P2 Productions and Summit Entertainment present an R rated, 98 minute film directed by Franck Khalfoun and starring Rachel Nichols (Angela Bridges), Wes Bentley (Thomas), and Simon Reynolds (Bob Harper) with a small cast of extras including a Rottweiler (Rocky).
It's Christmas Eve in New York City and Angela is working late at the office. Apparently nothing different than any other day of her life. I can relate! She is expected to arrive at her families home with gifts, a Santa suit and as always herself. Once again, I can relate! Anyway, when she tries to start her car in the parking garage, level 2, the engine is dead. Soon there after this damsel in distress meets up with the dark haired, handsome looking, in a non-threatening way security guard who by the way has been watching her routines for quite some time on the building cameras. Quite a bit one can learn from security monitors in a high rise office building.
While trying to help Angela with her car, Thomas invites her to have Christmas dinner with him. A bit strange to say the least! After she declines he eventually decides to take matters in his own hands. After being knocked out Angela awakens in the security office to Thomas in her Santa suit, a bottle of wine, a TV dinner, a barking dog and her ankle chained to a table. Most lonely people do have pets of course! Rocky just happens to be a working breed out to serve and protect, so to speak. Too bad Rocky can't tell the difference between the good girl and the bad guy.
You would think since this film was shot pretty much entirely in a parking garage in 2 months with unknown actors that the plot would go no where, but you're wrong. Thomas proclaims his love and friendship for Angela and just wants to take care of her. For what little cast there is in the film, the horror and gore aspect tends to work especially when it involves the office slime bag that hits on all the woman even though he has a wife and kids at home. Let's just say it reminded me of a moment from another well known film, "Saw".
There are moments of suspense that keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat like the videos, the foot chase, the cat and mouse meets chicken car chase, the dog chase and well one for the boys, the cleavage which never hurts in horror films. But that aside once you get past her looks in a sleek evening dress, Rachel Nichols actually does a pretty decent job with the high on dramatics but low on words performance. Wes Bentley had more to say in this film adding a bit of levity to his psychotic demeanor. The film definitely moves along many times keeping the thrills and chills abounding for this holiday scored blood bath but it is the battle between woman and beast that leaves the audience flashing back to moments of another film. Covered in blood, Angela looked a lot like an oldie but goodie, "Carrie".
In the end, an eye for eye you might say and here's to the true meaning of chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Don't look for this one to break any box office records but I'm sure it will make a profitable return considering the budget must have been low. But releasing it amongst such great holiday films is not a bad idea since it may find it's demographic out to see red this Christmas holiday.
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.