Room of Death (2007)

Wednesday, 28 January 2009 00:00

Reviewed by Carol Sullivan

Genre: Thriller / Crime
Released: November 14, 2007 (France)
Rating: Unrated

Country: France
Original Title: La Chambre des Mortis

Director: Alfred Lot
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Well, friends and neighbors, I simply have to tell you about this movie that I picked up while sniffing around Blockbuster yesterday. While the artwork on the cover of Room of Death screamed "I'm gonna be soooo crappy", the synopsis on the back cover intrigued me. Let me just start by saying this is one of the best films I've seen in a long, long time...

The movie begins as two drunk friends are playing a deadly game in their BMW; turning off the lights and racing down a slick, nighttime road. Finally having had enough, they turn the headlights back on, just as their car violently strikes a pedestrian. A quick check reveals that the man is dead, but he had been carrying a satchel full of cash. Scared they will go to jail, and really wanting the money, they scoop up the body and dump it in a nearby waterway, promising to never tell a soul.

But, someone has witnessed their crime; a criminal far more sinister than our murderous BMW drivers. In a warehouse above the street, a psycho has kidnapped a little girl and saw the accident and the men taking the body away.

Sadly the kidnapped girl is found dead the next day; her body staged like a grinning doll.

The plot intensifies here because this twisted child-murderer has jotted down the BMW's license plate number and he is coming for them, too. Can a pretty young detective unravel the mystery before another child is kidnapped?

Everything about Room of Death had me frozen in front of the TV right from the opening credits. Beautifully filmed, this dark and stylish thriller feels a lot like a French Silence of the Lambs, with its multi-layered plot. While some viewers may find the subtitles a bit annoying, you get sucked into this film with its fascinating story line and witty script. Frankly, I don't think I took a breath until long after it was over.

Though its title and cover art do not look promising, Room of Death well exceeded my every expectation and I highly recommend it as a rental and/or purchase.

Overall Rating: 4 1/2

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Last Updated ( Friday, 27 March 2009 15:06 )