Begins very well, then falls apart

Rating: 6/10 (6 September 2003)

This film looked so promising in the trailers. And the first hour more than lives up to the promise. The rainstorm, cheap motel, remote desert locations, and offbeat characters with secrets to hide make for a suspenseful horror-mystery. The use of the hotel room keys was a clever device. The cast does well. John Cusack is compelling in his first horror film, and Ray Liotta is well-cast as a seemingly inept policeman. And the sultry Amanda Peets makes the most of her character. She is not a mindless sex object, helpless damsel-in-distress, or an invulnerable superwoman, but a frightened yet determined woman doing her best to stay alive. In addition, Rebecca DeMornay shows a terrific sence of humor and self-parody as a snooty, washed-up actress who stumbles into the confusion. But just as the film seems to be nearing an exciting climax, it takes a disastrous wrong turn. It becomes a dull psychological courtroom drama that undermines everything that has happened. Suspense and interest in the characters goes out the window, and the closing scene is especially flat-footed and dumb. What a waste of an hour of good storytelling!