Vacancy

A bickering couple (Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale) encounter some late-night car trouble in the middle of nowhere, and they wind up in a flophouse hotel infested with roaches and run by a mysterious and creepy manager (Frank Whaley). They discover that some old videotapes in their room contain snuff films—produced in the very space they are currently occupying. This, understandably, makes them a little anxious. The rest of the film is a chase movie done efficiently, and while the movie offers nothing new, it’s decent enough entertainment. Wilson and Beckinsale make for a convincing couple in peril, and an emaciated Whaley is good for a good scare or two. The ending is probably the worst thing about the movie, feeling rushed and abrupt. Still, with some of the swill being thrown at us in the last month, this qualifies as one of the better flicks currently in theaters.