Beyond Is Calling is a strikingly eerie short horror film from director Frank Palangi and writers Christopher Pelton and Clarence Carter, adapted from their own chilling short story. Even in its brief runtime, the film manages to immerse viewers in a tense, unsettling atmosphere, showcasing a dark vision of fear that lingers long after the screen goes black.
Palangi’s direction is confident, balancing suspenseful pacing with haunting imagery that elevates the story beyond typical short-form horror. The writing by Pelton and Carter cleverly taps into psychological dread and the unknown, allowing the narrative to feel both intimate and expansive—an impressive feat for a story of this length. The film hints at larger themes of fate, fear, and the supernatural, leaving viewers eager to see how these ideas might unfold in the full anthology.
While brief, Beyond Is Calling functions as a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come in the anthology At Death’s Door. It’s clear that the team is capable of crafting a truly frightening cinematic experience, and this short stands as a testament to their talent for turning a compelling story into a visually and emotionally gripping film. If there’s any constructive note, it would be that expanding certain sequences or character moments could make the suspense even more impactful—but as a teaser for the upcoming feature, it succeeds brilliantly.
Fans of horror shorts and anthology storytelling will find Beyond Is Calling both thrilling and haunting, setting a high bar for the stories yet to come.
Jessie Hobson