Two years ago Sony had a mild hit with Vacancy, which made about $40 million from its theatrical and DVD run. Wanting to cash in, Sony budgeted $5 million to shoot Vacancy 2 for the direct to video market. Mark L. Smith who wrote the first Vacancy returns, however instead of writing a sequel, he wrote a prequel. This time the movie would be shown from the view of the killers. Too bad nobody told Mark that this type of movie is ten times harder to write. All the mystery that made the first movie so well received would now have to be explained, taking all the mystic out of it. This is exactly what happens and what you have left is a less than stellar horror movie with absolutely zero tension.
Examining Vacancy 2, gives one a better appreciation for the first Vacancy, and I’ve come to the conclusion that what makes the first Vacancy so good was the director, Nimród Antal. Mr. Antal is so good at building tension in his scenes, that every scenes has you on the edge of your seat, and by the time the final frame comes along you’re hit with a final jolt, the motel’s management is basically doing this as a business.
Vacancy 2 explorers how this business got started. The movie starts with Gordon (David Moscow) and Reece (Brian Klugman) up to no good. They have set up one of the rooms in the motel they run with recording equipment to film people having sex. They sell copies of their movies to make a little extra money on the side. But things are slow and the sex tapes aren’t selling so well. Enter Smith (Scott G. Anderson) a serial killer, who Gordon and Reece film killing a prostitute. Gordon and Reece apprehend Smith, but Smith convinces them that if they can film killings on film they could make a whole lot more money. From this point on, Gordon and Reece become killers working along side smith. This is one of the things that bothered me about the movie. Gordon and Reece are too easily convinced to go along with Smith. From this point on, the movie turns into just another horror movie with people screaming and running and dying.
Unlike its predecessor this movie has zero tension; there are no moments of suspense. The only good thing I could say is that the acting is not bad. However, it’s just ok. Also, the quality of the production is nicely done. I only wish they would have had a better script.
Sony has packaged the DVD with subtitled in six different foreign languages and the audio is dubbed in four. The DVD also contains three deleted scenes with only one worth watching and two features: a thirteen minute behind the scenes and a boring feature on the construction of the set of the Meadow View Inn. If you haven’t seen the first Vacancy, go out and get it, but I would recommend skipping this prequel, unless you can’t help not knowing how it all began. However, how it all began isn’t all that exciting.
Review By Brad Peterson
Release Date: January 20, 2009