I just love single location movies like ATM! Cramped in a small room, a couple of characters try to escape and show the best and the worst in them. If you’re willing to go with the flow, you will get an engaging character study. Plus some juicy action with that ever-present claustrophobia just adding to the tension.
ATM is one of the better examples of how you don’t need a big budget or famous actors to make a solid movie. Alice Eve and Josh Peck did a terrific job along with the rest of the cast. However, you should know that the opening thirty minutes are a bit dull. So, just get through this and you will be in for a treat. What follows is a nerve-wracking and suspenseful struggle for survival.
I think they should have just skipped the whole intro section where “get to know our characters”. It felt forced and stereotypical. With better character development or simply more action, ATM could have been excellent. Instead, we got a formulaic but still intense thriller with some horror elements. Also, I think that the killer could have been much better.
David, Corey and Emily are three coworkers having a good time at their company’s party. David is trying to pick up Emily and when he finally manages to convince her to go with him, Corey steps in to hitch a ride home. After a bit of driving they decide to go for a late dinner, and then they realize that everyone is broke. That makes their next stop a lonely ATM in parking lot…
As you can notice, the plot is paper thin and it serves one purpose: to get our guys into the ATM. Also, just to make things a bit clearer this is one of those big rooms with ATMs inside, not your average street ATM. The movie works best if you don’t question the story too much as it’s quite silly. So, just suspend your belief and find out just how much they’re willing to go with this concept. And if you can’t help but laugh at some of the twists and turns, so be it. At least you’ll have some fun. Finally, if you’re looking for similar movies do check out Green Room, Murder Party and Better Watch Out.
Director: David Brooks
Writers: Chris Sparling, Ron Tippe
Cast: Alice Eve, Josh Peck, Brian Geraghty, Aaron Hughes, Omar Khan
Fun Facts: The killer in this movie wears the same clothes as the killer in Urban Legend.
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1603257/
