Vacancy
Rent & Buy
A young married couple becomes stranded at an isolated motel and find hidden video cameras in their room. They realize that unless they escape, they'll be the next victims of a snuff film.
What critics thought
Vacancy lands in genuinely mixed territory: critics agreed the film opens with real Hitchcockian tension and that director Nimrod Antal shows craft with atmosphere and close-up dread, but they split sharply over whether any of that goodwill survives the ending, which multiple reviewers found abrupt or deflating. The thin characters drew particular fire, with some finding the protagonists' decision-making so contrived it undermined the suspense the first act worked hard to build.
“I don't know when I've seen a thriller this unpretentiously well-crafted sputter to so inconsequential an end.”
Ty Burr·The Boston Globe
“What makes Nimrod Antal's film genuinely scary and gripping is that the script and acting are far better than [...] your routine slasher/shocker knock-off.”
The Guardian
“with two appealing leads and a nifty opening credits sequence, Vacancy seems like it has potential”
Richard Roeper·Ebert and Roeper
“the build-up is better than the main event.”
Empire
Genres
Horror, Thriller
Cast & Crew
Nimród AntalDirector
Kate BeckinsaleAmy Fox
Luke WilsonDavid Fox
Frank WhaleyMason
Ethan EmbryMechanic
Scott G. AndersonKiller
David DotyPolice Oficcer
Norm ComptonSnuff Victim
Caryn MowerSnuff Victim
Meegan E. GodfreySnuff Victim
Kym StysSnuff Victim
Andrew FiscellaSteven R
Paul HaslingerComposer
Mark L. SmithWriter
Andrzej SekulaCinematographyVacancy
A young married couple becomes stranded at an isolated motel and find hidden video cameras in their room. They realize that unless they escape, they'll be the next victims of a snuff film.
What critics thought
Vacancy lands in genuinely mixed territory: critics agreed the film opens with real Hitchcockian tension and that director Nimrod Antal shows craft with atmosphere and close-up dread, but they split sharply over whether any of that goodwill survives the ending, which multiple reviewers found abrupt or deflating. The thin characters drew particular fire, with some finding the protagonists' decision-making so contrived it undermined the suspense the first act worked hard to build.
“I don't know when I've seen a thriller this unpretentiously well-crafted sputter to so inconsequential an end.”
Ty Burr·The Boston Globe
“What makes Nimrod Antal's film genuinely scary and gripping is that the script and acting are far better than [...] your routine slasher/shocker knock-off.”
The Guardian
“with two appealing leads and a nifty opening credits sequence, Vacancy seems like it has potential”
Richard Roeper·Ebert and Roeper
“the build-up is better than the main event.”
Empire
Genres
Horror, Thriller
Cast & Crew
Nimród AntalDirectorKate BeckinsaleAmy FoxLuke WilsonDavid FoxFrank WhaleyMasonEthan EmbryMechanicScott G. AndersonKillerDavid DotyPolice OficcerNorm ComptonSnuff VictimCaryn MowerSnuff VictimMeegan E. GodfreySnuff VictimKym StysSnuff VictimAndrew FiscellaSteven RPaul HaslingerComposerMark L. SmithWriterAndrzej SekulaCinematographyRent & Buy