Recently married, 30ish couple Ryan and Claire move from New York City to California, only to find out that their marital issues are the least of their problems. Unbeknownst to them, their grim and lascivious landlord has been spying on them from day one.
It doesn't so much remake formula as tweak it, but despite a few serious logical lapses down the stretch, Zarcoff's slow-burning debut generates some genuine chills.
It's got a very clear agenda and sets about delivering on that goal precisely. It's way more sure of itself than the movies with more spectacle, and I'll take overall tone over sporadic moments any time.
Be prepared to be royally creeped out ... an exceedingly rude comment on the current real estate scene ... Archembault's sicko landlord belongs in the same fright gallery as Dieter Laser.
13 Cameras is far from a flawless movie, but it's a pleasant surprise and should do well to establish Zarcoff as an emerging filmmaker -- especially of the horror genre -- to watch.
Everything here is unnerving and uncomfortable to watch - and that sense of amplified discomfort naturally extends to include an eleventh-hour shift in tone from harrowing psychodrama to black comedy.
Christian Toto
HollywoodInToto.com
April 15, 2016
13 Cameras delivers a villain for the ages, but the rest of the film can't keep up.
