. Price doesn’t shy away from gritty social commentary, slipping it beneath the surface as Tyzer interacts with the same people he runs into daily. You can feel the weight of repetition crushing him as he teeters between numbness and a desperate need for something to break the cycle.
Conor McCarron gives a tremendous performance, pulling us deeper into Tyzer’s unraveling mind. You can almost feel his desperation as the lines between reality and delusion blur, leaving us wondering, is he losing his mind? There’s a satisfaction in watching him shake up his repetitive existence through crime and violence, even when it’s laced with grim humor.
‘Spiral’ is essentially a character study in psychological breakdown – it’s a commentary on the soul-sucking nature of routine. With sharp writing, gritty characters, and a perfectly pitched sense of dread, the film explores what happens when the mundane becomes maddening, and reality itself feels like a trap. Price’s short manages to be both haunting and entertaining, a gritty tale of self-destruction that shouldn’t be missed. Highly recommended.
