Vacancy

(2007) ****

Let me say right off the bat that I have not read jpx's review of this movie. I did see that he gave it three stars, but as Octo says, it is the differences of opinion that make Horrorthon fun. Well, one of the things that makes Horrorthon fun.

I generally stay away from movies that make you really tense. Where people are having horrible things done to them and seem powerless to stop them. This movie has those elements, but it's very well done. It's one of those movies where you find yourself shouting at the TV to try to influence the action that is unfolding. I have to admit, I had to turn on another light and start folding laundry at one point because I was totally freaking out.

Although I am not someone who has studied Hitchcock films, except when reading a review of Jordan's, I felt that this movie had some very Hitchcockian elements. The lighting especially in the first 20 minutes or so when David (Luke Wilson) and Amy (Kate Beckinsale) are in the process of getting lost and stranded is particularly striking.

David and Amy are not a happy couple. One of the other things I liked about this flick is the tension between the two of them in the beginning is so real. People actually argue like they do, in passive-aggressive ways that just make everything so much worse. It's great to see that when the shit starts to hit the fan they manage, but it's not instantly all right between them. There is one part where David yells, "I'm doing the best I can!" And he totally is because no one would ever believe you could be in a situation where your life would be threatened so horrifically.


The message of this movie is NEVER stay in a random hotel that is in the middle of nowhere. You would think people would know this after Psycho came out, I mean come on! Stay with your car people! Of course that wouldn't make much of a movie.

I'm sort of assuming that Boom Boom, um - jpx, summarized the plot which is why I'm not getting into it too much here. Also I think it would be easy to give stuff away which I don't want to do. The acting was quite good, Luke Wilson got beyond that squinty, naive guy thing he does in a lot of his movies, and Kate Beckinsale is not an annoying screechy female like this genre seems to generate.

Suffice it to say - this movie had me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails and folding laundry (although not all at the same time.) My first four star experience!