The Watcher - Willkommen im Motor Way Motel

I have to say that I don't think it was as bad as some of the other reviews say, I kept watching it till the end. However, it wasn't a movie I'd say "Hey, go out and see Looking Glass!" to someone. It is a slow movie that's definitely missing a lot of explanations, along with many plot themes that are plain unrealistic and things don't really add up at times. Many actions are unnecessary and make you wonder why they even threw them into the movie at all. Like I said, the movie wasn't great but it wasn't a complete waste of time, it was free and I was bored so it gave me something to do. If you just want something to occupy your time and it's free, check it out.

I will always remember the film 'Vacancy' because I went into it with zero expectations and ended up having one of the best film experiences I can remember. Really the only similarity that 'Looking Glass' has to that film is that it was set in a motel in the middle of nowhere. Still though, a part of me had hopes of another hidden gem. It wasn't to be though. The film starts off with some potentially exciting plot points and mysterious goings on, but can never live up to them and provide any pay off.

There's also a serious lack of suspense in the film. At no point are you ever on the edge of your set needing to know what is going to happen next. The film just kind of drifts along and even when something that's supposed to be exciting is happening, it really isn't that captivating. The one bright point for me was Nicolas Cage. Even though his career has been in serious decline for over a decade now, he can still act the pants off most people in the industry when he tries. Sadly though, he's far from enough to save this forgettable film that I wouldn't recommend spending your hard-earned on.

What would you expect from a Hotel that Nicolas Cage is overseeing? Madness, pure madness ... actually it is not even as mad as one might expect. It has some colorful and interesting characters ... and some storylines that do not accumulate to anything. It was nice seeing Robin Tunney again .. especially because I did a revisit to the original Craft movie she was part of. I was surprised that she got naked for this - not sure if that bothers or enlightens you, that is up to you to decide.

The movie generally speaking has some sexual undertones and depravities - depending on your moral viewpoint of course. Characters may not always be who they seem to be, but I don't think the twist here is very surprising. Still and even if you got fed up with Cage in movies like this one, it is not that bad (or maybe I'm being too nice again)

When I was in my mid 20s, my sister and I made a cross country trip for college and ended up in a Colorado motel where the beds were placed at odd angles in the room. We were tired from driving all day, and took the room anyway. A decade later we read the Gay Talese article about a motel where the owner had watched people have sex in their rooms, but it wasn't until the Netflix series that we realized we had probably been victims of the peeping Tom, Gerald Foos. Then we realized the beds were placed so he could see us.

Whether he actually watched us or not, I will never know, but knowing that something like that could happen added to the creep factor of watching this movie for me.

In the movie, the characters played by Cage and Tunney buy a motel in the desert after a family tragedy. The isolation doesn't do anything to heal their marriage and they sink further into an unhealthy and depressing relationship. As his wife sleeps, the Cage character seeks solace in watching the guests in the rooms.

At this point in the film, it isn't quite clear that the motel is a metaphor for hell, but it will do until one comes along. Everyone in the town seems to be engaged in S&M sex or sex with hookers. The sheriff seems to either be the devil or someone who does a good job acting like him. And, of course, the desert is hot as hell.

In many ways, the images in the movie reminded me of "The Sentinel," a 70s film about a woman who must guard the gates of hell. They made me uneasy, which is what a movie like this is supposed to do.

And the minie helped Nic Cage work off a little more tax debt, and that is a good thing. He's a fine actor, and this movie is one more step to try to get back to acting in real films,

There are few actors who alternate between commercial and personal projects- that "one for me, one for them" concept- more than Nicolas Cage. For every interesting, quality film he makes, like Michael Sarnoski's 'Pig,' there are ten others, lacking artistic merit or entertainment value. Forgettable actions films, like Dimitri Logothetis' 'Jiu Jitsu,' or mediocre melodramas like Maria Pulera's 'Between Worlds' litter Cage's filmography, outweighing the genuinely good films he stars in. However, even in the worst of his movies- those clearly made just for the paycheque- Cage is usually interesting to watch, and, more often than not, highly entertaining.

Unfortunately, this is not the case with Tim Hunter's overwhelmingly dull 'Looking Glass.' The film follows Ray and Maggie, a married couple suffering from the loss of their daughter. They purchase a motel in an isolated town in Arizona. One day, Ray discovers a secret underground hallway, leading to a two-way mirror, allowing him to see into one of the motel rooms and spy on the guests. As Ray becomes obsessed with voyeurism, sinister events unfold, as he becomes embroiled in a seedy plot that he and Maggie may not survive.

It is a cliched picture, a David Lynch rip-off that lacks the suspense and surrealness of his work. Written by Jerry Rapp and Matthew Wilder, the narrative is predictable and unengaging. The film moves at a pace that would irritate a snail, and the underwritten characters lack depth. Moreover, the dialogue is stilted, the characters acting like robots; disconnected from the reality of their situation.

Ray and Maggie are plunged into a dark underworld of sadomasochism and violence, and do not react to it like real people would, pottering around in the motel, disassociated and confused. The supporting characters are one-note cliches, and the identity of the villain of the piece is evident from the moment they appear on screen. It is a shame it is so mundane and quotidian, as the concept of a motel owner becoming a voyeur- mirroring the real-life case of Gerald Foos, who reconstructed his motel to allow him to spy on his guests- could make a great film.

However, director of photography Patrick Cady effectively generates a Lynchian atmosphere of murky danger. The low-lighting, combined with Cristopher R. DeMuri's ominous production design, creates tension and a headily menacing mood. Additionally, the score- from Mark Adler, Kristin Gundred and Andrew Benjamin Miller- signifies doom.

Unfortunately, the visuals and score don't elevate the picture out of mundanity. Despite scenes of S&M, brawling and murders, the film isn't in any way suspenseful or engaging, and the cast do unimpressive work. Cage underplays the role of Ray, trying to give a subtle performance, but overdoes it. He is criminally boring, moping about the motel, looking like a lethargic, bespectacled rabbit caught in the headlights. Robin Tunney is given nothing to do as Maggie; her talents are completely wasted, and she fades into the background. Marc Blucas, as the local Sherrif, does the strongest work, though his character is woefully one-dimensional.

While it's interesting how Nicolas Cage alternates between diverse projects- and while some miss the mark- his performances are generally intriguing. Unfortunately, this can't be said for his work in 'Looking Glass'. Although the visuals and score are atmospheric, the narrative is formulaic, the dialogue is mannered and the characters- as well as the situation they're in- are unbelievable. Sadly, 'Looking Glass' is not worth a glance.