Vacancy (2007)

“Vacancy” is not your average thriller/slasher film. To the untrained eye, it provides nearly an hour and a half of Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale just trying to stay alive in a sleaze-bag motel while being constantly harassed by the unknown locals. The film seems to follow a structure, it seems to be predictable, but then – it transforms into something diabolically more. “Vacancy” is one of those undercut films that blends the power of a modern Hitchcock with just the right twists to keep new audiences on the edge of their seat. “Vacancy”, upon watching it a second time, is more than just slash and grab; it is a cineophile dream come true.

In the modern world of “Saw”, “Hostel” and nearly anything Eli Roth places his name upon, it would be easy to see how this film would be overlooked. It doesn’t have a monster, people are not dripping blood in every scene, and (the biggie) there is no major twist at the end. Director Nimrod Antal’s sophomore outing is more about the style, the cinematography, and the characters than just your a-typical release of this genre. We are privy to see our characters prior to these horrific incidents, to understand why they are pushed, and despite their ability to just run away from each other, they stay – giving us a great hour and a half. To begin, the opening credits set the tone. Not since “Panic Room” was I stricken by the originality of these credits, and how they propelled me into a immediate state of nervousness. After this, we are welcomed into a car, a already tense filled car that keeps us on the edge of our seats even further. Perhaps Luke and Kate will provide a moment of ease in this ride, but no – quite a different approach than we have seen prior from these two actors – they are in their own zone, and Antal controls it. He makes us believe. He scares us, while never taking us out of that moment of disbelief. This could happen. Antal knows that, Luke and Kate give us realism, and we are set for a wild ride.

The plot was strong – the acting kept up with the chilling score and Frank Whaley proves that skinny nerds can be frightening. Whaley commands the time he has on screen, giving us small nuances of this character that others may have forgotten. Known mainly for lower-budget roles, “Vacancy” demonstrates what happens when small actors get good parts (with great directors.). Finally, one cannot discuss “Vacancy” without drooling over the cinematography. Briefly mentioned above, Antal has paid homage to Hitchcock in a grandiose way by giving us these early shots of our characters not in the foreground, but symbolically traveling along the open highway. For the first hour, prior to the desperate need to escape, there were filmed moments that just stood out – i.e. the car ride, the discovery of the tapes, the walk to the motel, and even near the end – with the shot of Kate looking through the cracks resonated early Hitch. This is what small attention to detail can do for your film.

“Vacancy” is worth a second viewing, and even a third – it impresses me that I like Luke and Kate in their roles, and Whaley hits his mark directly. Antal’s choice of music, cinematography, and leads prove his ability behind the camera, giving us a new twist to a genre that at times feels dated and recycled. I would recommend this film for a good fright – don’t believe it is just another product of the Hollywood machine – it stands tall and proud.

Found in my "Videohound 2009" book - this slice of cinematic pie will surprisingly get a green mark with blue stars. I will watch this again - I will suggest it to friends - and please, don't bang at night on my front door.