“From the mind of M. Night Shyamalan.” About as much fucking credibility as investing with Bernie Madoff. Surprisingly though, this movie has some clever ebb and flow, and I did enjoy it, but it wasn’t without it’s flaws…and those flaws pissed me off.
The basic premise of the movie is the first flaw. I understand that a lot of stuff has been done before, and while an interesting twist on the macguffin (slang term for driving plot device), it didn’t feel properly executed.
So there are 5 strangers, they all manage to get stuck in an elevator together, and a mass orgy ensues. Well that’s not true, but they do get stuck in an elevator, and that is exactly where 85 percent of the movie takes place. If you get claustrophobic you will not like this movie. So you might as well stop reading now. If you aren’t you can read on.
So naturally as the plot unravels, you begin to understand that all the people stuck in the elevator…wait for it…HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON! However, and this is where there is a twist on the plot, there is something afoul in the elevator and it is not a fart.
Instead, the elevator seems inescapable, and attempts to rescue the stranded strangers lead in what can be compared to the Bell Tower fatality from Mortal Kombat 3.
In between rescue attempts, we come to learn that in some way the detective in charge of rescuing the survivors, who happened to be in the area at the time of the elevator malfunction, is connected to the strangers in some way too.
At points in the movie, the lights mysteriously go out in the elevator, and when they come on, shit has happened. This really means that someone was killed, which leads for some good tension as to who may be doing the killings.
The only character I had a problem with was actually one of the security guards. He plays the younger religious type, who suggests that what is happening is actually the work of the devil himself. I think my claim was backed up when every time his character spouted off about the devil being amongst them and being responsible for what was happening, myself as well as the rest of the audience would erupt into very audible laughter.
The twists in the plot are not very “tight”, but for the effort the movie gives it’s not too bad and works to some degree. Maybe I’ve gone soft, but I used to hold M. Night Shyamalan up to high standards. In this movie he only came up with the story and acted as a producer for the film. The tone and basic story premise is definitely representative of his work, and even though I have hated the last couple of Shyamalan films, I have to admit the man can create a great tone for a movie, and it works well with this one.
Overall, this movie wasn’t bad. It’s worth checking out, even if just once. It has a bit of humor, some intention and some not, as well as some decent horror and suspense. Bring on the sequel!
My Opinion: 8/10
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