Vacancy



2007 thriller about a bickering couple, David and Amy (played by Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale), who are forced by circumstances to stop in a seedy motel and find out the hotel owners make snuff movies with their guests as the stars/victims.

This movie contains examples of:

 * Ax Crazy: The motel manager.
 * Car Fu:
 * Chekhov's Gun: A slightly more subtle one is
 * Developing Doomed Characters: Arguably the first twenty minutes.
 * For the Evulz: Yes, they make money out of it, but the villains' main reason for shooting these films is pure, unadulterated fun.
 * Genre Savvy: David has many Genre Savvy moments - one of them being when he thinks to check behind the shower curtain in case one of the killers is lurking there.
 * Hell Hotel: Of course.
 * Inn of No Return
 * Large Ham: Mason the manager.
 * My Car Hates Me: Justified, as the villains tamper with the vehicles to ensure that their victims can't drive away.
 * Obviously Evil: The motel manager.
 * Offscreen Teleportation: Subverted: there are actually underground tunnels under the motel.
 * Serial Killer: Killers, to be precise.
 * Snuff Film
 * Shout-Out: Obviously Psycho.
 * Villainous Breakdown: The motel manager suffers this at the climax.
 * Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: It seems to be implied that Amy has a fear of rats.
 * Villainous Breakdown: The motel manager suffers this at the climax.
 * Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: It seems to be implied that Amy has a fear of rats.