"The Innkeepers" is
well, first and foremost a very difficult movie to rate and review! I can't deny feeling a bit disappointed after my viewing, but on the other hand I realize I can't possibly claim that this is a bad movie. Quite the contrary, in fact
In a relatively short time, the still very young writer/director Ti West distinguished himself as a respectable narrator with a versatile imagination and a vastly profound knowledge of the genre classics. Horror buffs' expectations naturally increase with every new movie, so after West's creative and playful zombie debut "The Roost" and the captivating throwback to 70's satanic horror "The House of the Devil", a whole lot of people – including myself – were highly anticipating his homage to atmosphere driven haunted house effort. And "The Innkeepers" is largely a praiseworthy accomplishment, for sure. Particularly the tone, atmosphere and the decors/set pieces are downright stupendous and the hotel filming location ideally lends itself for a good old-fashioned and nostalgic ghost tale. Dreamy Claire and sarcastic Luke work as reception clerks at the classy old Yankee Peddlar Inn. The hotel exists since many decades but has filed for bankruptcy now, so during the last boring weekend with minimum capacity, Claire and Luke occupy themselves with trying to find evidence of the hotel's legendary ghost story from the past. Many years ago, the abandoned bride Madeline O'Malley hung herself in the honeymoon suite, and according to the local folklore legends her restless spirits still meanders around the corridors of the Yankee Peddlar Inn. Claire seems the most receptive for the ghostly vibes, even to a point where a spiritual medium strongly advises her to leave the hotel. If it were all exclusively about style & atmosphere, "The Innkeepers" would deserve a solid 10/10 rating. Not since "The Shining" we have seen such an efficient usage of a guest house in horror films and Ti West (very) patiently takes his time to introduce the main characters, as well as to illustrate the background of the hotel and generate the ominous mood-setting. This inevitably results in very long suggestive horror tableaux (slow moving camera through the hallways, doors slowly closing by themselves, etc
) and false scares, but it's all very stylish and eerily crafted. But slow building ups do eventually have to lead somewhere and this is where the film falls short in my humble opinion. The whole denouement is too confusing and leaves too many elements open for personal interpretation. There are some truly powerful "jump" sequences in the last fifteen minutes of the film, but the horror always remains oppressed in favor of the mystery of it all. I wasn't looking for gore and filth, but a bit more excitement would have been welcome. Too bad. Purely talking in terms of "new" atmospheric ghost stories, the James Wan/Leigh Whannell film "Insidious" is slightly more satisfying.
242 Reviews
Interesting Premise But Doesn't Deliver
zzoaozz2 January 2012
This movie had a lot of potential with an interesting hook and great location but failed to deliver all around.
A horror movie relies on tension and atmosphere to build fear. This movie takes a very long and tedious time establishing characterization instead of mood. Unfortunately, the two main characters and in fact all the characters in the very small cast are so two-dimensional and stereotypical that all that time was thoroughly wasted. To add insult to injury, there is even a cheap jump scene at the beginning that breaks what little mood is established by the opening credits and pans of the set. When the movie finally reaches its climax, it still is not scary or horrific. It just falls flat. The ending was unsatisfying as well with no real resolution or twist.
It's just good enough to keep you watching and waiting for something to happen, but it never does.
A horror movie relies on tension and atmosphere to build fear. This movie takes a very long and tedious time establishing characterization instead of mood. Unfortunately, the two main characters and in fact all the characters in the very small cast are so two-dimensional and stereotypical that all that time was thoroughly wasted. To add insult to injury, there is even a cheap jump scene at the beginning that breaks what little mood is established by the opening credits and pans of the set. When the movie finally reaches its climax, it still is not scary or horrific. It just falls flat. The ending was unsatisfying as well with no real resolution or twist.
It's just good enough to keep you watching and waiting for something to happen, but it never does.
A very decent horror film
george_aslf15 January 2012
After seeing brilliant "House of Devil" I decided to check out other movies of Ti West, who seems to be a very talented and promising film director. Even lots of negative reviews on IMDb did not dissuade me to watch this film. "Innkeeprers" turned out to be a very well made horror film which will be truly appreciated by more mature horror movie fans looking forward for suspense rather than lots of gore and high bodycount. Tension builds up slowly, gradually reaching the climax. Actors are doing a great job and director is a true master of the genre attempting to produce a small masterpiece in a minimalistic premise, only a few actors and almost no special effects. Watch this movie at night, alone, with lights off and I promise you that you are going to be scared.
Solid and well-acted
samcclellan31 May 2022
I've been a horror aficionado for 50 years and while The Innkeepers will never rise to the level of 1962's The Haunting, The Innocents or 1980's The Changling - it doesn't try to. This is a great little horror film, well-acted, with a bit of humor and style all its own.
Something Is Missing to be a Good Horror Movie
claudio_carvalho21 July 2012
The former fancy and elegant Yankee Pedlar Inn will be closed in a couple of days to become a parking area and the employees Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) are taking care of the hotel while the owner is traveling on vacation in Barbados. They are bored and the hotel has only four guests: an unpleasant and angry mother with her young son; the TV actress Leanne "Lee" Rease-Jones (Kelly McGillis) that claims to be psychic; and an old man that spent his honeymoon in the hotel and wants to say good-bye the room where his wife and him had spent their wedding night.
The amateur ghost-hunters Claire and Luke decide to find evidences that the ghost of Madeline O'Malley, a bride that committed suicide when her fiancé left her in their wedding day, haunts the hotel and they summon her spirit. However, they are not prepared for what comes next....
"The Innkeepers" is a slow-paced horror movie with a promising story; unfortunately something is missing to be a good film. The characters development is long and poor, and the first two-thirds of the plot goes nowhere. Further, there is no clear explanation why Claire is threatened by the ghost of Madeline O'Malley. One good point is to see again fifty- five year-old Kelly McGillis, who has aged with dignity without trying to be forever young. I still recall her in "Witness" and "Top Gun" and it was a great surprise to see that gray-haired lady that she has become. My vote is five.
Title (Brazil): "Hotel da Morte" ("Hotel of the Death")
The amateur ghost-hunters Claire and Luke decide to find evidences that the ghost of Madeline O'Malley, a bride that committed suicide when her fiancé left her in their wedding day, haunts the hotel and they summon her spirit. However, they are not prepared for what comes next....
"The Innkeepers" is a slow-paced horror movie with a promising story; unfortunately something is missing to be a good film. The characters development is long and poor, and the first two-thirds of the plot goes nowhere. Further, there is no clear explanation why Claire is threatened by the ghost of Madeline O'Malley. One good point is to see again fifty- five year-old Kelly McGillis, who has aged with dignity without trying to be forever young. I still recall her in "Witness" and "Top Gun" and it was a great surprise to see that gray-haired lady that she has become. My vote is five.
Title (Brazil): "Hotel da Morte" ("Hotel of the Death")
Very good chilling horror!!
wbafanclub122 January 2012
I began watching this with a a sense of hesitation due to a couple of reviews which were very negative. In a way I can understand why some people might not like this. There are no great action scenes for starters, blood and gore is kept to the bare minimum and a lot of time is spent on building on the characters. If you are going to watch this, you really are just best watching it knowing the bare minimum of the film's storyline... i.e set in a hotel. I would go as far as to say the storyline is obscure and really does not impact on the film at all. For me, the acting was great. After the first half an hour of getting comfortable with the two main characters I found myself getting nervous for them until by the end of the film my heart was beating ten to the dozen, which is the aim of a good horror I feel. I waited for my wife to go to bed before putting this on. I watched it by myself around about midnight with the lighting on low and I have to say that had I got a pillow to hand, I would have been sitting behind it.
The Innkeepers
godallmightybrownie5 January 2012
I don't usually write reviews but after watching this film and then looking at the latest reviews posted on here i felt compelled to give this a serious review.
If you like Slasher movies where girls who fall down a lot are being chased by a maniac with a weapon. THIS FILM IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you like Zombie movies with lots of blood and gore. THIS FILM IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you've got the attention span of a goldfish and like to chat to your mates all the way through a movie. (Guess What).
Right now the rantings out the way.
If you like sitting in a dark cinema/room, late at night with no distractions and you like ghost stories, then watch this film. I thought the acting, directing and sound score of this movie all worked really well and that with ghost stories less is more. The odd noise here and there, was that a ghost? or wasn't it? The uncertainty of whether this is real or not is what a ghost story should be all about, yes it's slow but that builds up the atmosphere, which i thought was great and there's some genuinely jumpy parts in the film. Sat here on my own in the dark watching this film had me gripped from start to finish. It's been a long time since i've seen a film this good and i recommend this to anyone who's into ghost stories.
If you like Slasher movies where girls who fall down a lot are being chased by a maniac with a weapon. THIS FILM IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you like Zombie movies with lots of blood and gore. THIS FILM IS NOT FOR YOU.
If you've got the attention span of a goldfish and like to chat to your mates all the way through a movie. (Guess What).
Right now the rantings out the way.
If you like sitting in a dark cinema/room, late at night with no distractions and you like ghost stories, then watch this film. I thought the acting, directing and sound score of this movie all worked really well and that with ghost stories less is more. The odd noise here and there, was that a ghost? or wasn't it? The uncertainty of whether this is real or not is what a ghost story should be all about, yes it's slow but that builds up the atmosphere, which i thought was great and there's some genuinely jumpy parts in the film. Sat here on my own in the dark watching this film had me gripped from start to finish. It's been a long time since i've seen a film this good and i recommend this to anyone who's into ghost stories.
Innkeepers, direct me to the nearest bed please, because this was a snoozefest...
paul_haakonsen13 July 2013
As much as I enjoy horror movies, I never gotten around to watching "The Innkeepers", not before now anyway. Having found the DVD at a great bargain on the Amazon marketplace, I finally got around to watching it.
And with all the hype and great reviews and praise the movie had received, I believed I was in for a rather pleasant and enjoyable movie. Well, I was surprised, this wasn't even anything remotely close to anything I had expected.
First of all, you need to get well over one hour into the movie before anything starts to happen. And even then, it is nothing overly scary or overly impressive.
Don't get me wrong, the movie is nice to look at, it is well shot, well edited and well acted, however it is just anything but scary. And having to sit for over an hour without anything happening is just downright boring and could be considered torture.
The hotel itself and the sets were nice, and it did have a very nice touch to it. Sort of a very realistic and idyllic sense in the imagery throughout the movie.
The DVD cover brandishes "the scariest ghost story for years..." and "a classic in every sense". Well, of course we are all of different mindsets and views, but I beg to differ on those two statements.
Sara Paxton (playing Claire), Pat Healy (playing Luke) and Kelly McGillis (playing Leanne Rease-Jones) all did good jobs with their given characters, and had a lot riding on their backs, as there was almost no other people in the movie. So the pressure of performing well and carrying the movie was great, but they rose up to the occasion.
"The Innkeepers" was predictable, anything but scary and rather disappointing. This is definitely not a movie that will be haunting my DVD player for a second watching.
And with all the hype and great reviews and praise the movie had received, I believed I was in for a rather pleasant and enjoyable movie. Well, I was surprised, this wasn't even anything remotely close to anything I had expected.
First of all, you need to get well over one hour into the movie before anything starts to happen. And even then, it is nothing overly scary or overly impressive.
Don't get me wrong, the movie is nice to look at, it is well shot, well edited and well acted, however it is just anything but scary. And having to sit for over an hour without anything happening is just downright boring and could be considered torture.
The hotel itself and the sets were nice, and it did have a very nice touch to it. Sort of a very realistic and idyllic sense in the imagery throughout the movie.
The DVD cover brandishes "the scariest ghost story for years..." and "a classic in every sense". Well, of course we are all of different mindsets and views, but I beg to differ on those two statements.
Sara Paxton (playing Claire), Pat Healy (playing Luke) and Kelly McGillis (playing Leanne Rease-Jones) all did good jobs with their given characters, and had a lot riding on their backs, as there was almost no other people in the movie. So the pressure of performing well and carrying the movie was great, but they rose up to the occasion.
"The Innkeepers" was predictable, anything but scary and rather disappointing. This is definitely not a movie that will be haunting my DVD player for a second watching.
Decent yet imperfect humour laced spook tale
Bloodwank1 September 2011
I'm a little ambivalent about The Innkeepers, much as I was about Ti West's previous opus, The House of the Devil. Both films put nary a foot wrong on atmospheric or technical levels, both are backed up by solid little stories, yet for all their little pleasures neither really wowed me, as if not all their elements gelled, or perhaps they didn't go far enough. The Innkeepers has the advantage of simpler and far more forthcoming entertainment, making it an overall pleasurable ride, one that I may even revisit and enjoy more. Its a character rather than scare driven affair, focusing on Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy), last staff of the going out of business Yankee Pedlar inn, and later Leeanne Reece Jones (Kelly McGillis), ageing actress turned psychic. With adept performances from the three leads the characters portray a spectrum of vulnerable humanity, Claire quirky and likable, but asthmatic and somewhat mindful of her lack of direction, Luke a droll slacker slowly reaching that point where falls life and the weight of what could have been and Leeanne fully self aware but only a little bitter, of the three the most in possession of herself. It being the last night of the hotel customers are scarce so Claire and Luke set out to investigate the inn's alleged ghost, a girl who committed suicide whose body was hidden in the basement to avoid scandal. At first the tone is light, the characters trade off one another, there are jump scares played for light humour and the audience gets to be a part of the films little world. Later on though the laughs are dropped, as Claire and Luke get serious in their investigation and things get rather spooky, leading to a nicely jolting conclusion. Everything works here, yet it didn't really stir me until the final scenes. Its not the measured pace, not gripes with the plotting (which maintains plenty of pleasing ambiguity), more I guess the issue of things not really gelling together. The film is intentionally episodic, broken into three chapters and there isn't much flow between them other than the flow of plot. So the inspired humour, a sort of light and likable slacker vibe with several true to life moments, and the horror, mostly swift creepy jolts and some brooding atmosphere, never really feed each other in a manner fit to hold the film together and make it really effective, the two veins subvert each other quite nicely just not in a manner that works so well in the moment of the film itself. Still, I can see people liking this one a lot and its done pretty nicely on the critical circuit so I may be in a minority. Definitely check it out for yourself say I, its worth experiencing for yourself.
A Old-Fashioned and Light Ghost Story Thriller
BornKnight12 May 2012
"The Inkeepers" (2011) is a suspense-horror thriller, written and directed by Ti West, which takes place in the Yankee Pedlar Inn Hotel (which really exists, in Torrington, Connecticut, USA), and tells the story of the two last attendants in this centennial Inn (Claire - Sara Paxton and Luke - Pat Healy), which is about to close and having his last weekend, along with the rare (and strange)final guests in the Hotel.
The hotel has a history of being haunted, due to a woman who committed suicide in the past there (Madeline O'Malley), after learn that her husband died, and two attendants try always when possible to investigate when the hotel in search of apparitions or signs supernatural, to prove it, with "professional" ghost hunters equipment(as seen in series).
Well done visually, the film has a classic filming approach, which emphasizes the place, almost always empty - it is very interesting the opening, with images of the site since its founding in 1891 until the present day, and 98% of the movie goes on inside it or around it. Also I liked the sub-division into three chapters of the film at key points, like a book, each chapter presenting a different climate.
The trail is suitable both musical and sound effects ones, and perfect for this film and its narrative, nothing worthy of an Oscar, but well produced and I do not offer any criticism of the acting of the characters (yes, they are well characterized), especially the two protagonists. Another detail: the cast is reduced, up to 15 people, but well selected.
Initially the film, which I consider more a Thriller, shows a trend towards comedy, and passes gradually to the suspense and finally to terror. Gory scenes are mostly absent until the end, where they are relevant, and the script emphasizes the psychological of the characters, especially the main character, the young and naive Claire.
The Innkeepers ends up being one more example that a movie with cast and limited production does not necessarily mean something bad, beating many current films with a greater budget - a well-written script is crucial.
For those who like stories of old-fashioned thrillers, this movie is a very pleasant experience, and not abuse of blood, and have a atmosphere of ghost story without being something heavy or appellative - contrary to what many fans expect a horror movie has a lot of blood and violence, full of special effects. A good movie to watch, my score: 6.8 / 10.0.
The hotel has a history of being haunted, due to a woman who committed suicide in the past there (Madeline O'Malley), after learn that her husband died, and two attendants try always when possible to investigate when the hotel in search of apparitions or signs supernatural, to prove it, with "professional" ghost hunters equipment(as seen in series).
Well done visually, the film has a classic filming approach, which emphasizes the place, almost always empty - it is very interesting the opening, with images of the site since its founding in 1891 until the present day, and 98% of the movie goes on inside it or around it. Also I liked the sub-division into three chapters of the film at key points, like a book, each chapter presenting a different climate.
The trail is suitable both musical and sound effects ones, and perfect for this film and its narrative, nothing worthy of an Oscar, but well produced and I do not offer any criticism of the acting of the characters (yes, they are well characterized), especially the two protagonists. Another detail: the cast is reduced, up to 15 people, but well selected.
Initially the film, which I consider more a Thriller, shows a trend towards comedy, and passes gradually to the suspense and finally to terror. Gory scenes are mostly absent until the end, where they are relevant, and the script emphasizes the psychological of the characters, especially the main character, the young and naive Claire.
The Innkeepers ends up being one more example that a movie with cast and limited production does not necessarily mean something bad, beating many current films with a greater budget - a well-written script is crucial.
For those who like stories of old-fashioned thrillers, this movie is a very pleasant experience, and not abuse of blood, and have a atmosphere of ghost story without being something heavy or appellative - contrary to what many fans expect a horror movie has a lot of blood and violence, full of special effects. A good movie to watch, my score: 6.8 / 10.0.
two perspectives on this film
A_Different_Drummer25 April 2022
If you consider this a Ti West film starring Sara Paxton, then it is merely a clinic on how to get the most (as a Director) from the least (minimal cast, set, SFX). And West does an impressive job of setting a mood and maintaining production quality. But It is still a so-so result. If however you consider this a Sara Paxton film directed by West, it will have a special appeal for her fans. Playing younger than her actual age at the time, with no makeup, she holds the attention. In many ways, one of her best roles.
Like watching Paint Dry
missismiggins4 January 2012
I looked at the IMDb rating, thought I would give this movie a go.
What a waste of time! It is like watching paint dry or waiting for grass to grow. A complete waste of 90 or so minutes.
How anyone would dare to compare this pile of junk to Jack Nicholson in the Shining beggars belief.
This movie is not fit to lick the boots of that movie.
The characters are 2 dimensional wooden cutouts, the guy on the hotel reception that looks like Woody Woodpecker for instance.... who thought this garbage up? Do yourselves a favour - go and watch The Shining, this isn't worth a dime, it was actually painful to try and sit through the movie. It certainly isn't horror, and it is barely a movie.
What a waste of time! It is like watching paint dry or waiting for grass to grow. A complete waste of 90 or so minutes.
How anyone would dare to compare this pile of junk to Jack Nicholson in the Shining beggars belief.
This movie is not fit to lick the boots of that movie.
The characters are 2 dimensional wooden cutouts, the guy on the hotel reception that looks like Woody Woodpecker for instance.... who thought this garbage up? Do yourselves a favour - go and watch The Shining, this isn't worth a dime, it was actually painful to try and sit through the movie. It certainly isn't horror, and it is barely a movie.
A good genre piece which will leave viewers asking for more - but for different reasons
Sarmon24 January 2012
I liked this film. Having watched Ti West's "House of the Devil", which I thought had great promise but failed to deliver, I was interested to see where he went with this and I was pleased with the outcome.
First and foremost, this is a ghost story. It is not torture porn in the mould of the Saw franchise. It is not a slasher movie like Friday 13th. It is not Rob Zombie. If that's what you want from a horror movie then you probably won't like this. The Innkeepers owes far more to the likes of The Others, The Woman In Black, The Innocents and some J-Horror movies than most recent Hollywood offerings.
Ti West obviously knows his way round a horror movie and The Innkeepers showed that he knows how to manipulate an audience with good characterisation and deft camera work and he knows that the threat of a good scare is just as important as the scare itself. Suspense here is the key element and it delivers this with aplomb.
Like House of the Devil, this film is heavy on style and, given the subject matter, comparisons with The Shining are unavoidable. To say it comes up short of The Shining's high standards is true - it lacks the killer third act for example - but give it a chance; The Shining was written by Stephen King and directed by Stanley Kubrick.
The only criticism I can offer is that the story ends rather abruptly. While more substantial and satisfying than House of The Devil, it still lacked the punch which would promote Ti West to the next level of film makers.
However... this is an independent movie, conceived and shot by a team who obviously know what they're doing and should be given the opportunity to do so again.
Go see this movie, get it on PPV, buy the Blu Ray or DVD when it comes out, because there are not enough people making films of this ilk today.
First and foremost, this is a ghost story. It is not torture porn in the mould of the Saw franchise. It is not a slasher movie like Friday 13th. It is not Rob Zombie. If that's what you want from a horror movie then you probably won't like this. The Innkeepers owes far more to the likes of The Others, The Woman In Black, The Innocents and some J-Horror movies than most recent Hollywood offerings.
Ti West obviously knows his way round a horror movie and The Innkeepers showed that he knows how to manipulate an audience with good characterisation and deft camera work and he knows that the threat of a good scare is just as important as the scare itself. Suspense here is the key element and it delivers this with aplomb.
Like House of the Devil, this film is heavy on style and, given the subject matter, comparisons with The Shining are unavoidable. To say it comes up short of The Shining's high standards is true - it lacks the killer third act for example - but give it a chance; The Shining was written by Stephen King and directed by Stanley Kubrick.
The only criticism I can offer is that the story ends rather abruptly. While more substantial and satisfying than House of The Devil, it still lacked the punch which would promote Ti West to the next level of film makers.
However... this is an independent movie, conceived and shot by a team who obviously know what they're doing and should be given the opportunity to do so again.
Go see this movie, get it on PPV, buy the Blu Ray or DVD when it comes out, because there are not enough people making films of this ilk today.
Rubbish would not recommend
s-a-mellor2 January 2012
What a pile of rubbish - I'm pretty easy to please in regards to films and I love most films but was highly disappointed with this film! The trailer makes it so exciting but after waiting over an hour for something good to happen - and still nothing came.....As for the ending - That doesn't even deserve a rating! very disappointed!
As for the characters...yet again another disappointment. The chick seems like she high on drugs all the time and the dude can not act for sin! When the hell will a decent horror surface..
The only thing good about the movie was the setting...it has such potential to be a excellent horror but has been let down by the production and the characters.
As for the characters...yet again another disappointment. The chick seems like she high on drugs all the time and the dude can not act for sin! When the hell will a decent horror surface..
The only thing good about the movie was the setting...it has such potential to be a excellent horror but has been let down by the production and the characters.
Ti West gives his solid slow burn take on hauntings
IonicBreezeMachine4 August 2023
At the soon to be closed Yankee Pedlar Inn, the last remaining employees consisting of college dropout Claire (Sara Paxton) and amateur paranormalist Luke (Pat Healy) while away the hours tending to the limited assortment of guests or hunting for ghost activity to post on Luke's website detailing the Inn's hauntings. With the arrival of former actress turned spiritualist Lee (Kelly McGillis), Claire uses Lee's guidance to push her amateur paranormal hunts to greater extremes.
The Innkeepers is the third major film from writer/director Ti West following his two 2009 films The House of the Devil and Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever. Although West had been slated to The Haunting in Georgia (better known as The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia), West dropped out early on presumably to avoid a repeat experience of producer interference that befell Cabin Fever 2. Centered around the real life haunting hot spot the Yankee Pedlar Inn in Torrington, Connecticut the movie was filmed on location with many scenes shot at the actual Inn. Much like West's House of the Devil, The Innkeepers is undeniably influenced by past genre staples, but also like House of the Devil, West showcases a strong understanding of character and atmosphere.
A big part of what appealed to me with The Innkeepers was the performances and dynamics between the two leads Sara Paxton and Pat Healy. Both of them feel like well rounded everyday people who are underemployed and their interactions where they play silly games or pranks reminded me of the interactions seen in Kevin Smith's Clerks where he explored minimum wage tedium. The movie does a solid job of making the Yankee Pedlar a character unto itself and we get some moments between Claire, Luke, and the guests with Kelly McGillis quite good as the obligatory psychic expert who adds some solid humor and humanity to her performance. Much like House of the Devil, The Innkeepers is a slow burn with most of the scares situated in the back half as we build character and atmosphere in the first. Granted there were times where maybe I began to wander a little bit, but there'd always be something around the corner that would pull me back in.
Ti West continues to show his penchant for mining familiar territory and making it feel knew with solid characters and atmosphere. Definitely well worth a viewing.
The Innkeepers is the third major film from writer/director Ti West following his two 2009 films The House of the Devil and Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever. Although West had been slated to The Haunting in Georgia (better known as The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia), West dropped out early on presumably to avoid a repeat experience of producer interference that befell Cabin Fever 2. Centered around the real life haunting hot spot the Yankee Pedlar Inn in Torrington, Connecticut the movie was filmed on location with many scenes shot at the actual Inn. Much like West's House of the Devil, The Innkeepers is undeniably influenced by past genre staples, but also like House of the Devil, West showcases a strong understanding of character and atmosphere.
A big part of what appealed to me with The Innkeepers was the performances and dynamics between the two leads Sara Paxton and Pat Healy. Both of them feel like well rounded everyday people who are underemployed and their interactions where they play silly games or pranks reminded me of the interactions seen in Kevin Smith's Clerks where he explored minimum wage tedium. The movie does a solid job of making the Yankee Pedlar a character unto itself and we get some moments between Claire, Luke, and the guests with Kelly McGillis quite good as the obligatory psychic expert who adds some solid humor and humanity to her performance. Much like House of the Devil, The Innkeepers is a slow burn with most of the scares situated in the back half as we build character and atmosphere in the first. Granted there were times where maybe I began to wander a little bit, but there'd always be something around the corner that would pull me back in.
Ti West continues to show his penchant for mining familiar territory and making it feel knew with solid characters and atmosphere. Definitely well worth a viewing.
just plain bad
Yogi85 January 2012
don't watch this if you enjoy good horror, or even bad horror.
i was quite excited to see the trailer and to think that this little gem could have slipped by my horror consuming eyes and i was eager to watch the innkeepers.
what an utter disappointment!
the trailer is a proficient edit of the entire movie - just watch that. there is nothing more in the movie except really boring time wasters.
the trailer shows the 2 scary shots in the film and none of the long, laborious, boring filler it takes to get to those 2 seconds of film. (and i am serious about the 2 exciting seconds of the film - perhaps less than 2s.)
innkeepers is not as good as some silly paranormal shows on TV that try to hook you in with scary music and sound effects but really have nothing to show you. the characters are about as fascinating as watching paint dry - i felt for the female lead as she tried to put some 'perk' into the bad material.
even up to the last minutes i was hoping for some twist revealing the cast were all dead or some of the guests were ghosts or anything, anything! to redeem the movie! alas no, the ending was as flat as the rest of the movie.
in fact, i'm bored now just writing about it, but hopefully i will save you some time with this review.
save your time and money and watch anything other than this film tonight.
i was quite excited to see the trailer and to think that this little gem could have slipped by my horror consuming eyes and i was eager to watch the innkeepers.
what an utter disappointment!
the trailer is a proficient edit of the entire movie - just watch that. there is nothing more in the movie except really boring time wasters.
the trailer shows the 2 scary shots in the film and none of the long, laborious, boring filler it takes to get to those 2 seconds of film. (and i am serious about the 2 exciting seconds of the film - perhaps less than 2s.)
innkeepers is not as good as some silly paranormal shows on TV that try to hook you in with scary music and sound effects but really have nothing to show you. the characters are about as fascinating as watching paint dry - i felt for the female lead as she tried to put some 'perk' into the bad material.
even up to the last minutes i was hoping for some twist revealing the cast were all dead or some of the guests were ghosts or anything, anything! to redeem the movie! alas no, the ending was as flat as the rest of the movie.
in fact, i'm bored now just writing about it, but hopefully i will save you some time with this review.
save your time and money and watch anything other than this film tonight.
Quirky indie comedy... in a haunted hotel.
krachtm3 October 2012
If you like stereotypically quirky indie comedies, full of stereotypically quirky characters, doing stereotypically quirky things, then this will probably appeal very strongly to you. If you're looking for a suspenseful horror movie, you might be a bit disappointed, since so much of this movie is dedicated to showing us just how endearingly quirky our protagonist is, rather than setting any kind of mood or atmosphere.
To some extent, I think this is an attempt to see what a Jim Jarmusch remake of The Shining would be like. As much as that appeals to me (I love both Jarmusch and Kubrick), I think this film is a bit unfulfilling. While many people have criticized Jarmusch for populating his movies with listless hipsters who wander through an eventless plot, there's a sublime and subtle atmosphere in them, along with elements of postmodernism. I get the feeling that Ti West is aiming for that kind of vibe here, but what you get is something more like Paranormal Activity or Blair Witch Project, where nothing happens for 90 minutes, and then you get a "shocking" dénouement, after a largely silly and overdone climax. Still, it's better than a by-the-numbers horror remake or sequel.
I'd probably recommend this film to fans of quirky indie comedies, rather than horror fans. There isn't enough horror or suspense to keep horror fans interested. If you're a big Jarmusch fan, you might like this.
To some extent, I think this is an attempt to see what a Jim Jarmusch remake of The Shining would be like. As much as that appeals to me (I love both Jarmusch and Kubrick), I think this film is a bit unfulfilling. While many people have criticized Jarmusch for populating his movies with listless hipsters who wander through an eventless plot, there's a sublime and subtle atmosphere in them, along with elements of postmodernism. I get the feeling that Ti West is aiming for that kind of vibe here, but what you get is something more like Paranormal Activity or Blair Witch Project, where nothing happens for 90 minutes, and then you get a "shocking" dénouement, after a largely silly and overdone climax. Still, it's better than a by-the-numbers horror remake or sequel.
I'd probably recommend this film to fans of quirky indie comedies, rather than horror fans. There isn't enough horror or suspense to keep horror fans interested. If you're a big Jarmusch fan, you might like this.
my advice!
stevenvdwekken1 February 2012
What probably started as a paranormal ghost adventure in an empty hotel (or inn, whatever) ended up as this.. monster. Why, you ask? Well, to make a scary empty hotel (or inn, whatever) movie, which is by the way kinda copied from the shining, but anyhow, you will eventually need a storyline, right? So they make this easy story, thats not hard to understand assuming all movie watchers are stupid. So the whole movie is easy to watch. But with a story that easy, your movies gotta be REALLY scary. But it wasn't. In this movie I think you will find a lot of things that don't make sense. If you are a horror expert, you know what Im talking about. SO,my advice probably is, just watch the trailer, its better then the whole movie. Very disappointing.
A throwback of a ghost story and a good one..
jdw56565 February 2012
For the over 25 crowd who miss great ghost stories like The Changeling, Poltergiest,The Others, or eerie films like Suspiria and The Fog(Carpenter's original not the horrid remake)- heck I'll even throw Insidious in there, then check out The Innkeepers. It is a bit of a slow burner at times but is consistently spooky, scary, and even during the down time has you involved and getting to know the characters dwelling in this Gothic tale.
Really good work in my opinion. If you are into Saw or Horror Remakes you can let this one go, but if you like being spooked on a stormy night with your other half sitting along side you gnawing on your shoulder then this is quite a fun ride! The director of this Ti West made House Of The Devil last year which I thought was entertaining if not a bit boring throughout. It showed the potential and he nailed it with The Innkeepers. A ghost story about an old hotel with a few secrets and a small yet interesting cast of specters and human characters, namely the female lead(Actress Sara Paxton) who while working the last weekend before the hotel is closed for good decides along with the other employee(Actor Pat Healy) to have a few scares ghost hunting the place. Kelly Mcgillis, yes that one- Maverick's gal from Top Gun has a great supporting role in this as a once former actress turned medium.
Anyway, it is just a good flick and will have you thinking about the ending for some time after it finishes. Check it out so hopefully more films like this are green lit. The Inkeepers surprised me quite a bit..
Really good work in my opinion. If you are into Saw or Horror Remakes you can let this one go, but if you like being spooked on a stormy night with your other half sitting along side you gnawing on your shoulder then this is quite a fun ride! The director of this Ti West made House Of The Devil last year which I thought was entertaining if not a bit boring throughout. It showed the potential and he nailed it with The Innkeepers. A ghost story about an old hotel with a few secrets and a small yet interesting cast of specters and human characters, namely the female lead(Actress Sara Paxton) who while working the last weekend before the hotel is closed for good decides along with the other employee(Actor Pat Healy) to have a few scares ghost hunting the place. Kelly Mcgillis, yes that one- Maverick's gal from Top Gun has a great supporting role in this as a once former actress turned medium.
Anyway, it is just a good flick and will have you thinking about the ending for some time after it finishes. Check it out so hopefully more films like this are green lit. The Inkeepers surprised me quite a bit..
Good old fashioned spooky ghost film
markriley724 June 2012
Just finished watching 'The Innkeepers' and after seeing a low score on IMDb I wasn't expecting much, I'm glad to say I really enjoyed it, if your expecting blood and gore and lots of screaming naked girl's being chased around by men in masks...then it's NOT for you.
But if you like films that are well written, well acted with good production and direction values, Film's that send shiver's down your spine and make you hold your breath until you have to tell yourself to breath, then give this one a go. As I said it's just a good old fashioned spooky ghost film
Good film, worth the watch IMHO
But if you like films that are well written, well acted with good production and direction values, Film's that send shiver's down your spine and make you hold your breath until you have to tell yourself to breath, then give this one a go. As I said it's just a good old fashioned spooky ghost film
Good film, worth the watch IMHO
Extraordinarily Bad
Laight23 April 2016
The only really scary thing about this mess of a movie is how something so badly acted, so badly directed, so badly plotted, and so badly filmed could actually be made. Seriously: with all the possible scripts and treatments floating around Hollywood, how does a movie that has absolutely nothing going for it get financed and produced?
Regardless, here's a piece of advice: please do not waste your time. You will feel as I do now, as though two hours of your life have vanished into thin air, two hours that you could have been doing something else, anything else, my God, you could have been sleeping, You could have been petting your cats. You could have been washing your hair. Think of all of life's possibilities. This is not one of them.
Regardless, here's a piece of advice: please do not waste your time. You will feel as I do now, as though two hours of your life have vanished into thin air, two hours that you could have been doing something else, anything else, my God, you could have been sleeping, You could have been petting your cats. You could have been washing your hair. Think of all of life's possibilities. This is not one of them.
A good thriller.
atomicterrier9 January 2012
After watching and being a fan of Ti West's House of the Devil I had high expectations for The Innkeepers and I was consistently happy with the film from start to finish. Although the movie runs a little slow, West spends the earlier portion getting you to know the main character and supporting roles, you really start to get a feel of Claire's character and West makes her very relatable to the audience. The slow pace of the movie provides an edge-of-the-seat thrill and the aesthetically pleasing cinematography keeps a film enthusiast entertained. The film's score is beautiful, yet haunting and the costume and set design put the film into a believable late-90's time period. I would highly recommend The Innkeepers to any avid horror/suspense fans, I wouldn't expect many jump scares but more so a post-credit psychological creep-out.
Unbelievably bad
ldimhoff31 December 2011
This was on Comcast "On Demand" for $9.99 so we presumed it had to be something fairly good. This was a total bore. We waited and waited wondering why are we still watching this. OK, we should have checked reviews but on this site some one has put its rating up to 7 out of 10 -- unbelievable!
The "terror" never happens unless you find sudden appearances terrifying.
The appearances are ridiculous.
The interaction between the leading characters is clumsy and embarrassing to watch.
The "terror" never happens unless you find sudden appearances terrifying.
The appearances are ridiculous.
The interaction between the leading characters is clumsy and embarrassing to watch.
West crafts another old school treat for intelligent horror fans.
Rockwell_Cronenberg2 January 2012
With 2009's old-school work of art The House of the Devil, writer/director Ti West established himself instantly as a name to look out for in modern horror. A throwback to the feel and slow-burn suspense of the '70s, Devil was not only one of the best horror films in recent years but also one of the best films of 2009 from any realm. In a genre that has been loaded with flat remakes and silly clichés, it was unbelievably refreshing to see someone be so fresh by returning to the roots. However, in the same year he released a DTV sequel to Cabin Fever and given the squalor reviews of his previous films, it seemed that this genius piece could have been a once in a lifetime fluke. West's new film entitled The Innkeepers, currently available OnDemand before opening theatrically in February, is proof that this was no simple luck.
House of the Devil was undeniably an exercise in vintage throwback, with it's grainy aesthetics, 1980s setting and short-but-sweet premise. With Innkeepers, West updated his visual style and brought us into a modern day setting, but it still feels like a rich throwback to the golden age of this once pristine genre. The plot is simple; on the final weekend of a closing hotel, two young employees (played so properly by Sara Paxton and Pat Healy) decide to once and for all uncover the disturbing past that haunts the place before it's too late. In the premise alone it feels like West knows exactly what he's doing; there's no weekend retreats to a summer cabin by a lake for a bunch of moronic teens.
He once again employs real thrills and, despite casting an attractive young lead, never resorts to cheap shocks or needless nudity in order to titillate his audience. Instead he trusts that there are fans of real horror still alive and patiently waiting for something worthwhile, and as one of that audience I am delighted to say that we have received another great entry that at this point we only get two or three of per year. Sara Paxton in the lead role is an absolute delight, mixing adorable playfulness with Nancy Drew curiosity, while never getting into a realm of disbelief.
That's one of the most impressive things about West has done with these two films; instead of having the viewer rolling their eyes at the dumb mistakes that no one would ever make, he builds real tension out of understandable actions. There isn't really a move that a character makes here that doesn't make sense; through their obsession, naivety, drunkenness and acts of love, the logic behind their actions is sound all the way through. We never have to sacrifice intelligence for thrills, as so many horror films attempt to make us do. West knows that there is an intelligent audience out there and this is another film for them, not the millions of teens who are willing to shell out $10 just to jump when someone says "Boo".
As a result of building real characters in a frightening situation, the thrills and suspense gets amped to an even greater level. As he did with House of the Devil, West creates a slow-burn chill here, quietly progressing things from a run of the mill weekend to a truly terrifying experience. He always manages to keep a sense of humor, which is captured wonderfully by Paxton and Healy, but when it gets to that final act he puts a lump in the throat the likes we rarely see anymore. I was practically sweating from the level of suspense he created in that magical final chapter (in another delightful old school move, the film is broken up into three chapters with title cards, followed by an epilogue), all leading up to one of the ballsiest climaxes in recent memory. I was slightly worried that House of the Devil was a onetime go, but with The Innkeepers Ti West has proved that he is a name to keep your eye on in modern horror, one of the only ones we've got.
House of the Devil was undeniably an exercise in vintage throwback, with it's grainy aesthetics, 1980s setting and short-but-sweet premise. With Innkeepers, West updated his visual style and brought us into a modern day setting, but it still feels like a rich throwback to the golden age of this once pristine genre. The plot is simple; on the final weekend of a closing hotel, two young employees (played so properly by Sara Paxton and Pat Healy) decide to once and for all uncover the disturbing past that haunts the place before it's too late. In the premise alone it feels like West knows exactly what he's doing; there's no weekend retreats to a summer cabin by a lake for a bunch of moronic teens.
He once again employs real thrills and, despite casting an attractive young lead, never resorts to cheap shocks or needless nudity in order to titillate his audience. Instead he trusts that there are fans of real horror still alive and patiently waiting for something worthwhile, and as one of that audience I am delighted to say that we have received another great entry that at this point we only get two or three of per year. Sara Paxton in the lead role is an absolute delight, mixing adorable playfulness with Nancy Drew curiosity, while never getting into a realm of disbelief.
That's one of the most impressive things about West has done with these two films; instead of having the viewer rolling their eyes at the dumb mistakes that no one would ever make, he builds real tension out of understandable actions. There isn't really a move that a character makes here that doesn't make sense; through their obsession, naivety, drunkenness and acts of love, the logic behind their actions is sound all the way through. We never have to sacrifice intelligence for thrills, as so many horror films attempt to make us do. West knows that there is an intelligent audience out there and this is another film for them, not the millions of teens who are willing to shell out $10 just to jump when someone says "Boo".
As a result of building real characters in a frightening situation, the thrills and suspense gets amped to an even greater level. As he did with House of the Devil, West creates a slow-burn chill here, quietly progressing things from a run of the mill weekend to a truly terrifying experience. He always manages to keep a sense of humor, which is captured wonderfully by Paxton and Healy, but when it gets to that final act he puts a lump in the throat the likes we rarely see anymore. I was practically sweating from the level of suspense he created in that magical final chapter (in another delightful old school move, the film is broken up into three chapters with title cards, followed by an epilogue), all leading up to one of the ballsiest climaxes in recent memory. I was slightly worried that House of the Devil was a onetime go, but with The Innkeepers Ti West has proved that he is a name to keep your eye on in modern horror, one of the only ones we've got.
good indie horror
SnoopyStyle5 September 2013
The Yankee Pedlar Inn is a failing hotel. Only two employees remain for the limited guests of the soon-to-close establishment. Maybe it's the quiet nightshift, but it seems that the old ghost stories are coming to pass. Sara Paxton and Pat Healy form a funny duo. Sara Paxton especially creates a fun goofy character highlighted by her slapstick attempt to throw out the trash.
Ti West has created a very effective indie horror. I do have to warn people that there is limited gore and no CG. This is strictly an atmospheric isolation-horror. This is not a big blood-splattering affair or filled with imaginative visuals. It's more of a throw-back ghost story.
Ti West has created a very effective indie horror. I do have to warn people that there is limited gore and no CG. This is strictly an atmospheric isolation-horror. This is not a big blood-splattering affair or filled with imaginative visuals. It's more of a throw-back ghost story.
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