Vacancy

After finding themselves stranded at a run-down motel, an estranged couple (Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson) fears they may be the next stars of a snuff film.

Vacancy is a tense, no-frills thriller with a refreshingly smart script that crafts believable, intelligent protagonists.

Screenwriter Mark L. Smith does a good job of quickly and efficiently establishing Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson’s characters, avoid expository dialog, and setting up the story.

Once the action gets going, Smith treats his characters with respect. Instead of trying to maneuver them into situations, he allows them to act in a relatable fashion. The value here can’t be overstated. By allowing his characters to act in a smart, relatable, manner, Mark engages the viewer, because the characters do the same things the viewer feels they themselves would do< which, in turn, jacks up the tension considerably as now the viewer feels as though they’re watching the results of their own actions instead of the writer’s.

Granted, Smith leaves a lot on the table. There are a myriad of roads he could have traveled down regarding the relationship between Beckinsale and Wilson’s characters, and Frank Whaley’s character is equally ripe for exploration, but each of these paths is also fraught with pitfalls and Smith’s decision to avoid those ultimately results in a tighter piece.

For his part director Nimród Antal turns in a lean, 80-minute film ripe with atmosphere that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The great editing and camera work maximize the tension without resorting to cheep “boo!” scares.

The biggest problem with Vacancy is the ending, which plausibility aside, feels a little underwhelming. This relates directly to screenwriter Smith’s decision not to explore some of those side roads that might have lent additional emotional weight to the story. But while the ending might not resonate, it’s still solid. Just like the movie.