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Currently Playing: DUNGEON OF DECEIT | Omeleto

A young boy plays video games. Luke is a young boy who's devoted to his PC game, Dungeon of Deceit. It's a compelling fantasy adventure game, but it's also an escape from his parents' fighting, which has only grown louder and more incessant lately. But as the family tension hits a peak, Luke finds himself transported into the game itself, complete with real danger and demons. Directed and written by Chris Edgar, this short fantasy drama is a compelling, imaginative exploration of how one boy navigates familial strife and inner anxiety. Set in a time of chunky-looking PC games with its lived-in look and feel, it uses the conceit of an immersive video game as a way to literalize his fears -- and then confront them as the borders between game world and real life prove more porous than Luke could ever believe. The storytelling opens by immersing us in Luke's game, a nostalgic old-school fantasy that finds him facing a demon. But before he can pass, he's distracted by the sounds of his parents fighting. It quickly establishes the crux of Luke's situation: his family is falling apart, and there's nothing he can do about it. Yet when his mother tries to talk to him about it, he says nothing, simply trying to accept it. He feels helpless, like there's nothing he can do in the situation. Though the in-game world is fantastical, the emotional situation is relatable, given shape and form in the rich musical score and mirroring the way many children feel like collateral damage when their parents are breaking up. Luke finds immersion into his game a nice escape, until the demon within it begins acting in ways that feel oddly personal and the borders between the game and real life feel fuzzy. As Luke, actor Lander Eastman offers a nicely understated performance whose matter-of-fact demeanor conceals layers of sadness and anger at what's happening in his life. He's in denial and would rather escape from real life until the demon in the game crosses the line. In order to set things right, Luke must confront the demon, as well as his own thorny feelings. Vividly realized, DUNGEON OF DECEIT has emotional resonance in how it takes its main character's dilemmas seriously, giving form to the feelings that children of divorce have when their emotional world shifts in ways they can't control but still find distressing. Though there's magic and fantasy in the film, there's no magic wand that will fix Luke's family. However, with the aid of that magic, he comes to a degree of acceptance and growth. That in turn gives him back his voice, and though he can't change things, he can feel heard. It's a small step to wisdom, as the demon notes -- and the first step to growing up. DUNGEON OF DECEIT. Courtesy of Chris Edgar at https://cedgarmusic.com.