Movie Review - "The Innkeepers" (2012) ****

     I love the little films like this. Ones that sneak under the radar and end up being much better than most of the stuff you find at your local cineplex, especially in the horror genre. The Innkeepers was a movie that first caught my attention when it had a very brief, but positive, review in Entertainment Weekly magazine. It sounded like something that would interest me but in the coming weeks, it never played at a local theater (at least not one that I could find). So as usual I dropped it in the ole Netflix queue and proceeded with the long wait ahead. The wait was worth it.

     The Yankee Pedlar Inn, believed to be one of New England's most haunted hotels, is going out of business. During the last weekend of operation, two employees, Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy), are assigned the task of watching over the hotel and it's last four occupants...some of which, it's safe to say, have more to them then we initially think. Claire and Luke are also amateur "ghost hunters" and intend to spend the last boring hours at the inn proving that a spirit resides there. They walk around the halls with microphones and speakers hoping to find that one sure piece of proof so Luke can add it to his website that he has started about the inn. Sure enough, odd things begin happening and Claire and Luke start to realize that things may be more real than they believe.

     The Innkeepers is a slow-build film that takes its time, slowly increasing the suspense, and that style appeals to me a lot. For almost the first hour of the film, nothing really happens but all the while the tension is building as we learn bits about the inn's history and why it might be haunted. We get the occasional jump scene that gives us the opportunity to unwind for a second, but we always get right back to it. For those expecting non-stop action and violence, or if you like your horror more in the Saw style, this isn't going to be for you. You have to stick with this and go with it. Both Paxton and Healy, relative unknowns, give acceptable performances in the lead roles, with Paxton really standing out. She's an actress I think I would like to see more of, I like her screen presence. Kelly McGillis (Top Gun) is almost unrecognizable as one of the inns final guests, and one that knows more than she is letting on at first. The movie is directed by Ti West who had a bit of a cult hit with 2009's The House of the Devil, a movie I found pretty decent as well. He obviously has some talent and I look forward to seeing what he can do in the future. The Innkeepers is not going to be seen as a classic, or anything close to it. The ending is a bit of a letdown but for an hour and thirty minutes it had me hooked fully. It's not going to be for everyone, but I give it a very strong recommend.