I have been meaning to review this film for a long time. Another unexpected pleasure.
I really enjoy it when horror movies rationalize Christianity in a fun-sized thrill-kill neat n' tidy box. With its elevator music, sterile office building waxed floors, and cityscapes, I was reticent to sit back and take this one in. It seemed too easy to film. Like something that could be done in a day at some job site in Philly. Sometimes cheap equals cheap. So, yeah, I had my reservations.
But I persevered.
Take your average citizens, your average situation, a simple ride to whatever floor in an office building. Think about how often and absentmindedly we trust ourselves in these enclosed spaces that span hundreds of feet. Anything could go wrong. For that short amount of time, think of the freedom temporarily bestowed upon everyone in that steel box. No rules. No recourse to the law. No protection.
Think of the people we trust on a daily basis in general, and the assumptions we make automatically about strangers. I love this concept, sort of a recall to the "pod people" idea. But in a real sense, this is the truth. We ride on buses with molesters, we sit in restaurants with paranoid schizophrenics, we interact on the street with those who have drawn blood with fists and other implements. To deny this about the human race is to deny the human race for what it is.
And then we have the real evil, the Devil, that shadowy figure in history, myth, or religion (whichever you prefer) that channels the dark side in all of us. Christian lore is a treasure trove of excellent horror fodder, The Bible being a great start on blood, guts, and detailed instructions on sacrifice. The folks in the elevator stand against each other, but really, they stand against what we have deemed the darkest power there is. I liked the varied personalities of the trapped people, their histories, back stories, and how they unravel as time grows short and the menace becomes more and more apparent. Because I don't do so well watching stuff about enclosed spaces (partially out of boredom too, no scene change), as per usual I allowed my assumptions to make the judgment call about this film before I let the film speak for itself. Turns out evil speaks well enough for itself. Enjoy.
