The Resident is the second film from the rebooted Hammer Films production company (their first was the excellent Let Me In and it's a pleasure to see the logo again after three decades away from cinema screens. While it's an extremely well made film, it's not quite up to the quality the branding suggests. Documentary film maker Antti Jokinen, delivering his first narrative feature, handles the technical aspects with a glossy, old school confidence that makes the flick look big budget and professional. The cast are suburb from Oscar winner Hilary Swank as the resident of a renovated New York apartment, as is Jeffery Dean Morgan as her new landlord. Continuing Hammer traditions Christopher Lee has a small, creepy cameo as the building's (seemingly) only other inhabitant.
The problem is that it's the same old shit, with the story being annoyingly predictable, right up to the nail gun wielding conclusion. It's obvious who the antagonist is here, despite attempts to set up Swank's ex-boyfriend as the pervy stalker, and it's sign-posted what each of the characters will do, if not when (thankfully leaving an element of suspense.)
A nice try, and Hammer's efforts to make their new breed of features slick and credible affairs are to be praised, but they really need to find scripts stronger than this.
1 comment:
Spot on. A decent, solid, well made film with a great cast. If only the script wasn't just so utterly predictable and formulaic.
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