Angela Bettis, Brent Roam, Carlease Burke

Every year thousands of people move to Hollywood to pursue their dreams. Some succeed. Some go home. Others just...disappear. There are bad apartments – rats, bad plumbing, crazy landlords - and then...( read more  read more... ) there’s the Lusman building. Something evil lives deep in the building itself, something linked to the architecture itself...something that needs to keep killing to stay alive.

New to Los Angeles, Nell and Steven Barrow (Angela Bettis and Brent Roam) rent an apartment in the run-down Lusman Arms building in this slasher flick from Tobe Hooper (who also directed the iconic Texas Chainsaw Massacre). Soon, Nell begins to notice that young women in the building are meeting violent deaths. With the help of nice-guy actor "Jazz" Rooker (Rance Howard), Nell starts investigating -- and makes some disturbing discoveries.

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39% liked it

1,273 ratings

R, 94 min.

Directed by: Tobe Hooper

Release Date: January 1, 2004

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DVD Release Date: March 15, 2005

Stats: 320 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (320)


  • January 21, 2009
    Despite this cast's horror pedigree (Angela Bettis, Juliette Landau, etc.), there is really nothing special about this movie. It's just another formulaic film about some killer stalking people in an apartment building and killing them in nasty ways. If you've seen one, you've see...( read more)n a million.
  • June 19, 2008
    Pretty good. Toolbox Murders is a relatively creative take on the slasher movie concept that boasts fair acting, nice sets, and a quirky cast of characters that are more memorable than the average set. Far from stellar, but a fun time nevertheless.
  • July 26, 2007
    Tobe Hooper's 2003 version of the Toolbox Murders is a fun little movie. It's a bloody good time to watch, although it's not scary, but the fun factor makes up for it. I haven't seen the original, but I'm sure it's better than it. The middle part drags a little bit, but once the ...( read more)main character stumbles apon the "hidden" portion of her apartment building, the fun and action begins! Props to Tobe Hooper for a great and well done opening sequence. Most films that have somebody killed in the beginning have the next scene take place somewhere else or on the next day, the scene after it takes place the second after it!
  • March 26, 2007
    I'm afraid I found this film pretty rubbish, certainly no chance of me watching it again
  • December 26, 2006
    Tobe, what's going on, man? You're better than this...
  • October 18, 2009
    Decent horror movie you have to watch it more than once to really get it.
  • September 14, 2009
    Tobe Hooper is still being a moronic horror director since The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist, but he is still brutal and gory also.

    The plot is boring and typical, as well as the cliches, and the acting sucks, but some of the death scenes are fun and liked the concep...( read more)t used in a hotel for a horror movie, although I couldn't believe that the owners could be so fuc#!ng stupid.

    36/100
  • May 12, 2009
    the murderer is not actually a toolbox.
  • April 11, 2009
    hmmm i need to go back and watch this one again
  • December 24, 2008
    I saw this movie as a double feature with 'The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things' at a portland film festival in an old, run-down theater. It was eerie, atmospheric and bloody. A bit slow-moving and disjointed but all in all a solid slasher-type film worth watching.

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  • Which of these horror films was set in Los Angeles?   Answer »
  • Who directed the following movies? The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Eaten Alive Poltergeist The Toolbox Murders  Answer »

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