Short Film Review: ‘Legend Has It’ – Wrong Room. Wrong Night. Right Kind of Chaos.

Short films don’t get the luxury of excess. They don’t have time to wander, to over-explain, or to indulge. When they work, they do so with precision. When they fail, it’s usually because the ambition outweighs the execution, and this frequently happens.

‘Legend Has It’, written by Frank Tremblay and directed by Thomas Lorber, sits firmly in this category. It’s a sharp, confident short that understands not only its story, but its purpose as a proof of concept of something greater.

From the opening minutes, the film establishes control. The first four minutes feel ripped straight from a classic crime thriller or neo-noir playbook. A French crime boss meets with his crew. There’s talk of betrayal as there is a rat in the ranks. The dialogue is measured, poetic in that familiar criminal way, where power is asserted through calmness rather than volume. Then, as you would expect, due to sudden violence, the rat is killed. This is where the film’s tone switches unexpectedly. The humour elements of this short start to show their roots.

What’s impressive is how naturally the shift happens. The tonal pivot doesn’t feel like a gimmick. It feels intentional, controlled. Comedy creeps in without breaking the mood, revealing that this is not a straight crime thriller, but an action comedy that understands the value of restraint.

Then, we get introduced to our leading man, Adam (played by Jon Cor). Adam is introduced in a moment of softness. He’s in bed with his woman. We don’t just see intimacy, but we see that there is love immediately. When he gets a call for an unexpected gig, it feels routine to him. It’s just another high-end bachelorette or socialite birthday party. Except this one matters. Adam believes it’s his last dance. He’s ready to retire. They are having a baby on the way… and he is excited for a fresh start.

That context matters. It gives weight to every decision that follows. A simple error, a mix-up in hotel room numbers, sends Adam into the wrong suite, and into the waiting arms of the French mafia. They’re not there for him. They’re expecting a legendary hitman, someone whose reputation is so large that his anonymity has become myth. Adam walks in unaware, smiling, performing, completely misreading the room.

This is where ‘Legend Has It‘ truly reveals how well it’s written. The comedy doesn’t come from slapstick or stupidity. It comes from language, from misunderstanding, from Adam interpreting everything through the lens of his profession. Compliments sound like threats. Instructions sound like requests, and admiration sounds like an appraisal of the performance he believes he is there to give. The play on words is sharp and deliberate, and it allows the audience to stay one step ahead without losing tension.

Jon Cor deserves real credit here. His performance is deceptively subtle. In the opening minutes, you would never immediately clock him as a stripper, let alone a “legendary” one. And that’s the point. He’s not performing masculinity; he’s inhabiting it in his own way. When the danger escalates, you also don’t immediately assume he can handle himself. Yet, moment by moment, he proves capable, adaptable, and surprisingly formidable.

Opposite him, Tom Morton’s Henri-George is a standout. Switching effortlessly between English and French, Morton delivers exactly what the role demands. He’s menacing without being theatrical, authoritative without shouting. And crucially, he understands comedy. The humour in his performance is dry, controlled, and perfectly timed, which allows the genre blend to work without collapsing into parody.

The action sequences are one of the film’s strongest assets. The choreography is clean, thoughtful, and purposeful. What makes these moments particularly effective is how they reflect Adam’s perspective. He isn’t fighting like a trained killer. He’s moving like a performer. His body language, timing, and rhythm all feel like extensions of his work as a dancer. To him, he’s putting on a show. To the mafia, he’s something else entirely. That duality is clever, and it elevates the film beyond surface-level comedy.

Visually,‘ Legend Has It‘ commits fully to its crime-thriller aesthetic. Despite the humour, the film never loses its sense of danger. The lighting is moody, the compositions tight, the atmosphere heavy with expectation. The cinematography deserves special mention here. His choice of lenses and framing maintains intensity throughout, ensuring that even the comedic moments exist under the constant shadow of violence.

As a short film, ‘Legend Has It‘ is efficient, confident, and disciplined. As a proof of concept, it’s even stronger. The world feels expandable. The character feels sustainable. The premise has clear feature-length potential. Most importantly, the film knows exactly what kind of story it wants to become.

By the time it ends, you’re satisfied, but you’re also hungry for what comes next. Hungry to see Adam pushed further, tested harder, and forced to reconcile who he is with who he wants to be.

I would score this short film 4.5 out of 5 stars. ‘Legend Has It‘ doesn’t just suggest a feature film. I believe it earns one with this proof of concept. And if that feature simply continues from where this short ends, it would already be worth watching.