It’s been a while since my last movie review, and if I remember correctly, it was The Shining. Today’s review is another one from the horror genre, although I’d say there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of this one. It’s The Innkeepers, a 2011 movie written and directed by Ti West. I remember when I bought the movie I was just walking through FYE and saw a discount section, where it was included. I had never heard of it, but on a whim, decided to buy it. I never really expected big things from it, but finally decided to check it out a year later.

The story revolves around an actual hotel, called the Yankee Pedlar Inn, built in 1891 in Torrington, Connecticut. Ti West actually became inspired to write a movie about the hotel after staying there while filming another movie. Being so old, the Yankee Pedlar Inn has seen its share of people, and a few tragedies, therefore becoming known as a haunted hotel. Many people over the years have reported seeing and hearing very creepy/unexplainable things.

Back to the film. In the movie, the hotel is preparing to shut its doors for good after 100 years. Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) are the two main characters, and take turns working the front desk. They are the only two workers at the hotel, while a few (and some interesting) guests come and go. They seem very bored with their job and to help pass the time, discuss the possibilities of actually discovering haunted presences in the hotel themselves. Particularly, they seek the presence of Madeline O’Malley, who hung herself in the hotel and whose body was kept in the hotel basement. Soon, they are using Luke’s ghost hunting equipment to try to witness an actual haunting.

As the hotel’s last weekend gets closer to a draw, the two begin to experience some very spooky things. Once they get the courage to venture to the hotel’s basement, they get more than they bargain for as things get very, very real. Soon after, they find out some very unnerving news about one of their hotel guests. It becomes almost too much to handle for the two innkeepers as they try their best to just make it out of the hotel alive.

This movie certainly didn’t get viewers hooked out of the gate. It took a while to capture the audience, instead setting the very real scene of two bored hotel front desk workers just trying to make it through the final weekend without dying of boredom. But just as you begin to think it might be better to just turn the movie off, little things start to capture your attention and draw you in a little closer. Before you realize it, you are actually invested in the story and really want to know if Claire and Luke will go from “dying of boredom” to possibly dying from something else.

With that being said, it isn’t like you’ll be on the edge of your seat either. There’s not too many suspenseful scenes like many horror movies have, and really aren’t many jump scares either. But there are some creepy things that happen and things that will evoke a sense of fear in you.

There are different views on the acting, but if you look at Rotten Tomatoes, it seems like most people thought highly of the acting, especially that of Claire’s. To me, neither one of the main characters’ acting was spectacular, but it seemed like they were pretty genuine the whole time. And that made it feel like they were more of real-life characters, rather than phony actors in a lot of other lower-success horror films that involve the typical jock, nerd, blonde girl, etc.

The funny thing about this movie is throughout most of it, you’re thinking, “this isn’t that great.” Even when it ends, you’re thinking you’ll probably never end up putting that one in the dvd player again. But strangely enough, the more you analyze the movie, the more you find yourself wanting to give it another watch. I believe one reason for this is the questions that the movie leaves open at the end. That is one of my biggest problems with the movie. It ends and leaves you thinking, “well what happened to…, this didn’t make any sense.” The loose ties at the end of the movie will get you talking though.

Overall, this isn’t a great movie. But it isn’t a total bust, either. It is good enough to watch at least once. And the fact that the scenes were shot in the actual Yankee Pedlar Inn, which is said to be haunted, is pretty cool.

Rating: 2.00/5

Garett

Movie Review: The Innkeepers