CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Season 16
TV Season
Immortality is the two-hour series finale of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation aired on September 27,...
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Season 10
TV Season
Riley Adams leaves the CSI team in turmoil, as Catherine's leadership skills are called into...
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Season 7
TV Season
Catherine heads to a small town in Nevada ("Leaving Las Vegas") as Grissom and Sara continue their...
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Season 6
TV Season
Brass, now partnered with Sofia Curtis, finds himself caught in a shootout that leaves one officer...
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Season 4
TV Season
Nick accidentally leaks information to a news reporter ("Assume Nothing"), and Catherine tries to...
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Season 1
TV Season
It's all change at the Las Vegas Crime Lab following the shooting death of Holly Gribbs ("Pilot"),...
If I Could Tell You Just One Thing...: Encounters with Remarkable People and Their Most Valuable Advice
Book
Adventures in advice with some of the world's most remarkable people. President Bill Clinton, Clare...
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Season 3
TV Season
Grissom begins to suffer from hearing loss ("Inside the Box"), as Catherine faces the possibility of...
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Vacancy (2007) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
The fact that they had to hide their failing marriage, and the tensions that still remain as a result, have driven Amy and David to the point of irritability and they never cease to find new ways to verbally spar with one another.
When their car breaks down, they are happy to discover a gas station attendant who tells them that he can get their car repaired enough to make it to the next town where they will be able to get the help that they need in the morning.
This proves not to be the case as their car once again breaks down shortly after they resume their trip, which forces Amy and David to walk back into town and stay the night at the only hotel in the remote locale.
Frustrated by their situation, the two resign themselves to their situation and check into the hotel and soon make a startling discovery. A stack of video tapes in the room seems to indicate that a series of ghastly murders has been committed in their room, and when hidden cameras are discovered, Amy and David soon realize that they are to be the stars of a future tape.
Trapped and alone, the duo must stave off a series of attacks and find a way to survive, so they can escape the nightmare they have stumbled into.
At first the premise of the film seems to be a step above the usual genre film, as the two leads, Wilson and Beckinsale, bring acredibility to their roles, and do develop their characters beyond the paper thin constructs that are so common in films of this type.
Sadly the film does not take advantage of this advantage and soon becomes a series of pat situations and a surprisingly odd lack of tension and suspense in the film.
One of the biggest problems in the film is that it tips it’s hand way to early in the film, as we know what is going on as the discovery of the tapes eliminates much of the mystery. Had the film saved this piece of information until the end of the film, it might have had far more impact as the audience would be left wondering why the bizarre events were happening to the couple.
Another issue for me was the small cast, as with only Wilson and Beckinsale in peril for the majority of the film, the tension level was greatly reduced, as you know that neither of them is going to be killed early in the film, as that would leave the movie without any protagonists.
As much as I liked the concept and casting, especially Frank Whaley as the creepy hotel clerk, Vacancy is simply a good idea that never rises above its premise, and ends up content to recycle the same old formula from dozens of other horror films without offering any of the thrills or chills, and leaves you unsatisfied.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Season 11
TV Season
Langston fights for his life ("Shockwaves") as Catherine meets a man from her past ("Pool Shark"),...