Unit 234

Isabelle Fuhrman plays Laurie Saltair a young lady who had to stay over and work and miss a flight to see her boyfriend in Nashville at a storage facility she inherited from her recently deceased parents. What she doesn't know but will soon find out is there is something being stored in one of the units that a bunch of guys want very badly at all costs. She must navigate the threat while avoiding getting killed in the process. Lots of very well done suspense and a believable story. Not too much over the top, no nudity or questionable behavior, no foul language, some rather graphic gore. Would see this again. Enjoy!

Unit 234, available on Prime Video as The Lock-up, delivers a contained and often tense thriller experience. 6.5/10

The film centers on Laurie (Isabelle Fuhrman), a lone employee at a remote storage facility who discovers an unconscious man and soon fights for survival against a ruthless gang. The premise is immediately engaging, setting up a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game within a confined space.

Isabelle Fuhrman, known for Orphan and The Hunger Games, carries the film with a believable and committed performance as Laurie. She effectively portrays the character's increasing desperation and resilience, making her a protagonist you can genuinely root for. Don Johnson also features as Jules, the menacing gang leader, bringing a seasoned villainous presence.

The direction, by Andy Tennant, largely succeeds in building a claustrophobic atmosphere and maintaining dread throughout the first half. (It is very different from his earlier work like Hitch and Sweet Home Alabama.)

However, the film ultimately falls into predictable genre traps. The action, though present, doesn't always feel impactful or creatively staged, occasionally devolving into generic confrontations. Despite efforts to provide twists, the overall narrative arc feels somewhat familiar, preventing it from truly standing out.

The Lock-up is a solid watch for fans of contained thrillers, offering a tense ride, but it doesn't quite break new ground.

Rating: 6.5/10.

Unit 234 delivers a solid mix of suspense and character-driven storytelling, but what really stood out was Isabelle's performance. For once, we see her playing a normal, sane character - which was quite strange in itself given her usual roles. That said, she absolutely pulled it off. Her portrayal feels genuine, grounded, and likeable, adding a layer of realism that made the whole film more engaging.

The plot moves at a steady pace, keeping you interested without relying on over-the-top action or cheap thrills. And just when you think you've figured it all out, a nice twist hits at the end - one I genuinely didn't see coming.

Overall, Unit 234 is worth a watch. It's refreshing, well-acted, and has just enough mystery to keep you hooked until the credits roll.

I'll watch Isabelle Fuhrman in anything, but this was a disappointment. A mediocre thriller with a plot that's never surprising given the conventions of the genre, and is helped along by implausible events to a climax that had me laughing out loud. The dialogue is obvious, the directing is uninspired, and the acting is actually pretty good.

Fuhrman can't miss, but this movie belongs to Don Johnson, in a subtle role as an ambiguous baddie. Some of the thugs are pretty good too. The boyfriend character is completely unnecessary and his key scene is not even on screen. Overall a not terrible dumb movie with some good performances.

I love Don Johnson, so it's tough to see him in films of such questionable quality.

The premise of the movie is actually quite solid. At first, you think the mystery revolves around Unit 234, but it turns out the real intrigue lies in Don Johnson's character. He's the only one who delivers a believable performance. The rest of the cast - his henchmen, the storage unit manager, the boyfriend - all give embarrassingly bad performances. To be fair, the script doesn't give them much to work with.

The movie awkwardly throws in bits of backstory out of nowhere, presumably to add depth, but the execution is so poor it ends up being unintentionally funny.

And throughout the movie, you'll constantly be asking yourself: Why doesn't anyone run or call the police? You'll find yourself shouting at the screen, just like when watching a low-budget slasher, hoping the characters make at least one smart choice.

But the silver lining is the final act. The last 20 minutes feel like they were written by someone entirely different - a genuinely surprising plot twist wrapped inside an otherwise terrible script.

Don Johnson's performance in the final scenes is genuinely strong. Did I mention I love Don Johnson?

If you're expecting something great, stay far away. But if you go in with zero expectations and just want to kill some time, it might actually be worth a watch.