Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- claustrophobic
- foreboding
- late night horror viewing
- short film showcase
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The mother's attempt to relax by making puzzles turns the everyday table game into a source of nightmare.
The plot centers on the mother's solitary night at home and the threatening transformation of her peaceful surroundings.
The puzzle is explicitly described as hiding strange features that precipitate the horror.
The son's continuous pressure for money establishes the mother's domestic conflict before the puzzle night becomes nightmarish.
Films like The Puzzle, and why
The Black Button
short-form supernatural horror built around an ordinary domestic activity turning threatening
The Babadook
contained psychological horror that transforms a familiar home environment into a source of dread
Oculus
minimalist horror using a domestic object and escalating unease to create a nightmare atmosphere
Movie Details
- Directors
- Davide Melini, Alberto Gómez
- Release Date
- 2008-03-25
- Runtime
- 5 min
- Rating
- 8.2 / 10 (2)
Cast
- Cachito Noguera
- Alessandro Fornari
Common questions
- What is The Puzzle about?
- A mother's quiet puzzle night becomes a claustrophobic nightmare when an ordinary game reveals an ominous hidden side.
- What is The Puzzle like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Puzzle as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Puzzle violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Puzzle as mild.
- Which films are like The Puzzle?
- Films with a similar feel include The Black Button, The Babadook, and Oculus.
- How long is The Puzzle?
- The Puzzle runs 5 minutes.
