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Movie Review - Vacancy (2007)
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(What this rating means)
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| Director: |
Nimród Antal |
| Starring: |
Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson, Frank Whaley, and Ethan Embry |
| Rated: |
R (for brutal violence and terror, brief nudity and language) |
| Length: |
113 minutes |
| Genre: |
Horror/Thriller |
| Tagline: |
None |
| Studio: |
Sony |
| Website: |
Vacancy |
| Release: |
April 20, 2007 |
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PLOT
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Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson are a married couple who become stranded at an isolated motel. Once they hear loud knocking on the
walls in the adjacent room and they discover hidden video cameras in their room, it becomes quite obvious that it's high time to
tail it on out of Dodge. Will they overcome the disadvantages surrounding them, or will they become the next victims of a snuff
film? A solid effort in the genre of low-budget horror ensues.
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JOHNNY'S TAKE
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You've seen the elements before - a couple takes Clichéd Route 66 off the interstate in order to find a short cut, but they
eventually have car trouble and find themselves stranded on Clichéd Road in the middle of the night. They finally make their way to
Clichéd Run-Down Motel where they hear weird noises and eventually all Hades proceeds to bust loose and run roughshod.
Thankfully, Vacancy sets itself apart from its peers with strong performances by Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale. Once the
initial setup is out of the way, the stars take over, and legitimate tension is allowed to mount.
Their reactions are real and remain mostly unencumbered by the pratfalls that idiot characters typically love to make in horror
films of this nature. They're cautious, they try to think of what their stalkers might do next, and they're aware of
their surroundings and do their best to use them to their advantage. They are simply looking for their best chance to
survive, and we're rooting for them the whole way.
Most of the film is saturated in a disturbing amount of darkness and a suffocating atmosphere that doesn't give us much time to catch
our breath. With a runtime of a little under an hour and a half, Vacancy packs a mean punch and doesn't bog down with
needless filler. As a result, I was never bored or in a hurry to get home. Instead, my senses remained on edge. Though some of
the plot details are predictable, many of the scares aren't.
My main disappointment lies with the film's abrupt ending. I desired a little comforting closure, but I received an uneasy feeling
of anticipation instead. Oh well. I was given more legitimate scares and tension than I expected, so I'll consider that an even
trade off.
I must warn you; this is a film that can be very annoying to watch with a crowd full of idiots. The morons to my right, in between
taking cell phone calls, couldn't stop talking back to the screen, giving the characters instructions. Folks, this is not a film that
requires audience participation. When tension is building, I like to watch in complete silence. I have no desire to hear what YOU
think should be done in the situation.
Vacancy isn't the best at what it does, but it does what it does better than what the genre generally delivers. Got it?
Good. If you're a huge fan of Wilson and/or Beckinsale then you may want to chance a matinee at an empty theater. Otherwise, this is
a perfect rental to watch on a rainy night while snuggled up close to your sweetie.
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ODDS & ENDS
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- I saw this last night (the night before reviewing the film, for those of you reading this review 20 years from now) so I haven't
had time to come up with any cute odds & ends.
- If Johnny Betts were to ever be granted three wishes and he made one of them "to be stranded at an isolated motel with Kate
Beckinsale" then rather than being a dream come true, the events would most likely play out like those in Vacancy.
- Kate Beckinsale was in Brokedown Palace with Claire Danes who was in The Mod Squad with Josh Brolin who was in
Hollow Man with Kevin Bacon.
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MAMA'S APPROVAL
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Brutal violence and terror - There's plenty to go around. It's not overly bloody or gory, but the images from the snuff films
of people being knifed and terrorized probably aren't what you want your little kids watching.
Brief nudity - The only thing I could make out was some side booby shots on the snuff films. Nothing overly blatant or exploitative.
Language - I'd estimate around 20 "f" bombs and a couple of G-d**ns.
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TRAILER COMPARISON
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No big surprises here.
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THE GIST
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Vacancy won't be taking home any "Most Original" trophies, but it provided enough scares and unease to make Johnny a
satisfied moviegoer. If you've ever considered taking a "short cut" off the interstate in the middle of the night or if you
would have ever considered staying at an empty, isolated motel, well, you won't after seeing this.
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