The Innkeepers

A Small, But Wildly Appealing, Haunted House Thriller That Shouldn't Be Oversold As A Fright Fest
While I appreciated the generally positive reception Ti West's "The Innkeepers" received upon its theatrical run, I fear it may have been oversold as a fright fest. This is a small, but very appealing, piece set in a haunted New England inn that scores more from its human interactions than it does from its supernatural leanings. And that's just fine. If you're anticipating big scares and lots of horror mayhem, though, this may not be the film for you. Its charms are far more subtle and unexpected. In truth, I quite loved this movie. It has modest goals and, by keeping things intimate, succeeds quite admirably in feeling fresh and real. West keeps the effects to a minimum and allows the movie to come alive in the hands of his engaging cast. It's a wise decision as the screenplay is tart and funny and the actors are committed and enthusiastic.

Sara Paxton and Pat Healy play hotel clerks spending one last weekend in the historic The Yankee Pedlar Inn before it closes down for...

Ti West scares up some chills with Innkeepers
Ti West's follow up to his spooky 80s throwback House of the Devil is a return to a more basic and CGI-less haunted house story and is all the more refreshing for it. Tale of the final days of a supposedly haunted New England hotel is a fun and sometimes downright scary horror chiller that will please those horror fans that can still appreciate the days when effects were done live and scares were generated by the director and his camera, not digital FX artists. West once again takes his time to slowly build the atmosphere as he presents us with the story of the remaining employees of the old Yankee Pedlar Hotel, Claire and Luke (Sara Paxton and Pat Healy) as they decide to do a little paranormal investigating to gain evidence of the hotel's haunting before it closes. It gives nothing away to say that they may not like what they find. Ti West starts the film out with a light tone as we get to know these two slackers with an interest in the paranormal and as the story progresses, the...

I love this film
Let me first just qualify this review by saying I'm not new to the horror genre; I have a huge collection and I've seen just about everything.

I would like to write a thorough review of this film but lack the time. Instead I would like to counter the negative reviews with a few details about The Innkeepers:

It is by director Ti West, who made the superior House Of The Devil, that not only feels like it was actually made in 1982, but accomplishes tremendous things with suspense and atmosphere. I consider it a new classic.

The Innkeepers is nothing like House Of The Devil. This is far from saying it is a failure; it couldn't be farther from it. Rather, it shows unexpected versatility from a director who is not going to do the same thing twice.

The Innkeepers displays a remarkable degree of control by the director, in which he begins the film with a hum of suspense set so low you barely even know it's there, and very gradually inches it up...

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