THE SYNOPSIS While driving through the remote, windy roads of Northern California, estranged bickering couple David & Amy Fox (Wilson & Beckinsale) get lost. Thank David—who decided to take a shortcut that would circumvent some freeway traffic. Dumb move, dude! Their car breaks down (much like their marriage) on a deserted stretch of highway. Luckily, there’s a small gas station nearby—complete with a hick-town mechanic (Embry) who fixes their problem. Down the lane, however, the car conks out again and the pair must find help. Further down the road is a small, rustic motel called The Pinewood. Drenched in nostalgic ‘50s décor, the place seems nice enough for a night’s stay. Though initially creeped out by the motel’s nebbish night manager, Mason (Whaley), the Foxes decide to spend the night, with the expectation of getting their car fixed, being on their way and getting a divorce. The room is not treat either: whether it’s the bugs running around on the torn carpet or less-than-inticing toiletries, the room is barely occupiable. David nonchalantly throws in some videotapes into a player to watch some TV and unwind. What he and Amy discover are some horror movies. The actors are being tortured and murdered by 2 assailants in a set that looks like a motel room. Come to think of it, the set kind of looks like their room… A slowly-mounting dread overcomes the pair when they realize that it is no horror movie, but a bonafide snuff film—shot in their room! Further inspection of the room reveals cameras mounted all over the place. The bickering Foxes suddenly become the survival Foxes as they must outwit the maniacal Mason, Mechanic and another masked-killer (Anderson). This involves a cat-and-mouse style chase throughout the motel complex—above-ground and even below, in specially-created tunnels for the killers to get around in. Hope comes in the form of a State Trooper who comes to investigate—but is slaughtered for his troubles. Can David & Amy overcome their predicament and stop the psychotic motel people? All I can tell you is that they’ll probably stay at a 4-star or above accommodation from now on! THE CRITIQUE Ever watch a horror movie where the protagonists do something so stupid that it jeopardizes their very lives? That juncture in the plotting usually occurs somewhere in the midpoint or towards the end. Right? Well, VACANCY wastes no time—allowing the protagonists to do something stupid from the get-go! Working off of a simplistic script by newcomer Mark L. Smith, the movie makes no apologies for being what it is: a corny B-movie with an A-/B+-List cast, laced with solid production values (and for a bargain-basement price of approximately $19 million, to boot). While owing much to the granddaddy of hotel slasher films, Psycho (1960), the movie suffers at the script level, because we are asked to empathize with an almost-divorced couple who discover the real meaning of conflict. Yet their stupidity (in actions rather than mental capacity) almost begs us to root for their untimely demise. Additionally, we are asked to fear this trio of thrill-kill psychos—which would be fine; except, we are not given any real motivation as to why these freaks do what they do. The closest we get to any characterization on the villain’s behalf is through the quirkiness of Frank Whaley’s acting (which is abetted by costuming, camera angles and low-key lighting; all to heighten his Norman Bates-like character). The lovely Kate Beckinsale is a fine actress and tries to elevate the role above the rote scripting (OK, OK, OK: I just like looking at her). I was actually surprised by the casting of actor Luke Wilson, usually cast in comedies and/or romantic comedies. With his long face and seemingly-aloof mannerisms, you’d think that it was miscasting. Yet, Wilson almost pulls it off, with his harried David Fox character unleashing a survivalist’s cunning and quick-witted modus operandi. Behind the camera, things are pro across the board. American-born (but Hungarian expatriate) director Nimród Antal (Kontroll) makes a stylish Hollywood debut with VACANCY. Again, not withstanding narrative issues, the movie works on a purely visual level because Antal infuses the proceedings with visceral panache. Under his watch, the fluid, widescreen cinematography—courtesy of veteran Polish DP Andrzej Sekula (American Psycho/Pulp Fiction/Reservoir Dogs)—is the movie’s best asset. Punctuated by slick, low-key lighting schemes and uncomfortable wide-angle close-ups, Sekula also helps out in the quality-assurance department. If Sekula is VACANCY’s thunder, then film editor Armen Minasian (The Messengers/I, Robot/1492: Conquest Of Paradise) must be its lightning! Thanks to the veteran cutter’s clippers, the movie clocks in at a quick 80 minutes. Without any gaps in editing logic, the movie maintains a rapid pace yet manages to instill its viewers with a heightening sense of thrills and chills. Other tech credits are pro, up-to-and-including the appropriately-tacky motel décor fabricated by veteran Production Designer Jon Gary Steele (2006’s When A Stranger Calls/The Dukes Of Hazzard/American History X). With The Pinewood’s green doors and ugly brown paneling (shot on soundstages in L.A.), his work brings back memories of my stay in several fleabag motels. But that’s for another review… THE BOTTOM LINE VACANCY is a silly, yet nimble little horror/thriller. What the movie lacks in cohesiveness (read: better scripting), it makes up for in thrills and guilty-escapism. Decent performances and some solid cinematography—coupled with appropriately stripped-down production values make this one an easy watch for thrill-seekers. If Psycho wasn’t enough of a caveat about staying in isolated motels, maybe VACANCY—in its hyper-surreal way—will be. However, Holiday Inn still has nothing to worry about! CAST: Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson, Frank Whaley, Ethan Embry, Scott G. Anderson, Mark Casella & David Doty CREDITS: Director: Nimród Antal; Screenwriter: Mark L. Smith; Producer: ; Director of Photography: Andrzej Sekula; Production Designer: Jon Gary Steele; Editor: Armen Minasian; Costume Designer: Maya Lieberman; Music: Paul Haslinger AC/AL/SV 2007 80m ENGLISH http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenplayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-moviehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_valueshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_budgetinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenplayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characterizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-key_lightinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movie_camerahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_directorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widescreenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematographerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-key_lightinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide-anglehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close-uphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_editor#Film_editorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_editor#Film_editorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_editinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_designerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenplayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_valuesshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5shapeimage_2_link_6shapeimage_2_link_7shapeimage_2_link_8shapeimage_2_link_9shapeimage_2_link_10shapeimage_2_link_11shapeimage_2_link_12shapeimage_2_link_13shapeimage_2_link_14shapeimage_2_link_15shapeimage_2_link_16shapeimage_2_link_17shapeimage_2_link_18shapeimage_2_link_19shapeimage_2_link_20shapeimage_2_link_21