Vacancy ***1/2
Cast: Luke Wilson, Kate Beckinsale, Frank Whaley, Ethan Embry
Director: Nimrod Atal
Running Length: 1:22
MPAA Classification: R

While driving home, David Fox (Wilson) swerves to avoid a raccoon. The car is damaged, and he and his soon to be ex-wife Amy (Beckinsale) must stay at the only motel around to wait for the local garage to open the next day. The desk manager (Whaley) is Norman Bates-creepy, and the room leaves much to be desired. Putting a videotape into the VCR in the room, David and Amy are treated to home made snuff films that were made in their hotel room. Soon, masked men are banging on their door, and David and Amy are in for the night of their lives.

At 82 minutes, “Vacancy” is lean and mean. It a tense ride, that does not let up. Wilson and Beckinsale are great as the “any person” couple whose marriage is on the rocks. It is good to see bigger names in a horror movie, and they get the job done soundly. Whaley is excellent as one of the creepiest characters to ever inhabit a horror movie. I would definitely find another place to stay if he was working the front desk at a place I wanted to stay at. This is an above average horror movie that relies more on tension and creepiness than on blood and gore. I think that both fans of the genre and non-fans would enjoy this film. I highly recommend this film.