Oh, look - a totally normal sleepover between two boys! Absolutely nothing could go wrong!
Friend or Foe (2021) is a short film created by Mario Master 412 and Luigi Yoshi Shell in July of 2021, but was uploaded on Christmas of 2023. It follows two boys, Jake and Lucas, during Lucas's stay at Jake's house.
You can watch it here
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Note that due to the First-Episode Twist, this work contains a lot of tropes that, just by knowing they apply to the work, serve as spoilers themselves. You Have Been Warned.
This work contains examples of:
- Added Alliterative Appeal: The letters aren't the same, but it sounds alliterative nonetheless.Reporter: 42-year-old Matthew Sterling was found with the bodies of Piper and Maria Carpenter, leading many to suspect him as being the culprit of the Carpenter kidnappings.
- Agony of the Feet: Lucas stabs Jake in the foot to incapacitate him.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Penelope won't leave Jake and Lucas alone until they play hide n' seek with her.
- Attack the Mouth: Lucas finally kills Jake by stabbing him in the mouth with a box cutter.
- Bait-and-Switch: Twice during the hide n' seek sequence:
- Penelope is implied to be hiding inside of the cabinet that Lucas is going to check, but he opens it to reveal that Penelope isn't inside.
- He then turns around to go search somewhere else, but turns around to check the other cabinet, which Penelope is hiding in.
- Berserk Button: Don't insult Lucas's father.Lucas: Don't talk about my dad that way!
- Caught Monologuing: As Lucas is monologuing about how he's going to get away with it, Jake undoes his ties. However, he is unable to move because of his foot injury, and Lucas kills him.
- Cerebus Syndrome: After Penelope's death, it shortly stops its lighthearted tone.
- Children Are Innocent: Zig-zagged. Penelope and Jake are normal kids, but Lucas is definitely not.
- Coincidental Broadcast: Jake and Lucas happen to tune into the broadcast just in time for them to give us some exposition on Lucas's father.
- Creator Cameo: Of course, Teddy from 2021 stars, but 2023 Teddy makes an appearance at the beginning as the reporter.
- Credits Gag: Some of the credits are shown over bloopers, like one where Jake slips in the middle of a line.
- The End: There's a The End card at the end of the film, with the box cutter Lucas killed Jake with through the "E".
- Foreshadowing: Lucas is hinted at being evil from the beginning.
- He's weirdly sensitive about his dad, but, to be fair, that would be expected.
- He's aggressive and has a Hair-Trigger Temper from the very beginning.
- Funny Background Event: During the hide n' seek sequence, it's revealed that maybe Lucas's counting skills aren't up to snuff.Lucas: Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fifteen, sixteen...
- Hollywood Darkness: Let alone that you can see light through the blinds in the windows, during the night sequence, you can see the flashlight reflecting off of the actor's eyes.
- Improvised Weapon: Throughout the film, Lucas wields a screwdriver, a pencil, a mop, and a box cutter.
- Internal Reveal: When Jake is captured, he learns Lucas is the killer. Of course, we already know this.
- It Amused Me: Why Lucas kills.
- Large Ham: Penelope overexaggerates her dialogue and movements pretty noticeably every time she's onscreen.
- Mood Dissonance: An ironic Arcade Craniacs video playing over a scene of Lucas washing the blood from his recent murder off of his equipment.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Jake is concerned when Penelope doesn't wake him up before 2, and after finding her iPad, he's even more concerned.
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner:Lucas: Oh, you forgot about your foot? Well, it's time for me to finish the job. Smile!
- "Ray of Hope" Ending: Jake and Penelope die, but Lucas is unlikely to get away with it after his father's record and his faulty cover-up plan.
- Right Behind You: Played for Horror. Lucas sneaks up behind Jake to kill him while he's grieving his sister.
- Shadow Discretion Shot: A Played for Horror example when Lucas's shadow creeps across the wall while he's approaching Penelope, screwdriver in hand.
- Shout-Out: A subtle one, but the town where Lucas's dad murdered someone is called Woodsboro, California.
- Slain in Their Sleep: This is attempted, but thwarted after Jake is stirred awake while being attacked.
- Split Screen: This is used both times Lucas attempts to kill Jake.
- Villainous Lineage: Both Lucas and his father murder people. Like father, like son.
- Wham Shot: The entire scene of Lucas suiting up is worthy, but the one shot has to be when you see finally that Lucas is about to kill Penelope.
- Well, I'd rather not talk about what happened...
