THE INNKEEPERS

THE INNKEEPERS

I should have know what to expect once I saw that Ti West was the director of "The Innkeepers". West was the guy who directed "The House of The Devil" in 2009 - a real unfrightful horror flick.

Sure enough, here he is perpetrating a near snoozer as a horror film.

Perhaps the only thing scary about "The Innkeepers" is how cruel time has been to Kelly McGillis. I didn't even recognize her! However, she is the only talent who's name you recognize.

The film features Sara Paxton and Pat Healy as Claire and Luke - two amateur ghost hunters who happen to work at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, a very haunted inn about to go out of business.

We quickly learn that the owner, got a serious offer on the property and after selling is closing the hotel so it can be razed. This is, in fact, the inns final weekend.

There are only two rooms rented out at the onset. One is to a mother (Alison Bartlett) and bratty boy (Jake Ryan) who are separated from the father to teach him a lesson. Of course, upon meeting here you can't help but think the father got the better deal as she is no bargain.

The other guest is Leanne Rease-Jones (McGillis), a former actress and now spiritual medium in town for a seminar on the spirits. Of course her biggest problem is her imbibing liquid spirits in huge quantities as she travels with a bag full of the miniature bottles of vodka. It's what she uses to make it through the days.

Luckily for her Claire is a big fan, willing to worship her from anear - that is until LeAnne insults her small town lack of ambition.

But Luke, is seemingly on another mission - to track down and record the ghost of a woman named Madeline O'Malley who has been haunting the inn ever since she died and was stored in the basement by the original owners. The story is that she killed herself after her fiance jilted her at the alter.

Armed with various ghost busting electronics, Luke and Claire take turns trying to track the ghost. Naturally the first to encounter the ghost is Claire, who panics and has no idea what to do... but go to LeAnne for help.

LeAnne, using all her spiritual awareness, calls on the ghost to present itself. That's when she learns a truth that she only partially shares with Claire and Luke. This all leads up to an ending that should have been better than it was.

Like "The House of The Devil", West takes us to the edge and leaves us dissatisfied. Though technically well produced, the story lacks the oomph to compete with films like "Paranormal Activity". Paxton and Healy are actually adequate in their roles, but the story just fails to deliver.

"The Innkeepers" is like the super hot, sexy looking tease that only knows how to get you started, but can't finish. It is a slow build-up to mediocre. -- GEOFF BURTON

GEOFF BURTON

RETURN TO CINEMATREK HOME