Horror Short Review: The Moths Will Eat Them Up (2021)

Directed by Luisa Martiri and Tanya Modini, with the latter serving as writer, The Moths Will Eat Them Up is a psychological thriller/horror with an important message about women’s safety on public transport and not turning a blind eye to someone in need.

It stars Ling Cooper Tang as an everyday woman boarding a train for what should be a standard journey home. Unfortunately, for her, it’s anything but standard as a strange man (Kevin Spink) starts to make her feel really uncomfortable by staring at her through an interior car door.

Her discomfort increases, the longer this goes on, but nobody else seems to notice, or care, as her pleas for help fall on uninterested ears (Stephen Walker). She is frightened and thinks she is alone, but as it turns out, help comes in an unexpected way.

A tense, thrilling, and compelling watch that deals with the real-life horror that many women face on a day to day basis. Not just showcasing how something as mundane as a train journey can turn into something terrifying, but how an unwillingness to get involved simply isn’t good enough. Men need to call out other men, stand up to predators and bullies, and try to help when asked.

While most of what is seen here can be classed as intimidation rather than actual violence, the intent is clear, so an ending that shows how, collectively, men like this can be defeated, is welcome. It’s a little fantastical, which is odd to see in a short based so much in reality, but I liked it.

This is a great short. An untraditional thriller/horror that looks great, sounds great, has a very strong cast, and leaves the viewer feeling satisfied, if not a little disturbed.