Directed by Nimrod Antal, Written by Mark L. Smith
Runtime: 80 minutes, Released on: April 20, 2007
Review by: Ben Tay
Tragically overlooked during its brief theatrical run, Vacancy stars Luke Wilson (Old School) and Kate Beckinsale (Click) as a defunct couple ready to call it quits until their car breaks down in…wait for it…the middle of nowhere. With the town’s only mechanic gone until the morning, the couple is forced to stay at a motel solely operated by a downright creepy manager (Frank Whaley in a deliciously sinister performance).
You’ve seen this storyline executed a million times before (Psycho immediately comes to mind), but Vacancy certainly has a vile charm all its own. At a refreshingly brisk running time of 80 minutes, the film is lean and efficient. Little time is wasted setting up the sparse storyline, and as a result, director Nimrod Antal (no, that’s not a typo) has ample time to heighten the audience’s suspense before unleashing full-on terror on the unhappy couple. Wisely avoiding the torture-happy gimmick employed in recent horror fare such as the Saw films, Hostel, and Turistas, Vacancy admirably opts to create genuine suspense instead.
While watching Vacancy, I couldn’t help but think that this was the type of move that should have graced Grindhouse, the Tarintino/Rodriguez collaboration I had watched just a week prior. Antal has crafted a film that proves that less can be more. Vacancy revels in its B-movie glory, and the film is the cinematic equivalent of fast-food: it’s quick, simple and temporarily satisfying. 
| Mike Sez: I completely agree that this film is far better than most people have given it credit for, and that its chilly reception at the box office is confusing and unfortunate. This is a superlative thriller; it spends just enough time developing the characters so that we care about them, and then progressively amps up the tension, barely letting up until the end credits roll. Despite this only being Antal's second film, he shows a sure hand and hopefully has a promising career ahead of him. Hitchcock would be proud.
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