Stranded in an isolated motel, a couple become the unsuspecting subjects of a snuff film.Stranded in an isolated motel, a couple become the unsuspecting subjects of a snuff film.Stranded in an isolated motel, a couple become the unsuspecting subjects of a snuff film.
- Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations
- Killer
- (as Scott G. Anderson)
- Truck Driver
- (as Mark Cassella)
- Snuff Victim
- (as Meegan E. Godfrey)
- Brenda B
- (as Dale Waddington Horowitz)
- Snuff Victim
- (as Ernie Misko)
- Maricopa county sheriff
- (uncredited)
- Snuff Woman #3
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe advertising strategy for the film made use of the Internet as well as a toll-free phone number. The number was made to sound as if one is actually calling the Pinewood Motel. In the background, screaming can be heard accompanying the voice of the proprietor, who informs callers about "slashing" prices and the "killer" deals that the motel has, if it has a vacancy. The voice of the proprietor is none other than Frank Whaley's. The toll free phone number for the ad was 1-888-9-VACANCY (1-888-982-22629). The toll-free phone number is no longer valid.
- GoofsAt the end she phones 911 again and the operator tells her: "an officer has already responded." In reality they would have dispatched another unit once they didn't get feedback from the 1st call out.
- Quotes
David Fox: I guess it could be worse, you know. We could be stuck in that twin bed at your folk's house, trying to pretend like we're a happy couple.
Amy Fox: God, I should've told my mom about us.
David Fox: Why ruin their party though? I think the thing to do is just tell them after we've signed the papers. It felt really strange to be at that party. Watching them all, celebrate being together all those years. How'd it make you feel?
Amy Fox: I don't know. Tired.
David Fox: I'm sorry. Never should've gotten off the interstate, either.
Amy Fox: Miss our last one great adventure together?
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits turn repeatedly, hiding one set and revealing another. At the end, there is a set of turns and the camera pulls back to reveal a maze.
Vacancy isn't so much a film, as it is an exercise. It's an exercise in the genre of horror. It doesn't amount to anything, it simply exists to see what they could do with film. It's not good enough to be classified as experimental and not crappy enough to be called B movie trash. Hell, it's only 85 minutes long. It's a film that has both positives and negatives and if you take it with a grain of salt, you can have a lot of fun with it.
The negatives this film has can be turned into positives if you're willing. That is of course if you don't take this film too seriously. It has all the horror clichés, broken down car, creepy hotel, creepy guy, cell phone that doesn't work. These little things seem to be mandatory in horror films these days that involve slashers. So where does Vacancy separate itself from other slasher films? It has no teens in it. Instead we get a married couple who are getting a divorce. Unfortunately, we hate them just as much, if not more then any teen in any teen slasher.
These two characters do a lot of stupid things. Who goes down a tunnel not knowing where it leads, especially when the people trying to kill you use it. Who breaks a mirror to use a sharp piece as a weapon....and not use it. Hell, I was yelling at him for not using the shower curtain rod as a weapon. I never cared for these people at all, Wilson is miscast and Beckinsale is irritating. She looks good, but looks aren't everything. I couldn't cheer for them to live, but I couldn't really cheer for them to die either. For some strange reason I found many scenes to be suspenseful. It's an odd feeling when you don't like the main characters. Aside from the desk clerk, the bad guys are basically faceless mutes. Their reasoning for doing what they are doing is never mentioned. I can only guess they make these sick videos for some sick truck drivers. The snuff film aspect was a nice addition and it set up for some good tension, but it never delivers on that initial tension.
It sets itself apart as much as it could, but falls into its own tricks. It doesn't have the gore that other films these days have, but the actions from characters are so clichéd that whatever it tried to do to set itself apart is meaningless. Vacancy doesn't go to the twist ending route, nor does it try to go out on a downer. It simply ties everything in a nice little bow. It cheats the audience. The film would have been stronger had it ended with a death, and not a cop out.
While Vacancy isn't as bad as people have said it was, it isn't great either. As previously mentioned, it isn't so much of a film as it is an exercise in a specific genre. It does well in some areas and fails greatly at others.
- Matt_Layden
- Mar 18, 2008
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $19,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $19,363,565
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $7,603,376
- Apr 22, 2007
- Gross worldwide
- $35,442,935
- Runtime1 hour 25 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1