Jenny (Vanessa McMahan) has a sneaky suspicion that her dead husband is after her, and when she goes to confession to speak with Father Johnson (Dan Berkey) she expresses her discomfort and paranoia to him. Now, when a young man named Evan (Kadin Houck-Looms) appears to be the reincarnation of her husband James, and Evan arrives to confession at the same church, it becomes clear that not only is she right, but her life is in danger. The sins of her past have come back to haunt her, and Karma always finds who it’s looking for.
The entirety of Karma is eerie and uncomfortable. There is a sense of unease that transcends the film and keeps viewers on edge–and that severe discomfort drives the film forward and keeps viewers intrigued throughout. This aspect of the film is compelling, and it’s ultimately the driving force behind the film. It’s a strange part that the tone of the film plays in Karma, because it plays two significantly different roles. The first being to make viewers feel uncomfortable, and allow them to understand exactly what Jenny and the others are feeling. However, in the same vein of the film, the tone works to appeal to viewers–because understanding how the characters feel pulls viewers into the narrative and it bridges the gap between the story and viewers, creating a relationship between the two. The dialogue, score, lighting, etc. come together to bring this juxtapositional tone to life.
In that unease exists one of the film’s protagonists–Anna (Annemarie Hagenaars), Evan’s “mother.” Hagenaars is tasked, like the rest of the cast, with exuding this sense of unease, while reaching viewers emotionally and giving them a reason to care about the story. In the grand scheme of Karma, the acting is simply adequate (but effective), but Hagenaars is impeccably talented. She, better than anyone else, is able to convey emotion and bring this narrative of karma to life in a unique and interesting fashion. There are a number of ways in which Hagenaars reaches the viewers of Karma. I try to avoid looking at actors’ aesthetics (unless they appear completely out of place in a film), but the reality is that one of the reasons that Hagenaars will appeal to viewers is the fact that she is attractive. She, in many ways, fills the role of this damsel in distress (with a twist), and the fact that she looks the way she does makes this work. It can’t be ignored that, whether intentional or not, the casting of Hagenaars works wonders for the film as a result of the way she looks. Beyond her appearance, however, she is simply incredibly talented, and she does a wonderful job of conveying emotion and bringing the many aspects of Karma together through her acting ability.
Karma is a tad bit crowded. There is a lot going on in a film that runs less than twenty minutes, but Writer-Director Irmak Tasindi manages to squeeze this very in-depth story into this short film. From stalking to murder and religion to karma, Karma touches on a number of topics that become intertwined with one another, creating a heavy narrative that has the ability to reach a number of different viewers. The film is able to pull in viewers from different walks of life, and with that the film finds success.
With the twisting and engaging narrative, Karma has the potential to reach out and touch a number of different viewers. If you’re religious, Karma has something for you. If you like thrillers, Karma has something for you. If you believe in the afterlife, Karma has something for you. The list of things that may appeal to viewers goes on and on–but even with the many wonderful aspects of the narrative, I still believe that it’s Hagenaars’ aesthetic and acting ability that will ultimately pull viewers into the film. She’s compelling in every way–and Karma is better for having her as part of the film.
Written & Directed by Irmak Tasindi.
Starring Kadin Houck-Loomis, Vanessa McMahan, Annemarie Hagenaars, Dan Berkey, & Dietrich Teschner.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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