Vile (2011)★★★★☆

I have some problems with this movie but it’s above average in terms of entertainment value. As far as movies about a bunch of strangers waking up together in a room and realizing they’re totally screwed go…this one’s pretty good.

The cast is full of mostly unfamiliar faces – IMDb tells me they’re mainly from soap operas and single-episode TV drama cameos. The only face I really recognized was Maria Olsen, and I just learned her name tonight. As it turns out her IMDb filmography reads like a to-watch list for this blog, so you might be hearing more about her in the future.

Anyway, the mostly unknown cast does pretty well here. Aside from the obvious stupid decision they made at the beginning of the movie, most of what happens isn’t due to idiocy or complete obliviousness. The background music is mostly well done and the movie is pretty well paced throughout.

I thought they could have done more with the story, though. The premise was really interesting but the film focused way more on the torture and pain than on the background behind why everyone was stuck in that room in the first place. Until the very end, when it all felt sort of jammed together before the ending.

Anyway, this is pretty watchable and pretty graphic and disturbing, so beware and be warned, but mostly, enjoy.