Knock Knock

Keanu Reeves has always been a bit of an anomaly; an actor who wasn't blessed with a huge amount of range, he's nonetheless picked smartly over a long, extremely successful career. Now 50 (WTF? Does he bath in unicorn blood?) Reeves is coming off his most successful role in years, the superb John Wick. Following that up with another genre flick, and teaming with horror helmer Eli Roth for this claustrophobic indie was ostensibly another smart move. Small budget, less pressure and a built in audience.

What's surprising about Knock Knock is that it's not a horror film at all, rather very much a thriller being sold on the 'erotic' angle. But Roth still expects you to forgive the same plot holes you would with a slasher flick, and that's where it comes undone.

Reeves is a happy, successful family man, who has just celebrated Father's Day with his beautiful wife and loving kids. When they head off to the beach house for the weekend, he stays at home working. During a stormy night (obviously) there's a knock on the door and there stands two beautiful young women looking for help. Offering them shelter and an Uber, the women have one thing in mind - to seduce him and teach him a lesson. A violent one.

Playing a little like Gone Girl: The Wonder Years, it's initially a nice flip on the home invasion set up. Reeves portrays the loving father and husband with ease, while Roth gradually bleeds character snippets - he used to be a DJ, how he got his shoulder injury etc. They're all meant to lead you to question the character and what he does, thus putting you in a certain moral quandary come the good stuff.

That's difficult when the two antagonists are just plain broken biscuits and hell bent on carnage. You're less questioning what Reeves does, or their eh, eccentric points about his cheating, more rooting for him not to be killed.

Whatever Roth's point, when in captivity, the realism takes a proper dive. Granted, a part of the enjoyment is shouting at characters acting in a stupid manner - but this isn't a horror film. Roth wants this grounded in some semblance of reality and the latter silliness undermines that.

Hardcore Roth fans will see this as a maturing, and he does show signs of that; but overall this is a more frustrating watch than a scary one.