The Killing Floor (2006)

Poor old Marc Blucas. Everyone hated him as Riley in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and this film really won't do anything to improve matters - in The Killing Floor, Blucas stars as David Lamont, an obnoxious, arrogant literary exec who dismisses authors (and people in general) willy-nilly. His inability to listen and tendency to have his mobile phone glued constantly to his ear leads to him ignoring an estate agent's warnings and buying a stunning apartment with, shall we say, a little bit of a past.

Before too long, he's got people banging down his doors in the middle of the night, claiming that his flat really belongs to them, and then suspicious parcels start showing up on his doorstep. With a detective on speed dial, he sets about trying to figure out what's really going on with the flat and all these other nutters who keep following him around - was there really a murder in his flat? Who's trying to cover it up, and why? Is the girl from downstairs all she seems? And what is with Marc Blucas's mind-boggling facial hair?

From the trailer and indeed the DVD menu, The Killing Floor looks like a supernatural thriller. It's not. It's actually quite a smart little mystery; a slick and polished 94-minute parcel with good production values, real actors, and non-intrusive direction and editing. The characters are well drawn and believable, and there's no halfway-point revelation for Lamont - he remains exactly the same rude, overbearing git he was in the beginning all the way to the end. It's actually quite easy to sympathise with his tormentors; he had it coming, didn't he?

It's an engaging movie; surprisingly compelling for such a simple story, and quite fun overall. The only problem I have is that the twist is maybe a little too obvious. And once you've figured out the ending, it takes a little too much time to get there. It's still highly enjoyable, but the ending wasn't a surprise.

Oh well.

IMDB link

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