Review of The Innkeepers (2011) by Sherry L — 19 Jun 2014
9.5/10. TI WEST STRIKES AGAIN! I truly believe he is the master of modern horror. Okay so just over a year ago I watched The House Of The Devil and I was surprised beyond belief. It scared me like nothing before and instantly became one of my favourite horror movies.
Luckily for me, The Innkeepers is no different. Well, different story, same spine-chilling techniques. I've never been a fan of films that deal with ghost stories (the only one I've really liked is The Shining) but West crafts a ghost story that actually works! Thanks to pitch-perfect sound design, truly shocking jumpscares and MY GOODNESS THE ATMOSPHERE.
It's the kind of atmosphere and tension that makes me hold my breath for minutes, squeezing my fist, unable to look at the screen. Not only is the suspense maddening, West also knows how to make the shocks work.
Jumpscares rarely startle me but (similar to House of the Devil) they are sprinkled throughout the film to keep them fresh and usually unexpected. Like I mentioned, the audio shines, which is great because it holds a key element in the plot.
As for the performances, they are quite solid. No complaints. Plus Sara Paxton is a total cutie in this. I must admit I have a couple minor gripes. Sometimes the movie suffers from showing TOO much and ventures away from the imagination aspect.
One of the characters is also low in interest but the film doesn't rely on them enough to ruin things. I still can't get over the fact that a paranormal movie spooked me this much. I want more.
This review of The Innkeepers (2011) was written by Sherry L on 19 Jun 2014.
The Innkeepers has generally received mixed reviews.
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