DeKalb Elementary

'DEKALB ELEMENTARY': Four Stars (Out of Five)

A 21-minute short film about a mentally unstable young man who takes a receptionist hostage at an elementary school. It was written and directed by Reed Van Dyk, and it stars Shinelle Azoroh. The short was inspired by a real life school shooting incident in Atlanta, Georgia. I found it to be intense and surprisingly empathetic at times. Azoroh gives a more than decent performance in the lead, and the film is nicely directed as well. The subject is also of course timely, which I think helps make it seem much more involving and suspenseful. It's a well made and dramatic short film.