User reviews

ELEVATOR has a decent set-up: a group of characters are trapped in a stuck lift, and one of them holds a secret that's going to put them into a dangerous situation. It's a clear copy of the recent Shyamalan-produced horror movie DEVIL, except this one's non-supernatural. The box proclaims that it's the film that DEVIL could have been, but that's a downright lie.

Because ELEVATOR is a disappointment. Sure, the set-up is fine and the character mix is okay. You can't really fault the acting, either, even if most of the cast are unrecognisable aside from THE FLY's John Getz playing a typically jerkish character. Everyone puts in solid, if unspectacular performances, and I did like Joey Slotnick as the loud-mouthed comedian despite his character's brash, irritating nature.

The problem with this is the script. It's fair to say that nothing really happens in ELEVATOR, and there's certainly nothing here to make this unmissable viewing. I can think of two good, suspenseful sequences in the entire movie, and the rest of it is just endless build-up leading to a pay-off that never arrives. I actually enjoyed the first half more than the second, purely because of the expectation value. The ending is particularly disappointing and lightweight.

This should have been much better than it is, because Stig Svendsen does a good job of shooting within the claustrophobic confines of his small-scale set and there are all the right ingredients; it's just that they don't amount to much in the end. And the incredibly irritating girl in it should have been killed; it was criminal that she never got punished for her daft actions.

Nine diverse people get stranded in an elevator of a corporate building after the head honcho's spoiled daughter hits the emergency button. Soon a person with a makeshift bomb makes his or her devious intentions known.

This movie, while filled with movie clichés, still manages to be somewhat tense and pretty watchable due to fairly competent acting from almost everyone involved (I personally didn't care for either the kid nor Joey Slotnick, the latter I can't recall anything good he's been in). It's not the best movie about people stuck in elevators but it's not the worst either.

Take a look at the title: Elevator. What do you think this movie will be about? Well, you're probably right. Pretty much the whole film is set in the elevator. If you think you'll like a film that simply and deliberately stays put, then give it a go.

Many comparisons have been drawn to the film 'Devil,' which is also primarily set inside an elevator (the only major difference is that Elevator is not supernatural).

The story is about nine people, trapped in an elevator with a bomb. When you have a film that writes itself into a corner with its location, you need to establish the characters pretty quickly. Here, we mostly have stereotypes. In some ways it's good because we can basically read each and every one of them straight away. In others ways it smacks of lazy writing.

Elevator can best be described as a 'thriller.' However, some may question how 'thrilling' a film can be set inside a box. It's basically about their attempts at escaping. If you think you can stand the whole ninety minutes in a box with them, it may be for you. It certainly won't be to everyone's tastes, but I didn't feel like I'd completely wasted ninety minutes of my life.

"Elevator" in most respects has a pretty simple plot - almost too simple, which made me think it would be rather thoughtless. A bunch of people are stuck on an elevator - and there happens to be a bomb among them. So, the question is, can they get unstuck in time before the bomb goes off.

There's nothing complicated or pretentious here, and the movie is barebones. Except for a few minutes in both the opening and the closing, the entire movie is set on the crowded elevator. At first, they don't know there's a bomb, and you basically just watch the group dynamic among a diverse group of people who deal with being trapped in a variety of ways - from complete calm to claustrophobia. For a while I was thinking that just the story of this diverse group being stuck together could have made for an interesting study of group dynamics without the bomb, and I was wondering if introducing the bomb was necessary. The bomb actually worked surprisingly well. The whole group dynamic study was still there, but the introduction of the added tension worked very well to ratchet this up.

None of the characters were well developed, but we learn enough about them as they interact on the elevator to at least get a sense of who they are. None of the actors are major stars. The best known and most recognizable to me was probably Jerry Slotnick. That lack of a big name created more a of a composite cast and helped us focus on the group rather than on one individual within the group. There are some story points that didn't work all that well for me. The reporter beaming some video out on her cell phone seemed contrived; and the attempt to free the elevator using a small crack through which an arm could be reached had predictable results - why would anyone even try that, given that the result of any success was so obvious? All things considered though I was surprised by how watchable I found this, made even more so by its very short (1:20) run time. (7/10)

"I've been taking this elevator everyday, ten times a day, we all have for six years and it's never once gotten stuck." A group of people on their way to a party for work are starting to pile in an elevator. When the limit is reached they begin the ascent to the top floor. Tensions start almost instantly and when the elevator gets stuck in between floors things get worse. While talking to each other the discover that one of them has a bomb. They now have another reason to try and find a way out, fast. I know not many people do, but I really like these movies that take place in one confined area. There is something tense and terrifying about that. This one is no exception. Much like the movie "Devil" this one takes place in an elevator but instead of being a straight horror movie this one is more dramatic and full of tension. The characters are all interesting and believable. Some of the movie is a little out there, but overall a pretty believable movie. Overall, if you like movies like "Devil" or "Buried" then you will like this one too. I did. I give it a B+.

So this gem is now available on Netflix and I recommend it. Well acted and pretty well paced little film about a group of strangers (well a few know each other but I will not say how) that get on an elevator. By interesting means, the elevator gets stuck and from there, the film really takes off as the group is in severe danger.

The cast of characters are perfectly suited for this kind of film. A little something for everyone if you will.

Being slightly claustrophobic myself, I felt the tension in the elevator. The characters really play off each other well (especially the wise-cracking comic and the snotty little girl)and you sense that once you figure out the trouble, that it seems genuine and real. A very short movie (a little over an hour and 15 minutes long), the last 10 minutes really were not needed, I think it was just added to make the length of the movie more industry standard acceptable. A fast catchy beginning sets an early pace that never really dulls.

6.25 out of 10. Good enough for a watch and some popcorn.

I got to see this one on it's world premiere yesterday, at the Tromso International Film Festival. Not knowing what I could expect from this hardly known Norwegian director, Stig Svendsen, I was still hoping to see a nerve wrecking thriller about modern day terrorism. The film started out as expected, but it seemed very unoriginal at first. The main characters seemed too familiar and too smooth. Additionally I found a couple of the actors weren't any good. But as the film got going, it turned out this wasn't at all a dead serious thriller. A couple of really watchable characters showed up, and the scripted turned humorous, in a quite successful way.

The film goes on as a rare mix of comedy and thriller, that actually works brilliantly. The filmmakers have successfully combined a serious situation with humor, and the result is one crazy elevator ride. It owes a lot to traditional action comedy films, but at the same time it really is something of it's own. It's rare to see such entertaining films and especially films about such a relevant topic.

Look at the title. You see that one word title, now tell me, what do you expect from a movie like that? I actually think it provides exactly what it is supposed to. Maybe a bit more. Not a lot more, but I did like the (obvious) characters. It's not amazing or earth shattering, but it is more than decent.

A few things are over the top of course, but still kudos to the actors, they did a good job on this. Things are predictable of course, but that doesn't change the fact, that you can enjoy the movie as it is. The inciting incident is of course something that would drive everyone mad in real life. Try to take the movie in, as it was intended if you can

I had really high hopes for this movie, because I loved the movie devil. Which is sit in an elevator, but it is far more dramatic has much better acting in storyline and suspense. This was just meh. Another in a long line of tired, revenge stories that go south. I was bored to tears through most of it. The dialogue was predictable. The characters were very clichéd. It was more like something from a Hallmark movie than a major motion picture I'm going to suggest again That you try to find DEVIL- that movie was full of jump scares, suspense, great writing and great acting. I absolutely loved it. It will not disappoint!

A diverse group of people take an elevator to a corporate event . Due to the actions of the spoiled granddaughter of the company boss the lift becomes stuck . What may on the surface seem like a torturous inconvenience ends up becoming mortal peril for the group when it's revealed that one of the guests is carrying a bomb

I'm slightly at a loss why ELEVATOR isn't held in slightly higher regard by my peers on this website . I watched it on the British Horror Channel and may be this is the problem ? If you're coming in to this movie expecting graphic violence , torture porn and the like you're going to be very disappointed because this is not a movie for hardcore gore hounds . Instead ELEVATOR is a low budget minimalist indie type thriller where people find a bad situation turn far worse than they expected . It's almost a very good film . Almost

" Hey Theo you said almost . Out with it . What's on your mind ? "

I don't know if it's down to my recent marathon short film sessions along with seeing the occasional independent film like THE PERFECT HOST but there is an off beat quirky nature to many of the movies I've reviewed recently and ELEVATOR starts off in the exact same vein with the characters being introduced and the pivotal character is George Axelrod , a vulgar smart ass comedian who has the displeasure of both being stuck in a life and being stuck in a lift with a ten year old spoilt brat and other people he doesn't like . He shows signs of misanthropy and despite never being in the same league as Christopher Hitchens when it comes to abrasive put downs George shoots from the lip and you can buy this guy existing in the real world and not just in a movie . I would have liked to have seen more of George becoming more frustrated with the situation and his fellow captives become more frustrated at him

Unfortunately because this film is about a time bomb in a lift and not misanthrope reminds himself why he hates people the film centres around who is the bomber and what can they do to stop the bomb exploding . There is some blood and violence but remember this is not a horror film and perhaps more importantly this isn't a massive blockbuster from a major Hollywood studio so there's no mock heroics from some pretty boys , no stunt work and no CGI which means a lot of people will find it somewhat lacking in excitement . As it stands ELEVATOR is more than adequate but I would have liked it more if had stayed a quirky off beat drama instead moving in to thriller territory

This film begins in New York with a lavish party being held in the penthouse of a high-rise building on Wall Street. To that effect, the CEO of the corporation holding the event, by the name of "Henry Barton" (John Getz), joins several other people in the elevator to take them to the event. In the elevator with him is his young granddaughter "Madeline Barton" (played by both Rachel Pace and Amanda Pace), along with several employees of who work for Henry Barton. Also included in this group is a stand-up comedian by the name of "George Axelrod" (Joey Slotnick) who is extremely claustrophobic and lets everybody know how he feels about the elevator being too crowded. Being quite mischievous, Madeline decides to play a prank on him by pressing the emergency stop button near the 49th floor. What she doesn't realize, however, is that the gears on the elevator are in need of repair and as a result there is no immediate way to get out of their current dilemma. Even worse is the fact that one of the other people in this group has brought a bomb into this elevator which is set to detonate within 2 hours-and this may not be enough time for maintenance to correct the situation. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this turned out to be a fairly entertaining movie which managed to keep my attention pretty much from start-to-finish. Admittedly, the film could have also used a bit more suspense here and there, but even so it was good enough for the time spent and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

First of all, the plot of the movie was very interesting and mysterious. The storyline was kinda well-written, even though some parts of the movie weren't well-explained. The characters were very interesting and well-developed, even though only some of them were kinda likeable. The filming location of the movie was mainly, inside the elevator. The casting was just nice and their acting was descent. Gladly, it was a fast-paced movie, even though it wasn't very intense. Actually, it was more of an emotionally intense movie. In my opinion, the best part of the movie was the 2nd act, when they were trying to escape the elevator. The opening scene wasn't very promising and it was kinda dull, because all the characters were introduced. Sadly, the ending scene wasn't very well-explained and I didn't really enjoyed it. Overall, "Elevator" was an average movie, fast-paced and I would probably recommend it to my friends.

After reading all the rotten reviews on here I was expecting a TERRIBLE film. It's not! It's actually pretty awesome. I won't waste time rehashing the story but I thought it was an incredibly well made, well acted little movie!

It had a brilliant set of characters, all with a lot of depth considering the limited amount of time the had time introduce them all. I thought they were all very believable.

There are a few things that happened that I thought were predictable but that's not a big deal.

The plot moves forward at a constant steady pace and I think a lot people will love the film if they give it chance!

I don't wanna give anything away so all I can say is go into it with an open mind and you will probably enjoy it!!

I liked the movie Devil (2010) and also liked the movie Blackout (IV) (2008)

All three of these have on thing in common, is that most of movie takes center stage in the Elevator and they all very different in a way

This movie was a lot better then I thought it would, it had some decent cast, some were not likable.

I thought the movie flowed really well from to start to end,even it just one location.

There one really bloody moment in this movie, which wasn't to much.

i Thought the movie was Entertaining

Wow, this is a whole new level of acting, and not in a good way. Very wooden, poor, overacting, not convincing, absolutely awful. I thought I would give it a chance after seeing a 1 star review. I like movies that are based on true events so I was looking forward to this and the start of it wasn't too bad. However once he got stuck, the movie just went downhill. I couldn't even tell you 1 good character. I've seen Eric Roberts in other movies, so thought it might not be as bad as people were saying, boy was I wrong, I wouldn't say it was a Christian movie as they only mention prayer once. In all, extremely awful.

PROS: The whole reason I would recommend even watching this movie is for the ending. Undoubtedly the finale part of this movie was the best part. The weight and tone that the film has was perfectly embodied by the resolution. You got this dark and sad feeling mixed with sheer dread, and I liked how that quality was displayed in both the characters, the plot, and the setting. In such a small location I was surprised how much emotion they evoked from the set alone. You could really tell a lot of time, effort, and thinking was put into this indie horror.

CONS: The cons in this movie aren't really substantial. You could start out by pointing out that the acting was mediocre, the build up of intensity was sub par, or that the music/lighting was used improperly. All these qualities need to be there for a great film, but in this movie they just barely missed the mark. This is a hard movie to critique because nothing was awful, but nothing was great. So you're stuck between a rock and a hard place because should you notice the acting as not being bad, or not being good? I really feel this a movie specific for certain peoples taste and what they find to be best overall in movies.

www.chorror.com

I enjoyed Devil and other enclosed space movies that generally aren't rated too highly. So I was hoping the concept would work in this one, but it's far too boring. I've never seen a horror movie or a thriller with so few elements of tension. I don't want to spoil what happens at the end so you're more likely to read my review but you will not come out of this movie scared, caring about any of the characters, or feeling like anyone learned anything at all or had any sort of development. There are a couple of long extended scenes where you may even wonder if the recording stopped working but no, they just padded the run time with just a black screen.

I've now seen this movie twice because I forgot I'd already seen it until about halfway through when I went to IMDB to double check the rating to see if I'd misread the numbers. Apparently I'd already rated this a 2/10 so I'll keep that rating even though a second viewing has me thinking that was too generous. Save your two hours and watch literally anything else instead.