If your idea of a great movie mixes the likes of Saw, Jeepers Creepers and a very sadistic version of Home Alone - then this is one to watch! Immediately with the opening credits, there were 'Seven' vibes which I am all about. Only thing missing was 'Closer' by NIN. Now, this film is not to be confused with the novel of the same name by John Fowles - although pretty messed up, there is no correlation whatsoever. Also, it's from the directors of several Saw movies so this all makes sense. Prior to the opening credits, we immediately start with a man in a box 'collecting' a married man and then killing his wife. Intriguing to say the least. Why was he taken and not his wife? This is a question that I personally feel the viewer never gets the answer to. At least a detailed answer anyway.
A man named Arkin (which I immediately though of Orkin, the pest control company) is working at this rich family's home that's getting all kinds of work done on it. As he works on replacing doors and windows, exterminators (go figure lol) and other workers are there as well. Arkin bonds with the couple's youngest daughter as he has one of his own around the same age. The husband, Michael Chase, catches them talking and is a little thrown off by it. Reasonably so, but I really love Arkin throughout the entire movie. Ex con or not, he's a good dude. He then meets up with his ex-wife and daughter and is told that she needs money immediately to pay off loan sharks. Honestly, I found this interesting given it's usually the other way around AND this movie was made in 2009. Seemingly early for being so progressive lol.
Arkin's plan is to rob the family's home that he just worked at since they're away on vacation to pay back the guys who will kill his ex-wife. This is where NOTHING goes according to plan. The Collector is also in the house and has been for some time - setting up the most insane number of booby traps throughout that seem to be impossible to get through. I mean who the hell has that many bear traps just lying around to use for leisure?? Luckily for Arkin, he catches on after the 2nd trap. First, a stab through the ear when trying to call 911 on the landline. The second, a familiar trap for Saw II fans, blades under the windows where once you push through you can't pull back without butchering your hands.
Unfortunately, shit just gets worse and worse. The amount of brutal torture brought on by this guy is way more horrific than any Saw game. We're talking of course the bear traps (see above), fishhooks through the face, flying contraptions swinging you into a wall of nails at full speed. There's even a room with acid covered floors that Arkin can figure his way around but the same doesn't hold true for the poor family cat. Ugh, very brutal and I won't even describe it. It's not even as bad as the scene in 'Boondock Saints'! When it comes to movies like these, I refuse to watch an animal be killed or tortured. No scene like that is ever necessary.
Arkin finds the couple's daughter who had been hiding the entire time (at least I think she was, but that's still unclear) and tries to escape with her. Producing clever ideas on how to kill The Collector, they fall short and are outsmarted immediately. This goes back and forth for some time and as the rest of the family is dead, Arkin and Hannah are the only ones still alive. The cops are able to take Hannah but Arkin's ambulance gets ambushed by The Collector and he is now doomed to the box we saw from the beginning. We are also shown that The Collector was the exterminator from when Arkin and others were doing repairs to the home.
Now, I have yet to watch the sequel so don't come at me for not knowing the exact reason this guy needs to collect people. We get a little bit of insight from Larry, who's death is very unfortunate, but it seemed general. He collects people he likes and then does away with the rest? What's the point of that? And what does he like about them enough to keep them? What does he hate about the other to have to kill them? The tagline itself states "He always takes one", so WHY?! If anyone can answer these for me - I'll love you forever!
DMDb rating:
4 stabs ~ right up my alley, but the cat (and dog) didn't need to die
How many 'Stabby Stabs' would you give this movie?
- 1 (Who would voluntarily watch this?)
- 2-3 (Entertaining, yet ridiculous)
- 4-5 (How has this not won awards?!)
- 0 (Never saw it, but loved the recap)
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