The Innkeepers (2011)
Good, solid, old-fashioned horror. Director Ti West, just as in 2009's
House of the Devil takes his time to build his characters as well as the history of the haunted inn. What's interesting about this movie is that it definitely captures the feel of 70s/80s ghost movies (think
Legend of Hell House); it's all about atmosphere and characters - You even have your iconic Seer Trope, played by the artful Kelly McGillis (
Stakeland). Just as
House of the Devil felt like a modern take of the 70s occult films,
Innkeepers feels like a modern take on classic ghost stories. This is definitely a slow-burner, and not something for those with a short attention span.
It didn't have as much of an impact on me as
House of the Devil did (which I think is one of the best horror movies of the 00's), but it's definitely a solid little film. The biggest thing it has going against it is that I had elevated expectations based on how much I adored
House of the Devil. Regardless, like I said, it's solid. Didn't really blow my mind, but I definitely enjoyed it.
Tight direction. Fantastic acting. Some good scares (both real and false). And I actually cared about the characters. Check, check check, and check.
3.75/5.