Flashback – Netflix Review (3/5)

Flashback on Netflix is a new horror short film by a co-writer of the extremely popular Shudder movie HOST. It even has several cast members from that movie. While it’s a horror short, it also features a few other genres. Read our Flashback horror short film review here and find it on Netflix now!

Flashback is a new Netflix horror short film, which isn’t something we’ve seen much of, but that might change. On this October 2023 day alone, we’re getting two new horror short films. We also reviewed the Netflix short film Weathering back in April 2023. I very much recommend checking that one out as well.

The runtime for this new horror short from Jed Shepherd is officially 16 minutes, but more like ten minutes. However, there are some extra details during the credits, so don’t move on too quickly.

Continue reading our Flashback horror short film review below. Released on Netflix on October 20, 2023.

Time travel in the name of love

As already mentioned, the Flashback horror short film on Netflix covers more than “just” the horror genre. We’re getting time travel, which is distinctly sci-fi, and also a sweet story about love, which is universal. After all, many of the very best genre movies have an element of love. Whether romantic or platonic, love comes above all else in the end.

In this horror short, we meet a yoga teacher who has her life flash before her eyes during a deadly home invasion. Through focus and dedication, she manages to use this “life flashing before my eyes”-moment to stop in a specific memory. Essentially, turning the experience into a time machine of sorts.

All in a desperate attempt to save the love of her life.

Short film, familiar faces

The yoga teacher is portrayed by Jemma Moore, who is someone you’ll surely recognize if you’ve watched the Shudder movie HOST. And if you haven’t then you absolutely should. From that very same movie, you’ll also recognize Haley Bishop, who plays her best friend here in Flashback.

The love interest is yet another familiar face in the form of Amar Chadha-Patel. He was not in HOST but he was in the next movie written by this short filmmaker. It was titled Dashcam. However, I suspect more people will recognize Amar Chadha-Patel from the Willow series (despite Disney+ brutally removing it from its platform once it wasn’t renewed) or maybe The Third Day limited HBO series.

All three actors portray key characters, but the absolute star of the movie is Jemma Moore. Despite her character also being portrayed by other actors at younger ages. You’ll see, I mean she does have the whole “life flash before her eyes”-moment.

Watch the Flashback (2023) short on Netflix now!

The Netflix horror short was written and directed by Jed Shepherd. Now, there’s a name we seem to come across more and more these years. Not only did he co-write the Rob Savage-directed feature films Host and Dashcam, but he also worked on a horror anthology.

Jed Shepherd wrote and directed a segment of Scare Package II: Rad Chad’s Revenge. Oh yeah, the title is quite a mouthful, but the genre anthology is a lot of fun and tends to always have something for everyone. Going back to 2017, he worked on the series Bite Size Horror and wrote the Dawn of the Dead short film in 2016, also with director Rob Savage and co-starring actor Haley Bishop.

The new horror short film has an age rating of 12 in the UK and TV-14 in the US, so while it’s dark, it’s nothing too crazy. Then again, the home invasion part of the story is obviously brutal and scary for viewers of any age.

Flashback is on Netflix from October 20, 2023.

Details

Director: Jed Shepherd
Writer: Jed Shepherd
Stars: Jemma Moore, Haley Bishop, Amar Chadha-Patel, Maya Graham, Scroobius Pip