Vacancy stars Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale as bickering couple David and Amy Fox, who become lost while on a road trip. The plot has been repeated many times, and this movie is immune to nothing. However, Vacancy’s production value salvages the movie from fitting in with the rest.

The pair break down in their car while driving through a backwoods “shortcut” to avoid a traffic jam on the interstate. Tension is built during this sequence, as the audience is made aware of their faltering marriage. When the car groans to a halt, the couple is forced to stay at a rundown motel, managed by Mason, the veteran screen actor (and aptly cast) Frank Whaley.

In the honeymoon suite, David uses the television as an escape and mistakenly stumbles upon the master plot. A snuff film, shot in the very same room he sits in currently, comes to life on screen. From this point on, a deadly game of cat and mouse takes place, with David and Amy attempting to survive through the night.

As I’ve said, the plot is popular, and in some sense overused. But as slasher films go, Vacancy retains an air of originality. All of the cast give excellent performances throughout, which rescues the film from B-movie obscurity.

With Halloween just around the corner, place Vacancy on your viewing queue!

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