'98.6%' Short Film Review: Compatibility is Delicious

Cindy Maples as Mel

I've heard that dating is complicated. I wouldn't know anything about that, since I'm in an exclusive relationship with staying home and shoving junk food in my face until I pass out on my couch of sadness- but I digress. When you're in the awkward stage of choosing a partner, compatibility is key. It's everything. If sparks don't fly, you might as well be sitting across from a brick wall with wads of Juicy Fruit from 1964 stuck all over it. Or a human-sized cold sore.

When sparks do fly, however, it can be magical. I know that sounds like the sort of cliche you'd find in the diary of some teenager who is hopelessly in love for the first time, but it's quite true. With the right person, everything clicks into place. Those awkward complications become an effortless success. In 98.6%, the new short film from indie darling Cindy Maples, that effortlessness is on full display as a potential couple, matched at the compatibility suggested by the film's title, return from their first date. The chemistry between them is palpable, as both characters appear to be like-minded, sweet, and respectful of each other's wishes.

But rarely are first impressions accurate.

Halfway through the short, the blossoming romance takes a dark turn- one that you may expect, but will likely find ways to surprise you regardless. That darkness, though, does not come without a welcome dose of humor, especially in regard to lead character Mel (Cindy Maples, also in a starring role), whose nonchalant reactions to danger are amusing and worthy of chuckles. Maples proves to have an impeccable funny bone, and her short greatly benefits from that sense of humor and self-awareness.

More importantly, 98.6% takes a feminist approach to storytelling. Too many times, especially in the horror genre, have women been hopeless victims, relying on a bit of good fortune to defend themselves, or rather, they've been forced to exhaust every bit of their bodily limits in order to survive. Especially in recent years, "final girls" have evolved into something more capable and badass, and Mel is no exception. While she doesn't necessarily fall under the label of a final girl, she's appropriately conditioned to take care of herself instead of being a damsel in distress, and she does so with a grin on her face.

Where the short may lack production value, it more than compensates with the chemistry between Mel and Bradley (Rusty James), the established tone and direction by Maples, and the infectious fun that she appears to be having in front of and behind the camera. It's a simple little feature, but it's the kind that makes you want to gather your friends and shoot a horror film. Fun is infectious. Give yourself over to it.

Interested? Lucky you! 98.6% is available to watch for free on YouTube.