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VACANCY

With Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson, Frank Whaley, Ethan Embry, Scott G. Anderson, Mark Casella

Written by Mark L. Smith
Directed by Nimród Antal

The neon motel vacancy sign instantly sends one’s mind towards Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. That is however where most of the similarities end – and not for the better.
The snuff movie theme has now certainly run its course. Here a couple with a troubled relationship ends up at a crappy motel after running into car trouble. What they encounter is not just dirty linen and crap TV channels, but a nightmare trap making them the prey. The entire place is rigged with cameras to capture hapless “guests” being slaughtered by masked killers. The cat and mouse game has some tense moments, but also too many predictable ones.
Luke Wilson naturally tried to reach outside of the romantic comedy typecast mold and Beckinsale flipped the coin from confident gun-toting vampire in the Underworld movies to a fear-stricken wife in peril. In both cases, it is not always convincing.
I’m quite surprised that this actually led to a sequel…
Special features include a look behind the scenes, an alternate opening sequence, deleted scenes, and (probably only for the sadistic freaks out there) extended snuff scenes.

2 / C
- Paul Blom


0 1 2 3 4 5 6
- A
- B - C



THE FLAMEDROP RATING SYSTEM
- 6 - Volcanic
- 5 - Blistering
- 4 - Hot
- 3 - Smolder
- 2 - Room Temp.
- 1 - Fizzled
- 0 - Extinguished

- A: Multi-Viewing Potential

- B: Could Enjoy A 2nd Look

- C: Once Should Suffice









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