The Watcher

Oh Mr Cage you've done it again. I have no idea what Nicolas Cage's agent is smoking, but it must be strong stuff. I'm starting to think I was mistaken about Cage retaining his AAA star status but still doing independent/art films and think he might just have fallen from grace after all.

Yet another straight to DVD distinctly average thriller see's Cage play a man who alongside his wife has bought a motel. However things gradually start to seem amiss, as if something just isn't quite right about the place.

Also starring Robin "Prison Break" Tunney and Marc "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Blucas it at least has a competent cast. I've always disliked Blucas but even he did a good job here so at least the movie has that going for it.

I was frustrated by the tone, frequently it has a real 1980's vibe about it but that comes and goes which seems like a weird call. The pacing is flawed, the script is hit and miss and nothing about Looking Glass exactly flows.

Points for effort certainly but the whole thing comes across rushed. If Cage wants to return to his former spot in Hollywood he needs to turn his back on movies like this once and for all.

The Good:

Robin Tunney

Interesting premise

The Bad:

Rushed finale

Nothing flows

Why did they release this film? Despite Nicholas Cage being in it,the movie is blatantly incomplete.Its a turd. I was disturbed by the creepiness of the film but there were no explanations,no closure,not even a climactic revealing scene. When I saw it say "the end" i was confused.Did someone pull a hoax and release this movie incomplete? NOTHING is explained...i get it-some things are mystery and should be but wtf...this movie is one giant plothole.Its not worth watching unless you don't mind plotholes and well.lack of a plot...the biggest mystery is why this film was released.I've NEVER seen a movie with so many plotholes,misleading scenes seemingly deliberate..only to end abruptly as if the makers ran out of time.

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)

Don't believe the "worst movie ever" reviewers (hey.... there can't be many worst movies ever anyway right)

This is a pretty entertaining thriller like they made lots in the 90s.

Yes, a bit pulpy, but there's nothing wrong with that.

And indeed (as some worst movie ever reviewers note) it doesn't have a typical storyline or cliché finale and closure.

But why should every movie follow that boring pattern?

So if you're up for something a bit different yet still in a pulpy thriller entertainment mode you can't go wrong with Looking Glass.

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.