Rite Of Way: Short Film Review.

Riley Helm’s Rite of Way opens like a horror film and ends with a punchline so mundane it’s genius. It’s a short that knows exactly what it’s doing — playing dress-up with genre tropes and then pulling the rug out from under you with a smirk.

The title alone is a clever bait-and-switch. You walk in expecting something grim, maybe even occult. And the first few seconds don’t disappoint: dim lighting, ominous sound, slow camera moves — it’s all there. But then Helm flips the tone like a pancake, revealing not a blood-soaked ritual but a group of teachers in a gymnasium, dead serious about something that feels… silly. And that’s the magic.

This is a horror-styled workplace comedy, and it works because Helm commits to the bit. The teachers, gathered after hours, treat their “ceremony” with the gravity of a life-or-death decision. Enter Cherie (Tyra G. Morrison), late to the ritual and instantly disrupting the flow. From here, the film shifts into sharp, dry banter — the kind that feels lived-in, not written. The dialogue is tight, but never showy. It’s funny because it’s true.

The cast is small but mighty. Each actor gets their moment, and no one feels like filler. Helm gives them space to breathe, and the result is a rhythm that feels natural, even as the premise veers into the absurd.

When Cherie is “chosen,” she pushes back — and that’s when the film’s deeper layers start to show. This isn’t just a gag. It’s a commentary on responsibility, expectation, and the invisible weight teachers carry. Helm doesn’t preach. He wraps the message in robes and lets it unfold.

Technically, the film is tight. The sound design deserves a nod — it heightens both the faux-horror and the comedy, keeping the tone balanced and the pacing crisp.

The final reveal? Driver’s ed. That’s what the ritual was about. Budget cuts mean someone has to take the hit. It’s ridiculous. It’s real. And it’s kind of heartbreaking.

Rite of Way proves you don’t need a long runtime to make a point. You just need a smart idea, a killer cast, and the guts to go weird.

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