The Resident (2011) Online

Somewhat creepy, a voyeuristic "ick" factor, even decent acting but it never feels grounded and completely falls apart by the end. To its credit, the idea might've sounded better on paper, but doesn't work on film.

A major problem is we have little connection with our characters other than the likability and vulnerability Hilary Swank naturally brings to the screen. But there is no motivation for anything that happens: from coincidental meetings, to needing a giant apartment, to why the over-the-top infatuation, etc.

The plot holes are so gaping it ruins the realism. Seriously, would somebody visiting a hospital really find an ER doc extremely hot in scrubs? Is a $3800 apartment a good deal for any single lady? Why would a voyeur need to stalk around inside an apartment when he's got every vantage point from behind the walls? It's just full of dumb... and frankly, without realism you're removed from caring too much and it's not scary.

Oh, and if your only interest is peeking in on Hilary Swank (yes, pun intended), you'll likely be disappointed on that level as well.

Naturally the very moment "the resident" discovers the secrets of her landlord, she has no opportunity to escape, cell phone stops working, boyfriend is... well, basically the ending is full of chasing and one gotcha scare after another... and another... and another. Did they rewrite the script a bunch of times, but forget to remove the early endings? Perhaps the gotcha scares work on some level, but by the end I just wanted everything in fast-forward... and that's saying something for a movie where the credits roll after only 86 minutes. Skip it!

This is a American shot thriller from a Finnish director and put out by the recently revived Hammer Film--yep, the British production company known for its atmospheric horrors. "The Resident" gives nods to "Single White Female," "One Hour Photo" and "Fatal Attraction," where it's a dark tale of infatuation that builds and builds into a roaring obsession due to an object of desire that's out of physical reach.

Some look for specific qualities or rewards in relationships than others, such as a momentary bit of comfort, physical release or warmth and security. There's a middle ground where you both meet in agreement, yet there are those that want things to fall specifically in place and only go the way they want them to. There's going to be zero compromise with those aggressively tuned people, just a one track freight train of a strong personality and another unsuspecting person caught frozen on the tracks.

A woman named Juliet, played by Hilary Swank, is looking for an apartment after hitting a rough spot. She works by day as a doctor and after living in her new residence for a short while she's being watched with a privy eye at night. This has a few unsettling moments, as the watcher slowly works themselves up to get close enough to know what the bristles of her toothbrush feel like, as well as the brand of her undergarments. There's no real surprise as to who it is as there's only four main characters shown and three of them quickly seem unlikely. The filmmakers realized about a third of the way in and dropped the whole mystery element in order to escalate the encroaching visits in first person to Juliet's apartment. If it wasn't predictable enough, she eventually starts to suspect something's amiss and decides to take matters into her own hands in order to figure out the truth about what's going bump at night and why she feels so weird in the morning. Though the closer she gets, it causes the person to step out from the shadows for a finale that wraps up somewhat abruptly.

"The Resident" has a formula that's been done before with films that deal with unabated fixations that lead to stalking and voyeurism. This was a common template for slasher films, though this is definitely missing the gore and guts, but intact is the cinematic thrills. This does take it another step further with a few memorable scenes that push things over the top even if it mostly hints at them without actually revealing them head-on in explicit detail. That seems to be the main purpose: to show some suspenseful scenes and to cut and paste characters into scenarios in order to make that happen, as the story itself felt straightforward and ultimately inevitable. This might be effective towards creeping out your squeamish girlfriend, as it gives paranoid thought to sleeping alone and putting blind trust into strangers, otherwise there's not a whole lot of substance here to mine or to come back to for replay value. (Also submitted on http://fromblacktoredfilmreviews.blogspot.com/)

Dr. Juliet Devereau rents an apartment in New York, large and affordable, but the owner Max begins to want more than just rent.

Director Antti Jokinen doesn't glamorise New York showing the older side of the city and keeps things moving with plenty of cuts and naturalistic lighting. The music adds some tension to the on screen proceedings to what is essentially a stalker/ voyeur thriller.   

The cast includes a seasoned and accomplished cast including Hilary Swank, Christopher Lee as the creepy building owner August and his son Max played excellently by Watchmen's (2009)  Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Morgan is first rate as the deranged obsessive weirdo and the casting of Swank as Devereau avoids the teen slasher cliché. Amougnst the spy-holes, secret doors and cavity walkways of the apartment it's great to see Lee in a contemporary role albeit small. 

Anyone familiar with Single White Female (1992) or Pacific Heights (1990) will have an inkling what their in for. The Resident is a small tight thriller that has few surprises, yet, it's keeps you watching due to Swank's allure, the simplistic premise and Morgan's craziness.

Overall, nothing new, but maybe disturbing for many due to themes of intrusion and privacy being violated.

The Resident surprised me... first because stars Hillary Swank, who also is the producer and who also won 2 Academy Awards, and second because it's a Hammer production, which historically produced all of the most known B movies in history.

For me it's just a reworking of Sleeping With The Stranger (1991), the difference here is that the main character doesn't know it. This could be a lot entertaining if Hillary Swank wasn't attached to it, and could be a lot interesting and nostalgic if the movie wasn't too serious.

I can't blame the plot, which is very interesting though the great collection of clichés and some bad character's development destroy the main subject and entire movie.

It has a good beginning and is never hidden from the audience the mad obsession of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character. He portrays it perfectly when he's frustrated or punishing himself when rejected. There's a moment when he asks Hillary Swank's character what is happening between them because she was who kissed him first, and then she says: "THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE DO!". That scene is very interesting because we can feel his pain and the movie was exploring it great till that moment. Then everything become a completely mess and the movie transforms into another regular thriller with that ordinary 'cat & mouse' thing and Jeffrey's character, which was just a regular guy suffering from obsession, becomes an ordinary serial killer.

The movie ends as it should exactly in the moment that you were expecting since the very first minute, or the very first trailer if you have watched.

Is just an empty movie with some rare good moments and a lot of other lazy I've-seen-that-before moments, a waste in Hillary's career.

I expected Hilary Swank to produce so much better, but this film was merely a vehicle for her to show off her body which is a surprise from an Oscar-winning actress.

The direction and atmosphere was suspenseful, but the lack of depth to the plot and narrative was such a disappointment given such good production. There are unanswered questions and missed opportunities which are hugely frustrating given the quality of filming.

I was glad not to have watched this in a cinema because I would have felt trapped and assaulted to have sat all the way through the chasing and fighting in the last 20 minutes. As it was, with control of the fast forward, I could skip the repetitive hide and seek.

There was no satisfying explanation for this perverted stalking landlord choosing his tenant, and no intelligent reason for wanting to watch until the end, unless you just enjoy gratuitous violence.

Suitable for post-pub group viewing, Resident is fine for mindless scares; but the lack of whodunnit and whydunnit just leaves the viewer wondering why did I watch it.

Hillary is a young doctor seeking an apartment. She inquires at one, but likes neither price nor the view. She goes to see another, but it's not ready for habitation, as the landlord is renovating. The room is draped in plastic, and all of the walls are being redone.

Asking the rental price for this apparently spacious New York apartment, she finds it surprisingly low. While she is looking, one of the drawbacks appears: the sound of a train passing, which, while not oppressively loud, does indeed drown out normal levels of sound. Perhaps this could mask other sounds at some point.

She falls for the landlord, a handsome chap, in a big way. This seems to be a reaction to a rebound from a relationship gone sour just prior to the beginning of the story. However, as this budding relationship evolves into passion, something does not seem quite right.

I found this to be a quite entertaining story, with very subtle details, and told in a different manner. It won't be the greatest movie you've ever seen, but is certainly entertaining, and moves along briskly. Pay attention to details: the answers are there.

THE RESIDENT is one of those very well made (directed by Antii Jokinen), well photographed (cinematographer Guillermo Navarro), well scored (music by John Ottman), well cast films that just doesn't manage to get off the ground. The idea for the film is OK but the script written by Robert Orr and director Jokinen is so slim that the film could have been a successful short: everything you need to know is in the trailer. A thriller it is not, but the people in the film are so attractive that much is forgivable.

Hard working ER Doctor/Surgeon Juliet Devereau (Hilary Swank - who also is executive producer here) is bruised by a broken relationship: Jack (Lee Pace, well remembered for his role in 'A Soldier's Girl') betrayed their relationship. Juliet needs a change and looks for an apartment in New York City, eventually finding an affordable gorgeous space being renovated by owner Max (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, handsome and charismatic). Max is strange but pleasant and goes out of his way to please Juliet. Max lives in the apartment house as does his grandfather August (Christopher Lee), and when the emotionally vulnerable Juliet is attracted to Max, Max is the one who shuts down. But the chemistry has begun and Max spies on Juliet, stalking her, making videos of her in bath, obsessing over her etc. Juliet meanwhile reconnects with Jack, a fact that motivates Max to change the direction of his approach to Juliet. What follows is a series of strange incidents that the audience will know about ahead of time and the ending just sort of happens - without much suspense or caring from the viewer.

Swank is up to par in her professionalism and both Morgan and Pace are interesting to watch. The film has some nice effects and the cast is attractive and maybe that is enough for a no- brainer film. Pleasant but non-involving.

Grady Harp

I have to admit i wasn't blown away by the film, but saying that it kept my attention from start to end and was watchable. Swank was excellent as the new resident of a seemingly cheap flat. She undoubtedly is a fantastic actress and she truly came alive in this film.

You pretty much know whats going to happen about 30 minutes in, as this kind of voyeuristic thriller has been done on countless occasions. But it bounces along at a rapid pace and without the audience getting bored.

Overall a good 7/10.

Given the storyline and cast, I convinced myself this would be a good film, even when in the first few minutes it became evident it wasn't. So I stuck with it in the hopes it would either grow on me or turn itself around.

It didn't...

Assuming you've read the synopsis, I won't go into detail about the story. It's not unique. But when well executed, these types of "thrillers" can hold your attention and keep you guessing. This one didn't. The director chooses to tell you everything verbally so the need to follow twists and turns is nonexistent. This takes away from any possible suspenseful buildup and causes the story to drag.

On screen chemistry between Swank and Morgan is fairly thin. This could add realism, given the storyline and each characters perception of reality, but it doesn't. Morgan never really seems at ease throughout the entirety of the film, as if he is cognizant of the camera at all times.

Simply put, it's hard to pinpoint what specifically causes this film to miss. No one single item delivers the death blow. Acting, cinematography and story, while not exceptional, are all at least adequately done. Swank does a passable job, and even despite what I consider to be a sometimes wooden, sometimes overcompensating performance by Morgan, he still manages to get the general creepiness of his character across.

That leaves a weak script and lackluster direction as the most likely culprits. Possibly bad editing as well. Regardless of what is to blame, the end result is simply a bad movie.

Unfortunate given the story and cast. I really expected much, much more.

A sad disappointment.

3/10.

I was watching this movie and for the life of me i was trying to figure out who was in charge of promoting this movie and how does this person have a job. Whoever said the acting was bad does not know what he is talking about this was a well acted bonafide thriller that deserved a release in theaters. The last 2 movies with Hilary Swank did not get very good attention. Conviction was fantastic and that did not receive much hype but was well received by critiques. This movie just fell through the crack and went straight to video. You pretty much know the story before you go in there is not much to figure out but you still get shocked what actually happens to Hilary.

To the movie company that released this and did absolutely nothing to get this released in theaters in the states your FIRED...If movies like gullivers travel (Terrible) can get releases you should of tried a little to get the public to know this even exists.

1. Professional woman (Hilary Swank) who's just been cheated on by her ex searches for a new apartment and just wants to move on in her life. She's a good heart surgeon but lonely....

2. Caretaker (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his ancient Grandfather (Christopher Lee) let her a hugely spacious apartment at about a tenth of the normal rent....

3. Swank begins to fall for the gentlemanly guy, but after almost consummating the relationship the audience discover (shock! horror!) that the guy's a creepy perv. He's fitted up her apartment with lots of spy holes and hidden entrances like any self respecting creepy perv would...

4. Caretaker seen early on in movie using a nail gun, not realising they usually come back to haunt you if you're a creepy perv - see Pacific Heights for reference....

5. Methinks I spot a professional body double getting out of the bath. The camera is appropriately misted up/out of focus so the brief nudity is quite tasteful....

6. Clause in Ms Swank's contract. "Camera must linger longingly over my client's every gesture and thought for at least 40% of the movie."

7. Clause in Mr. Lee's contract. "Client must not appear for more than 5 minutes in the movie, just like most of his other 200-odd screen appearances - see Dracula Prince of Darkness."

8. Swank's Loser ex reappears and in spite of being even creepier than Morgan's sad perv she promptly beds him.

9. Our heroine only drinks red wine, so it is left uncorked for Dean Morgan to add Demerol, etc....He's well screwed if she drank white...:)

10. Cell Phones that we are told have a signal problem in the building at the beginning of the movie, but work fine until Swank has to make a crucial phone call.....

11. Top heart surgeon takes about a fortnight to suspect she's being drugged every night. Tests her blood at the hospital. Guesses what Caretaker has been up to. Does not ring police. Does not tell anyone at all. Just rushes home. Nice one!

12. During the final confrontation nail-guns evil caretaker about 6 times. Always in a non-fatal area. Remember she's a surgeon....

There are a lot more. Actually I'm being a bit hard on The Resident, as it's not too badly made and put together, but I've included the above as a long-winded way of saying you've probably been here before, watching the same plot from a dozen or more other flicks. In truth, this is Hammer's least successful movie of their new era. What a pity Lee's character doesn't survive longer. I'd have had him trying to help Swank's character. Instead he gets offed pretty quickly. Shame as he's a fine actor. Still, hopefully the new Hammer will learn from this and develop. Wake Wood and Let Me In were much better.

I will keep this one short as it does not warrant the effort of a proper review. The characters are so basic and one dimensional you wont care and the plot is so predictable you really do not need to watch it...you can guess what happens pretty quickly. No attempt to explain the motive of what made the bad guy a "bad guy" which would of probably made his character a lot more interesting and maybe he would of been somewhat fearsome but generally he wasn't. The film borrows heavily from Psycho and is in no way compelling enough to keep attention for the entire film.

I cannot understand the positive reviews this film is getting, who are these people?

Dr. Juliet Devereau, working out of Brooklyn General Hospital as an ER and OR physician, needs an apartment real bad. This is understandable since currently (at the start of the movie) she's staying at a hotel in a move of exigency after breaking up with a cheating boyfriend. She understandably needs some time and a place to heal; to sort things out; get her bearings; and possibly re-chart her life. So a nice place that she could settle into and call home would be a big --even "critical" help to her at this time.

Juliet arrives at a building that looks better inside than out. She goes in, takes the elevator up. The door to the apartment is slightly ajar and a machine noise of some kind is coming from within. She goes in, sees the walls are covered with plastic, and traces the noise to a spacious room where some guy in a mask is doing some sanding work on the floor. Apparently the place is under repair and so there are no furnishings; just the various things and sundry you would expect to see under the circumstances. Alerted by her voice, the guy switches off the machine and she explains that someone called about a rental.

The guy (Max) turns out to be the owner of the building. He's "George Clooneyish" with a grayish beard, dis-harming smile and affable manner. The place is huge and spacious and Juliet is hesitant that she could afford it but Max gives her a price that's within her means. She grabs it after being assured there were no catches beyond bad cell phone reception, a noisy train, and high heating bills in the winter. Shortly, he helps her to move in and in the course of this they run into Max's grandfather August (Christopher Lee; sight for sore eyes). The look he gives his grandson is significant. And the look that Max returns might as well have said, "Yeah, I know I'm a sicko, but I can't help it."

Moved in, Juliet is now able to relax and unwind; treat herself to a luxurious bath and catch up on much needed sleep. The apartment at night assumes a "gothic old mansion" like quality with a sense of secrets and something lurking. And why not? Mad Max has got the whole place rigged with a 2-way mirror, spy holes, and secret accesses. Along with sensuous shots of Juliet that might make some of us in the audience feel uncomfortably complicit, the cinematography also takes us behind the walls; into wall spaces, and into service areas of the building where the sounds there eerily create the impression that the building is also somehow a "living co-conspirator". The turning of an exhaust fan, for example, seems almost diabolical; like part of a great mechanical trap. It is easy to get the idea that Juliet has not actually moved into an apartment building but essentially into an elaborate snare made to look like one.

Hilary Swank looks great; toned, shapely, and fit. A fact that we ironically voyeuristically appreciate at the top of the movie as she jogs thru the park about 8 minutes or so before we are taken to that other level of voyeurism: the sick, obsessed, predatory-type. Movie producers have a long history of using many of humanity's shameful shortcomings as fodder for their creativity and this is just another instance. I thought the movie was entertaining and disturbing as we watch 2-faced Max act like Mr. nice guy when he was with Juliet --and when not-- moving troll-like behind the scenes using his cavern-like wall spaces and secret accesses. --And later, as well, when his behavior escalates to a brazen and desperate level after he realizes Juliet's heart belongs to someone else. I understand the subject matter is not to everyone's taste, but if you like women-in-peril movies in general, and don't mind THIS type of peril, then I think it's worth seeing. Love, Boloxxxi.

In New York, Dr. Juliet Bliss Devereau (Hilary Swank) of the Brooklyn General Hospital has ended her relationship with her boyfriend Jack (Lee Pace) and is seeking an apartment in Brooklyn to live alone. She finds a bargain in an old apartment building owned by the handsome and lonely Max (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and one night she misinterprets his signals and dates him. However she concludes that it is too soon to have a love affair and she asks Max to leave her apartment. However she does not know that Max is a deranged man obsessed on her and that he spies her from secret openings in her apartment. Further, Max is drugging Juliet every night and sexually abusing of her. Juliet has troubles to wake up in the morning to go to the hospital and decides to install a monitoring system in her apartment. She learns the truth about Max but how to escape from the insane landlord?

"The Resident" is a predictable thriller that the viewer knows exactly what is going to happen in the next scene. I do not understand why an awarded actress like Hilary Swank that was Oscar winner twice in the Best Actress in a Leading Role category could accept to participate in a lame film like "The Resident". My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "A Inquilina" ("The Tennant")

Decades ago, Hammer Studios produced some of the most legendary horror films in cinematic history. Their trademark style featured some truly iconic Gothic imagery, along with an almost endless amount of palpable suspense. Unfortunately, as times changed, so did the desire for Hammer Horror, sadly causing the studio to close its doors. Luckily for horror fans, however, Hammer Studios returned in 2008 after a three-decade sabbatical from movies to reclaim its rightful place in the genre. While it has yet to make its mark on its new modern audience, hope comes with the studio's latest release: 'The Resident.' The first thing many horror fans will notice ab out this new Hammer horror is its very familiar story, which seems to borrow heavily from classics like 'Psycho' and 'Le Locataire.' This is because, well, it DOES borrow heavily from those films (and others). While they do have a nice change-up featuring a developing relationship between the stalker and stalkee, it does not vary all that much from other, superior past films.

As far as the other aspects of the film, Antti Jokinen's direction is very solid, especially when paired Guillermo Navarro's wonderful cinematography (which has also been featured in gorgeous films like 'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'Cronos'). These two talented filmmakers helped to effectively craft both sides of the perverted relationship with some impressive visuals. In addition to the fine look of the film, the acting is also a pretty fantastic success. Though I've never been a huge fan of Hilary Swank, even in her award-winning roles, I do understand her talent. Her general persona has just never been a draw for me. In this film, for instance, scenes that would be very alluring with another lead simply feel cold & flat. Still, her talent is undeniable. The real deal in the film isn't the Oscar winner, though: it's 'Supernatural'-star Jeffrey Dean Morgan. His performance as ultra-creepy Max was fantastic. In a more original movie, his villainous character would have been very much talked about. Instead, it will only be remembered for what could have been.

Overall, Hammer's 'The Resident' is an entertaining & creepy suspense thriller, but does fail to impress in the long run due to its overdone and unoriginal script. But, this doesn't stop it from being easily worth at least one watch on a popcorn-fueled date night at home, especially for fans of the two leads.

Final Verdict: 6/10.

-AP3-

Academy Award winner Hilary Swank should stay away from the horror/thriller genre. Hey, the girl can act. She's got two golden statues on display somewhere in her home that would argue anyone's theory to the contrary. But her two major forays into the genre with The Reaping (2007) and The Resident (2011) are both weak and embarrassing entries in an otherwise enviable work history.

In The Resident, Swank plays Dr. Juliet Dremer, a New Yorker that moves into a new apartment after separating from her husband. The room is being rented by the good-looking Max played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen, The Losers) and the price is beyond enticing.

But after moving in, Juliet realizes that it is truly too good to be true and Max and his elderly father (Christopher Lee is a throw away performance) are hardly the innocent warm-hearted individuals that they seemed at first introduction.

With a standard 90-minute running time, there isn't much in The Resident to recommend. Swank does a commendable job in a paper thin character but the movie really hinges on Max and JD Morgan is neither convincing nor as creepy as he needs to be to elevate the film above a one-and-a-half star rating.

As things begin to reveal themselves and the Max becomes more aggressive as the antagonist of the film, we just don't buy into the ideas represented in the script penned by director Antti Jokinen. Max's penchant for spying on Juliet and sneaking into her bedroom each night to hover, touch and exude creepiness just doesn't translate through Morgan's hunk-able looks. One could not help but remember why Anthony Perkins was so damn creepy in the Psycho films. He looked like a freak – an outsider that might be capable for such atrocities due to stark raving madness. Trying to believe that Jeffrey Dean Morgan would slip into Juliet's apartment to sniff and cradle her laundry is just not plausible.

But maybe our biggest argument against The Resident is its use of sound. There must be six to ten jump scares in the film and they are all a result of an increased musical blast when unnecessary shocks are infused. We know that Jokinen wanted to take the best parts from Psycho, Pacific Heights and to some extent, Through the Eyes of a Killer, but this one just doesn't work on any attempted level.

And when the final confrontation between the two leads occurs and needles and knifes are brandished, you just won't care what happens to any of them. And that is the biggest flaw a horror/thriller film can make.

www.killerreviews.com

Very stupid story and pretty mediocre acting. This movie was like made for TV morning program. Plot of the movie suppose to scare you but I actually laughed. Our heroine was playing with a wrong guy and then he become crazy. But instead of the creepy scenes and feeling of being scared of the guy I more felt sorry of him and after a while couldn't stop laughing. Our guy does not suggest a dangerous man being scary or frightening all the way to the end. If I didn't read the plot I would think that this is actually a social drama talking about the harmless patient of the local psychiatric hospital. No plot, no suspense. No character development at all. Just the guy who observes the woman he likes, getting into her apartment. Slow, dull and not entertaining at all - this is the best explanation of the movie. Disappointing.

Although "The Resident" was made by the long-dormant but now revived Hammer Film Productions, it is not a tale of supernatural horror like their famous offerings from the fifties, sixties and seventies (It does, however, feature a cameo performance from one of the biggest stars of those offerings, Christopher Lee). Rather, it is a thriller of the type which I have come to think of as the "…. from Hell" film. The basic premise of films of this type is that a stranger comes into the life of the central character. At first this stranger seems to be friendly or affable, but quickly turns out to be a dangerous criminal, and the hero or heroine realises that his or her life is in danger. This basic plot is not a new one- Alfred Hitchcock used it as the basis for some of his films, such as "Shadow of a Doubt" or "Strangers on a Train", but it was given a new lease of life in the late eighties and early nineties by the success of "Fatal Attraction", and still occasionally surfaces today. ("Orphan" and "Swimfan" are two other twenty-first century examples).

"Pacific Heights" brought us the tenant-from-Hell, and "Single White Female" the flatmate-from-Hell, and "The Resident", with its landlord-from-Hell, is another variation on this theme. The heroine is Juliet Devereau, a young doctor in a New York hospital, who is looking for an apartment to rent and finds a large, spacious apartment for a surprisingly reasonable rent. (The title may be a play on words, Juliet being a "resident" both in the sense of the American usage for a junior hospital doctor, what in Britain would be called a house officer, and in the sense of the occupier of a building).She meets her landlord, Max, and the two become friends. Indeed, they become more than just good friends; they go on a date, and come close to having sex, until Juliet pulls out, largely because of her unresolved feelings for her ex-boyfriend Jack. Juliet, however, still regards Max as a friend, until she realises that he is an unbalanced sexual predator who has become dangerously obsessed with her.

As a thriller, "The Resident" is a fairly straightforward one, with no devastating plot twists. It is made clear fairly early on that Max is the villain, although there is a brief red herring which suggests wrongly that his elderly grandfather August (the part played by Lee) is the voyeur who has been spying on Juliet. Helped by some spooky music of the type more often found in horror themes, director Antti Jokinen is able to create a fair amount of tension in the scenes where Max is stalking Juliet.

The main problem, however, is the lack of originality. Films of this nature, especially those with a woman-in-peril theme, have become over-familiar in recent years. Some examples from the great "from Hell" boom of the nineties managed to pull off some surprises, and some such as "Fatal Attraction", "Single White Female" and "the Hand that Rocks the Cradle" managed to endow their villains with a surprising amount of psychological depth and complexity. There is nothing like that in "The Resident", although there is an attempt to provide Max with a tragic back-story. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is a forgettable villain; most of the best ones in "from Hell" movies have, in fact, been female. Although Hilary Swank is adequate is the threatened Juliet, a routine potboiler like this one is not the sort of film one would normally associate with a double Oscar winner. 5/10

The plot summary from The Resident did not sound very interesting to me, but my suspicions of mediocrity were not enough to dissuade me from watching it, because the presence in the cast from the good actors Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Christopher Lee suggested enough talent in order to compensate the potential fails from the story; besides, the fact that it was produced by Hammer Films touched a nostalgia factor to me. Unfortunately, The Resident ended up being a boring thriller.

The first half hour from The Resident looks like many romantic melodramas in which a divorced woman finds a new love which resurrects her interest in life. But after that, the film takes the thriller route. Unfortunately, the screenplay wastes any chance of making something original or unexpected, preferring a predictable ride through the clichés from this kind of movies: romantic moments illuminated by candles; fleeting glimpses to the villain's psychosis (moments which reach the involuntary humor); disgusting invasions to the privacy when the villain spies the main character naked in the bathroom, or kisses her furtively while she sleeps...and, sure, the unavoidable acts of violence when the intruder feels that his "real love" is not answering as he wants to. Among the few elements from The Resident, I can mention Morgan's intensity, the aura of threaten conjured by Lee, and the combination of force and vulnerability expressed by Swank. Pity that they were involved in such a badly written movie.

Despite the performances, I cannot recommend The Resident, because it is boring and it does not generate any suspense.

I have put this flick on my list for my birthday but I received it a few months later for Xmas. When opening the package I saw the DVD sleeve and thought, what the hell is this, this isn't horror but when I turned over the box I saw the name Hammer. Then I knew why I asked for this flick, face it, Hilary Swank isn't a name that you came across in the genre.

I think that I don't have to explain the history of British horror in particularly Hammer Studio's. They were broke back then in the days when Gothic horror was over and the slashers came in. Hammer was known for Gothic and after a while nudity. Hammer was also known for a few names, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Cushing past away in 1994 but Lee is still alive and let him be in this Hammer production. So the link was pretty quick made, this could be a new Hammer classic.

Naturally people think that Hammer would go back to memory lane but they didn't. It's an up-to-date flick that deliver some creepy moments. It isn't bloody at all but it is something that could happen to you. But what makes the movie is indeed the face of Lee. He isn't that much in it but his face still can deliver some nasty looks. On the other hands the main parts were played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan who we knew from Watchmen (2009). He really did an excellent job and was believable but the biggest surprise came from Hilary Swank. I only have seen her in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby (2004) and the flop The Black Dahlia (2006) and by that she wasn't really knew to me as a scream bird. But look what she did here, she's playing the naive bachelor coming out of a relation and moving into the big city NY. She falls in love with her landlord but after a while she guesses that things aren't what they look like.

The first half hour is really getting to know the characters and again Hilary surprised me by going full nudity. There is even a close-up of her underwear were it was clearly to see how she shaved her pubic hair. Just when she's going for it with her landlord the movie flashbacks to the beginning of the movie and from that point it goes wrong with her.

It's a bit low on everything but the acting makes it watchable. It's a flick that goes from a love story were you really get involved with the characters towards a nasty flick. There is a bit of blood in it at the end but don't think that you will see a slasher or a return to the old Hammer flicks. It's a bit like The Stepfather or Single White Female.

I won't forget this flick due Hilary's performance and naturally as Hammer putting themselves back on the map.

Gore 0,5/5 Nudity 1/5 Story 3/5 Effects 2/5 Comedy 0/5

A well acted film that unfortunately offers nothing new once the scene has been set. A third of the way into the film you can pretty much turn off and guess the rest. its a real shame too because there was an element of mystery to begin with which was stripped away far too early leaving only a predictable hour till the finish.

Aside from that the acting is great, the tension is OK, although its not built upon enough, it seemed as if scenes of potentially great tension were cut short just to have action, which, in a horror film, isn't a smart move.

There are a couple of great scenes when the 'horror' came not from the hunter but from the hunted, but overall it never really scares.

It's probably no more than coincidence, but still it's interesting to note how the two movies that have boldly dared to open alongside Marvel's summer superhero juggernaut "Thor" are both about a woman who becomes the target of someone else's dangerous obsession within their place of stay. While the stalker is said woman's new college roommate in the other movie, it is young doctor Juliet Devereau's landlord here in "The Resident"- and a male at that, in contrast to "The Roommate's" female.

Juliet is played by Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank, and while this thriller could not be further from her "Million Dollar Baby", the box-office reception to her movies in the years since (e.g. "The Reaping", "Amelia" and most recently "Conviction") hasn't been exactly kind. Nevertheless, Swank is more than a competent actress, and she carries the movie skilfully with a nuanced performance as the victim of another person's mania. Indeed, she lets her audience feel her character's naivety, helplessness and desperation keenly, which makes the eventual denouement between victim and stalker much more engrossing.

The stalker is the landlord of the building in which she rents an apartment overlooking New York's East River, having just separated from her boyfriend (Lee Pace). Max (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) at first appears to be the perfect proprietor, ever ready to attend to any problems in her apartment and hunky enough for Juliet to consider as a rebound guy- that is, until she gets cold feet and breaks it off. Big mistake- turns out Max ran into Juliet months ago at the hospital she works, decided he liked her, and deliberately set things up so she would come knocking to rent the apartment from him.

With the villain revealed within the first half-hour of the film, Finnish director Antti Jokinen- who makes her feature film debut- has an uphill task keeping her audience's attention on Max's increasingly intrusive and even violently obsessive ways. But Jokinen does an efficient job maintaining the suspense of the film, as we watch Max go from using her toothbrush and lying in the bathroom in the day to caressing her in bed at night after knocking her out with a drug mixture. If the film remains disturbingly riveting, it is because the film plays nicely on its audience's own fears of home invasion.

Jokinen however reserves any action for the last 20 minutes of the film after Juliet discovers Max's horrifying secret. It's an appropriately exciting, and vicious even, finale that uses the labyrinth of hidden passageways behind the walls of the apartment from which Max hides to spy on Juliet to great claustrophobic effect. Despite the visceral thrills, the conclusion leaves something to be wanting- particularly because Jokinen and her co-writer Rober Orr fail to offer stronger motivation behind Max's obsession.

There are some flashbacks and "Dracula" actor Christopher Lee's brief supporting role as Max's authoritarian granddad, but largely the story doesn't offer enough for us to believe in Max's lunacy. Morgan too doesn't command enough menace, and seems more comfortable playing Mr Nice Guy at the start of the film than Mr Crazy Guy by its end. One wonders if it would have been better if the writers had simply left out Max and Juliet's brief fling and cast someone more credible, like Morgan's fellow "Watchmen" actor Jackie Earle Haley, as Max.

Yet in spite of its flaws, those looking for a little counter-programming opposite "Thor" should find this a effective thriller that has its moments of genuine suspense and excitement. This is also legendary horror studio Hammer's third feature film since its recent comeback, and its first in 35 years with Christopher Lee- yet another solid effort after last year's "Let Me In" and should bode well for their return to mainstream territory.

Well, here is a movie that is a good example of where the movie industry is heading these days. Into an bleak and pretty predictable world of clichés that does not have much to offer to the viewer. They could have accomplish much more with this plot, and I do not know what stopped them. I was really hoping for some sick and twisted thriller or even horror and what I got was a classic time-killer. Well, the movie is not that bad, I regret that they did not use the premise in its full capacity only, so it is worth watching.

The movie is classic creepy neighbor (in this case landlord) story. Juliet Devereau is a young doctor who moves into an apartment that seems too good to be true. The rent is good, landlord is handsome and charming and everything seems great, but then she will find out that when things are this good something has to go wrong. In this case it was the landlord, which is not much of a spoiler since you could practically from the beginning figure out in which direction this story is heading. The only unknown in this equation is the extent of the creepiness and weirdness of the friendly neighbor. Jeffrey Dean Morgan (not Javier Bardem, although they are almost identical) really got into character and I could totally see him as a weirdo, and so did Swank in the opposite direction (positive opposite, if that makes sense), so there was definitely some chemistry between them. And I have to mention that Swank looked extremely hot in this movie, with a lot of almost nude scenes... Although this could be a great movie, it is still a good movie, that definitely deserves a chance, so check it out.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan is the only reason you would want to see this movie where he contributes with his very much likable performance as in many other movies. It was a hard movie to watch and I had to stop it at some moments and tell myself that it was just a movie, some parts was just unpleasant although nothing was really happening. I also often asked myself a question that concerned the movies ending, like what is going to happen 'cause it didn't feel like they had so much room to build an interesting plot around. But it worked anyways.

Pretty forgettable movie and will not be mentioned in any worthy discussion. Mainstream at it's best!

Guillermo Navarro's cinematography and a struggling cast cannot compensate for the weak script in this predictable thriller. I do not hold it against the picture that they went through other leads, although it is obvious that the role was not written for Swank specifically. She makes a solid effort at vulnerability, as per the part, despite the copiously fogged nude scenes making it clear that this ex-Karate Kid and $M Baby could put most guys through a wall. And Christopher Lee is used well, if sparingly, though fans should not come in expecting a huge role for him. I did not, and was not disappointed.

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But the film is packed with the kind of dialog in which characters literally declare their emotional state to the audience, "I am ___ , because ___." This picks up a little with the intrusion of a he said/she said on screen rewind of the events just seen, which are then replayed in montage so as to reveal the antagonist's back-story and motives in a manner more ham fisted even than the dialog. The rewind flashback is exceeded even by a facile, inverse, parallel use of guns near the open and ending shots. The score is adequate if derivative, with some droning bells and manipulated strings that match well with the early use of environmental sounds in the cityscape.

Despite these many overplayed elements, Navarro's cinematography is pleasingly smart. A white on black color motif that shifts to red for effective foreshadowing, it helps relieve the series of lame jump-scares. Institutional colors at her work alternate with warm flesh tones for intimate interiors, and smooth use of the established apartment space with more interesting camera movement than your typical voyeur thriller.

Morgan is also good, and it is promising to see him cast in Bornedal's upcoming film for Raimi's uneven Ghost House Pictures. But overall, this is a disappointing but not terrible film. Maybe hard for Hammer fans to take, as they seem to be harking back to earlier thriller/noir territory rather than more horrific or explicit films. The casting seems problematic here, and the use of Radcliffe in the upcoming Lady in Black remake is worrisome as a similar strategy. That film should at least have a better script, adapted by Jane Goldman, than this did.

Hammer has a history of re-adapting classics, featuring actors for their name, and doling out the nudity - so it is pleasing to see this film as part of a move in that direction after the unambitious Let Me In. They do seem to be playing it overly safe with some casting choices, although perhaps these upcoming projects will push further against type. Hopefully, they can retain this level of technical gloss and apply it to more original or at least cleverly realized work.