“Mama Bear,” starring Mandy Musgrave, is an action short film that was directed by Matt Cohen (“General Hospital” and “Supernatural”).
In this short, an accident leaves her dying son with 24 hours to get a new liver, a seemingly average soccer mom (played by Mandy Musgrave) must reveal her hidden past and hunt down the only matching donor, her former husband, who happens to be the world’s worst criminal.
It is interesting because the names in this short are ambiguous so the characters are called by their jobs.
Mandy Musgrave delivers a bold and badass lead performance as the “Mom,” where all of her fight scenes are carefully choreographed, where the viewer can recall action actress and stunt performer Natalie Burn in “Til Death Do Us Part.”
Musgrave layers her emotions well, and we get to see many sides of her complex character. She emerges as a female version of “The Punisher” meets Uma Thurman in “Kill Bill.”
Matt Cohen directed from a screenplay by Lee Ehlers, who plays the Crime Boss, while Cohen himself makes a few cameos as the Bossman. It is rich in symbolism if one pays close attention, and Cohen deserves to be commended for his attention to detail that he put in this movie.
Several actors from “Supernatural” also make guest cameos in this short such as Jim Beaver, Kim Rhodes, Briana Buckmaster, David Haydn-Jones, and Jeffrey Vincent Parise, who plays the prisoner.
The Verdict
Overall, “Mama Bear” is a high-octane, fun, and exhilarating short film, and despite being only 13 minutes in duration, the audience gets a lot out of it.
“Mama Bear” encompasses elements of suspense, mystery, action, adventure, drama, and it even has some witty moments. Kudos to Matt Cohen for his vision and his artistry in bringing this story to life.
The audience will be in for one wild and bump ride, and it leaves fans wanting to see more. Hopefully, it will be made into a full-length feature film or a miniseries because it has a lot of potential. “Mama Bear” garners 4.5 out of 5 stars.
