"Balloon" is an American English-language live action short film from 2019, which means it is almost exactly one year old now, and this movie has really achieved a great deal of awards recognition. It runs for 17 minutes almost, one minute of which is credits, and the director and co-writer here is Jeremy Merrifield. It is probably his most known career effort so far. But honestly I believe that the success of this movie, including the high rating here on imdb, comes from it dealing with really conveninent issues from the 21st century. Superpowers are always appreciated by audience (in the sense of superhero films) and bullying is a subject that is discussed heavily in the media all the time. Also referenced by some true superstars who start anti-bullying campaigns etc. However, I personally think that a film on this issue is only effective and worth it if you elaborate creatively in a way that touches the audience and I cannot say it touched me. The subject was there and that's it. The elaboration is truly mediocre. Another thing that is probably appreciated by many viewers here in the sense that it creates outrage is what exactly the main bully says and how he insults gays with that too, even if there are no references about the main character's sexuality. But I guess the easily entertained will also see this as a gay-themed movie (ugh I hate the term), which it certainly is not. As for the superpowers, the execution there is shoddy as well. It's alright we don't find out why he has them all of a sudden and where they are from, but the way they were included did not feel too authentic and yes this film is going for authenticity despite these supernatural events. Just take the scene in which he discovers them. He sure know that he cannot control them. Yet one day later not only does he decide to climb the rope (he did not strike me as a confident fella), but takes his hands off the rope up there, which is really the most stupid and unrealistic moment. If he wants to fly, then he should to it when nobody's watching. And outside maybe. Not when 20 people are standing down there, but yeah right he was so far up that they did not see it. And when he falls down, he recovers immediately despite this massive height, which can only be explaines by his superpowers as well. The fact that he carries so much anger inside that he punches a mirror, but decides against punching the bully, but instead destroys the smartphones did not feel likely to me as well. They made him look likable for the sake of it and shades are really not the film's biggest strength. The only one who has some is the Black kid that (fittingly for his ethnicity) is the only one who is not entirely against our "hero", even if the final argument could make you think so. This is a film that lacks courage for so many reasons and is all about political correctness instead. I mean there are moments that are okay like the scene when we find out what his mother does when she sees the black eye or also when he falls down there and I hoped he would be okay, but these are not as frequent as those scenes that felt mostly fake to me and clearly written. The ending is also pretty weak because of how pseudo important and just one of several moments when the film seems to be more full of itself than it has any right to be given the (lack of) creative achievement. It's a thumbs-down for me, not recommended, and I can also not agree with the others who said that lead actor Jonah Beres gives a strong portrayal here. The opposite is the case. Did he have more than one face expression? Two max I'd say. Watch something else instead, too many weaknesses in this one here.
Review of Balloon
