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Ethan Embry, Frank Whaley, Kate Beckinsale

When David and Amy Fox's car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, they are froced to stay at the only motel around, with only the TV to entertain them… until they discover that the low-budget slasher...( read more  read more... ) movies they're watching were all filmed in the very room they're sitting in. With hidden cameras now aimed at them, trapping them in rooms, crawlspaces, underground tunnels, and filming their every move, David and Amy must struggle to get out alive before whomever is watching them can finish their latest masterpiece.

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72,843 ratings

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116 critics

R, 1 hr. 20 min.

Directed by: Nimród Antal

Release Date: April 20, 2007

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DVD Release Date: August 14, 2007

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Flixster Reviews (19,336)

  • PvtCaboose91
    May 5, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "You'll never survive if you lose control Mr. Fox."


    On first impression, Vacancy probably seems like conventional, by-the-numbers horror fluff...upon closer inspection, this is anything but! In the midst of Hollywood's putrid "torture porn" movie craze (Hos

    ...( read more)tel and its diabolical sequel are probably the worst offenders) it's indeed a rare occurrence to witness a good old-fashioned horror flick that relies on white-knuckle suspense as opposed to the senseless exploitation of gore and sex. Vacancy - the English-language debut feature of director Nimród Antal - isn't going to gain any awards for originality; as a matter of fact the premise and script are mediocre at best. However it's the filmic implementation that elevates this horror film high above the expected standard. Running at a scant 80 minutes, Vacancy is lean and mean. For the most part it hits the correct notes and provides a satisfying dosage of nail-biting tension. Director Antal competently creates a strong sense of atmosphere and escalating suspense. This is a very thrilling flick!


    The story tracks David and Amy Fox (Wilson and Beckinsale, respectively) - they are a married couple in the middle of contemplating a divorce after their marriage is placed under substantial strain when they lose a child. While travelling home following a family function, their car breaks down on an isolated road. It's late at night, and the quarrelsome couple become compelled to hike in excess of a kilometre to a grungy little roadside motel (managed by a creepy fella played by Frank Whaley) which would make even the Bates Motel seem welcoming. It isn't long before David discovers a stash of snuff movies...eventually recognising that said movies had been filmed in their motel room. Trapped in their room with hidden cameras watching their every move, David and Amy realise they could become the stars of the sadistic filmmakers' next cult classic.


    Vacancy is stripped down and raw. Once the nitty gritty commences there's scarce respite as it races along, offering moment after moment of genuine terror. All told, the film's runtime is a very tight 80 minutes. The film knows not to linger around for too long begging for attention - it starts, it gets to the point, and it humbly departs. Screenwriter Mark L. Smith admirably eschews a majority of the genre clichés. Vacancy offers just two protagonists as opposed to of a truck-load of disposable knife-fodder, therefore allowing a viewer to care far more about their fate. It takes its time establishing things, allowing us to familiarise ourselves with David and Amy. These are two moderately normal people...they aren't the dumb idiots that usually populate this kind of flick. Most commendably, there's no guarantee that either protagonist will survive to see the end credits. One of the film's strengths is in its frequent unpredictability - there's a strong sense that the protagonists may not make it out in one piece, let alone make it out at all.


    Moreover, the main characters of this horror outing are smart. In the context of horror heroes, they are fairly intelligent. Compared to the people who were murdered prior to their stay, they're utter geniuses. They conduct themselves as reasonably intelligent adults might behave in a similar situation. David is also aware that he and Amy are no match for a group of killers in pitch black, especially in unknown surroundings. Therefore he doesn't engage them in hand-to-hand combat, nor does he attempt to set an ambush. Although the climax is somewhat predictable, Amy doesn't act like a superhuman nor does she mysteriously muster impressive martial arts skills in the blink of an eye. In fact, she even falls asleep at one stage - an act wholly human. Granted, a few times a bout of "here's what I'd do" will strike a viewer, and there are a few script mishaps, but the characters in Vacancy are still the smartest horror victims in recent memory. After a contemptible glut of horror films (ranging from Friday the 13th to Hostel, where the death of expendable supporting characters is perfunctory on account of it being fun to watch), Vacancy reminds us of what made Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho so remarkable: a handful of restricted sets and human characters.


    Perhaps the most obvious thing that separates Vacancy from other contemporary horror films is in the content. Too often do horror films insert extra gore, sex and profanity for the sake of adding it as they're already bound for an R-rating from the MPAA. However, the film in question distinctively avoids displaying a vast majority of the violence - it usually happens off-screen. In addition, Vacancy avoids the inclusion of an obligatory sex scene. All of the sex and most of violence is on tape, witnessed with a bluish tint and flickering interference on a small TV screen. Frankly, this makes the violence and sex far less gratuitous and it's all the better for it.


    Vacancy plays on ordinary human fears: loud noises late at night, a ringing phone with no-one at the opposite end, rats & roaches, claustrophobia, and a sense of hopeless isolation. Director Nimród Antal allows his cinematographer (veteran Andrzej Sekula) to intensify the impression of imminent doom. Each shot is meticulously composed to enhance the suspense. There are some truly masterful moments, perhaps the most ominous when David and Amy are harassed by noisy banging on the doors and walls. The normality of the situation is instantly shattered when mysterious noises erupt and panic begins to heighten. Antal builds the movie slowly, but even the build-up is reasonably creepy and chilling.


    In spite of a number of flaws - and believe me, there are flaws - Vacancy gets more right than wrong. Still, it's far from perfect. The snarky dialogue between David and Amy is a waste of space. All the bickering seems redundant, even in the context of character development. The concept has also been exhaustively employed over the decades: a car breaks down in the middle of no-where, and bad things start to happen. Amy's cell phone also fails to get a signal in the middle of nowhere...how formulaic. Other flaws: sections of the story are difficult to accept, such as the main concept itself. It's doubtful the snuff film scheme could endure for so long. All the victims on tape appear to be stupid, defenceless, unintelligent horror victims. None of them attempt anything smart. Most detrimental is the conclusion. It's generic, and from a believability standpoint there are incalculable dilemmas. Had a clever rewrite courtesy of a skilled screenwriter transpired, Vacancy could have been this decade's king horror movie.


    Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale manage their "every person" roles effectively. Wilson's handling of David succeeds, and his amiability seasons a bland role. Thank God none of the sleazy teenage idols of the early 21st century got this role. Beckinsale is also convincing as Amy. As fear pervades the tense atmosphere, the protagonists seem legitimately terrified. Never do these actors seem contrived; in fact their naturalistic performances aren't Hollywood at all.

    Frank Whaley as the manager is sinister and sadistic. He'd make a good roommate for Norman Bates. Kudos to Whaley for placing forth a wholly believable and spine-chilling performance!


    Perhaps expectations for Vacancy might have been quite low, but the product considerably outweighs any assumption of this being "just another silly horror film". From a creative point of view, Vacancy is leaps and bounds ahead of at least 80% of the current horror films from major studios. The script isn't particularly creative, but it's Antal's virtuoso direction that makes the film so effective. The movie is an accomplished brew of bright colours, dark shadows, and a grimy atmosphere. This is a terrific white-knuckle thriller - convincing performances mixed with a masterfully thrilling tone. If Psycho made people wary of showers, then the tense and tightly-paced Vacancy will make them think twice before stopping at a depressing old motel in the middle of nowhere - even if it's the only room available for hundreds of kilometres.


    "It's right there in the corner number 4. You might have to jiggle the handle a little bit to open her up, she's as sticky as an old whore."
  • phubbs1
    April 6, 2009
    phubbs1
    OK whats the point of this??? lol its so stupid and hardly scary atall. For a start it has Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale in it....now forgive me but Wilson is a comedy actor right? Beckinsale is an English rose with a vamp streak but hardly hostel style horror victim no no.Nnei...( read more)ther of them fit the part of this film in the slightest. It just doesn't work, simple.
    The main baddie is laughable, not in the least bit scary, more Basil Fawlty really lol and his drones aren't explained either, why they kill people? how they got into it, where they come from etc...they just turn up looking like Mike Myers.
    There is no logic to the film, how could a motel survive when they kill their guests,where do they put the bodies, surely its abit suspicious? where do they put the guest's cars? and on top of that there are numerous occasions when Wilson and Becks could escape easily or take down some of the nutters, but all the time your just waiting for Wilson to say something silly and funny.

    The bottom line is the film just aint scary, tense, creepy, gory in any way, and that includes the somewhat lame snuff movie clips you see, and with a movie in this genre that pretty much sinks the whole thing with no survivors.
  • Stinger839
    January 26, 2009
    Stinger839
    This was an uber effective and fun treatment with a special twist on the "went down the wrong road and got stuck with serial killers" movie. In this one, the backwards serial killers make marketed snuff from all their victims, and this film's two protagonist victims discover this...( read more) fact while waiting for their death on the same "set".

    The tension built up great and stayed strong. I like that the layout of the set is easily communicated that I can visualize and make real the dimensions of the setting. The simplicity of the scares (the masks, the banging on the door, being watched by the killers) is effective. I like the physique of these killers, how they are so quick and flexible. The voyeur aspect of this film adds great dimension to it. I think the best thing about it is that the protagonists act (for the most part) pretty damn rationally; they do what we as the removed viewer can suggest they do and stay within the script (see Devil's Chair or Scream 2 for films that jump out of the script to guide the characters through horror). All of the acting is solid, and that's often a back-breaker for a survival horror. Just a solid flick.

    "Most fucked up" highlight: seeing the first snuff scenes on the room's TV set and watching the characters realize that they're in that room
  • thmtsang
    January 20, 2009
    thmtsang
    Very Hitchcock like movie. A couple's car breaks down and they have to stay in a low budget motel. They watch a snuff movie and realise it was filmed in the room they are staying in. They fear for their lives.
  • DrZeek
    November 17, 2008
    DrZeek
    Mason: [pointing to Motel room] It's right there in the corner number 4. You might have to jiggle the handle a little bit to open her up, she's as sticky as an old whore.

    I wanted to see this movie, and I think the main reason is because I enjoy when movies stick Luke Wilson in...( read more)to various situations. He is just the average guy who you want to like, so this time we get to see him in a horror flick.

    The film stars Wilson and Kate Beckinsale (this time not dealing with Vampires) as a unhappily married couple, who's car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. They wind up at an old motel with a quirky manager to take care of them.

    David Fox: Well, we're still alive. I can tell by the pissy look that you're giving me.

    Of course there is one huge problem. This particular motel has camera's hidden in the rooms, which are there to film the murder of the guests and later be edited into snuff films. Now the two must try and survive the night with seemingly no chance at escape.

    Mason: You'll never survive if you lose control Mr. Fox.

    The reason this gets a passing grade is because it is simple and effective. Its not giving you anything really new, just a fast paced flick with some thrills along the way. Its effectively enough made as well. It has a set tone that keeps the film in a kind of 70s thriller mode. The unnecessary, but flashy opening and closing credits, complete with the reveal that the director's first name is Nimrod, are also neat enough.

    What also certainly helps the movie is the performances by Wilson and Beckinsale. They play a couple ready to get divorced, and their bickering and eventual dependence on each other provides a good center point to the story. The manager, played by Frank Whaley, however does go over-the-top along with the ending of the movie.

    This really hits a strong "just decent" mark, but the movie is good enough to recommend.

    Amy Fox: Please, David, don't go out there!
    David Fox: Look, if we stay here, we're going to wind up like all of them.
  • spiralrayonshorts
    November 7, 2009
    spiralrayonshorts
    Boring and Predictable.
  • Triponic
    November 6, 2009
    Triponic
    Car breaks down, creepy motel, killers, running, screaming, hiding from bad guys...seems like a copy of so many movies, if you want something similar along the lines...but that will really creep you out and disgust you, try the french movie Frontiere.
  • dukeakasmudge
    October 30, 2009
    dukeakasmudge
    The beginning of the movie was scary but after you find out whats really happening it just becomes boring
  • KittiePirate
    October 16, 2009
    KittiePirate
    very good movie, most scary movies are very predictable but this one was hard to tell for me, i loved luke wilson in this movie, he is one of my favourite actors and i sat through this for him, but it was a very interesting idea behind the movie, the one thing that i hated was th...( read more)e ending, it wasnt enough for me to just know that they are safe, i need to know what happens next. but i will say this much i wont be going to any motels for a good while
  • jimrin
    October 14, 2009
    jimrin
    Decent enough thriller. The character developer between Luke and Kate was done well. I guess the moral of the story is if you have a marriage on the rocks, go to a slasher hotel. Anyway, I think I'll stick to the Interstate...

View All Vacancy Reviews

Critic Reviews

April 23, 2007
Pete Hammond, Maxim

A frightening and highly intense ride that doesn't let up for a minute. full review

April 20, 2007
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Vacancy, in the end, simply offers a particularly aggressive brand of couples counseling. full review

April 20, 2007
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

There's no agenda in Vacancy other than to keep you in a state of nervous collapse for 85 minutes, but [director] Antal fulfills it honorably for the most part. full review

April 20, 2007
Kurt Loder, MTV

Vacancy is yet another example of that tedious pop-cinematic phenomenon, the genre 'tribute' movie -- a film in which the proud-geek director gets to demonstrate how much of his life he's wasted watch... full review

April 19, 2007
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Director Nimrod Antal works with razor-sharp skill, amping up the horror with suggestion and anticipation rather than flashy embellishments. full review

April 18, 2007
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

Antal's array of sleek cinematographic arrangements succinctly link his villains to his viewers as likeminded voyeurs turned on by scenes of torture and mayhem. full review

April 16, 2007
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

If Psycho and Peeping Tom are the seminal killer-as-voyeur movies, Vacancy is the nasty little runt offspring with no other purpose in life but to gnaw on you. This it does uncommonly well. full review

View more Vacancy reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • michellefortuin
    September 4, 2009
    michellefortuin
    Liked it! I'm fan of Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson both, and they did good work but there wasn't chemistry I think.
    The story was good, there were definitely a few scary moments!
    But I don't like the ending that much.. it's too easy. Suddenly the movie ends, in the middle of the story. Too bad.
    I want to see Vacancy 2 as well for sure! Though it's a pity Kate and Luke aren't in it.

    P.S.: Does anyone understand why the title 'Vacancy' is chosen? For one of the first times in my life I don't understand the title of a movie, and in my opinion the title is very important for a film.
  • anitsch19
    February 15, 2009
    anitsch19
    this movie was good but the ending was horible. everyone justs dies,(well except two but ones probably gona die) thats not a very good ending. plus it didnt explain anything. it was so confusing and it wasnt even scary, there was no suspence you could tell what was happening next.
  • ilovemovies2007
    October 4, 2007
    ilovemovies2007
    i just seen this...wow.....i was in shock at every moment... kate & luke did an excellent job in this film.

    i liked when kate killed the two bad guys.

    and it was cool that luke lived also...

    i wasnt sure if he died or not for awhile.

    but i wish they would have showen them get rescued... but at least they were save after all the hell they went though to escape that hotel...
  • Aritosgold
    October 1, 2007
    Aritosgold
    There are two kinds of scary movies. those that could never
    happen.and those that yes this could really be real.
    thats Vacancy,
  • sneezer07
    September 3, 2007
    sneezer07
    I thought this movie rocked!!! I loved it. It was creepy and suspenseful and it kept you on the edge of your seat. I like the ending too. That made me like it even more.
  • GhoriaShedsBlood
    August 29, 2007
    GhoriaShedsBlood
    Nothing inventive just leading actors running, screaming & hiding from the bad guys.
  • lovecyn4ever
    August 26, 2007
    lovecyn4ever
    My rating for Vacancy 2.5/5 to me didn't offer anything new to the horror genre or as a thriller & other films that deals with snuff films done a better job with building suspense & creating a mystery to the story.Vacancy is just a predictable film.8MM & Mute Witness are better films than Vacancy in my opinion.
  • nativesunljt
    August 19, 2007
    nativesunljt
    Blegh!?!?!?
  • missionaborted
    August 17, 2007
    missionaborted
    I loved it!!
  • Hanzferre
    August 14, 2007
    Hanzferre
    Nice movie but its ok to skip it... if you have nothing to watch then watch it.. still worth it.if you like to have the thrill then u might enjoy it.
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