Vacancy

I didn't see some of the creepiest parts coming...scared me!
If you've seen every horror movie out there, maybe this one won't do anything for you. It definitely kept me watching for these reasons:

1. The couple, Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale, are having marital troubles. This is a nice twist on the formulaic "couple is in love, has sex, gets killed" theme. You won't find that here.

2. They end up in a really run-down motel run by a truly whacky guy.

3. Things get very frightening and it isn't the usual slasher flick. There are some nice twists and turns here...well, maybe not nice..but definitely riveting.

4. I was surprised several times and screamed my head off. You don't really want me to reveal much more, do you? If you're looking for a horror film, I assume you want to know if you're likely to get scared silly. Based on my reaction, I'd say yes. I also wanted to know how this was going to affect this couple's marriage. I mean, stick two estranged people in a motel with a psycho and see how...

Atmospheric with Some Creepy Moments But Lacks Originality
After their car breaks down somewhere off the highway at midnight, a young (and bickering) married couple Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson check into an old motel. When they think they are the only guests staying there that night, strange things start to happen, including some banging noises from the next room.

With its nice opening title back and score that strongly remind us of Hitchcock, "Vacancy" is an old-fashioned thriller that does not rely on gores to raise its tension. That works to some extent with the effective performances from the leads and atmospheric photography by Andrzej Sekula. Hungarian director Nimród Antal ("Kontroll") manages to make us jump with several scary moments at first, but the film's tension slowly vanishes as the story unfolds.

For what "Vacancy" shows remains (for me) very familiar. The story here belongs to the territory of urban legends including disturbing images recorded on old VCRs, but slick as it is, the film fails to...

Expect modest adult thrills--then sit back for a treat
As an adult horror/thriller film viewer for *&^% decades, I am disappointed in most everything that comes out these days. VACANCY is a pleasant surprise, but I think one's expectations need to be modest. Also, the film requires a mature, savvy viewer who is tired of teenagers getting in trouble and being stupid, then heroic, then stupidly heroic. Adult thrills done with an aesthetic sensibility and yet delivering something palpable and strong are hard to come by these days. If you agree, catch VACANCY. (Also, watch the alternative opening under special features--hard to believe they shot this and had the integrity and audacity not to use it.)

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