Without "stupid"
villains, most horror films would last only ten minutes with all
protagonists dead and disposed of in half that amount of time. For
the sake of suspense and feature-length thrillers, the entities
of evil involved usually make a mistake somewhere along the line,
allowing the forces of good to prevail, if only for a little while.
The antagonists in Vacancy aren't spared from this trait and while
they are certainly menacing, they are equally dimwitted, unambitious,
and unimaginative when it comes to the dastardly deeds set forth
for them to commit. On top of this they are also inexplicably absent
while their prey is attempting to escape. We forgive them though,
because without their ineptitude there would be no harrowing close
calls or shocking near-misses.
While the trailer gives away more plot twists than I probably
will, those afraid of spoilers may want to skip this paragraph.
Hollywood seems to have an infatuation with happy endings in horror
films, or the overly cliché twist ending where the bad
guy isn't really dead or the creature mutated, transformed, or
otherwise escaped in part or in whole from whatever intricate
and seemingly inescapable plan was devised to destroy it. Vacancy
contains no such alien life forms, but it does offer a rather
unexpected (and unfortunately unwanted) twist in its conclusion.
Perhaps the studios believe that the majority of audiences wouldn't
enjoy a more tragic ending, or were test audiences not pleased
by a more realistic encounter with vicious thugs? I suppose a
plot involving only two main protagonists might create too strong
an emotional bond between the characters and the viewer to see
such a grievous fate befall them. But then again, it's a horror
film. Isn't violent death a prerequisite? Shouldn't one expect
dark tragedy to afflict its characters? Director Nimrod Antal
has created a believably realistic scenario with a likeable couple
placed in a chilling plight, but ultimately betrays his audience
with an unrealistic twist - though the decision may not have been
entirely his.
Regardless of any intentional or forced changes in its denouement,
Vacancy manages to entertain for the extent of its relatively
brief running time and Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale make compelling
victims. A twisted story infused with an intense struggle for
survival and a subtle yet searing commentary on voyeuristic violence
as entertainment creates a thriller definitely worth seeing -
but possibly on DVD.
- Joel Massie
