Review by John Delia
Not since Stanley Kubrick’s The Shinning has there been a disturbing film come as close as The Room. It has all the elements with a story so diabolical that it should keep you glued to the screen. And you’ll never out guess this twisted tale that teases and tortures right down to the last moment. The Eerie music helps a lot and the sets are perfect for this creative original horror flick for fans. Directing, acting, production value and storyline make The Room a horror fan’s best nightmare.
Kate (Olga Kurylenko) and Matt Dewitt (Kevin Janssens) are a young couple who are moving into a two story brick house in the small farming town of Springwell, NY. Matt is a struggling artist and she a translator for a big firm. During their first day of unpacking they find some strange things, one of which is a wallpapered covered door with a design that resembles a satanic symbol. Looking through the keyhole Matt remembers seeing a weird key in the trash that may fit the lock. Digging through the rubble of the discarded furniture and other unwanted items he finds it. Matt places the key in the keyhole and as lights start to flicker the door opens revealing strange wires covering the walls.
It’s not long after that they find out from the electrician that the original occupants of the house were murdered by a man only known as John Doe (John Flanders). Director Christian Volckman keeps the mystery of the house hidden as he starts to reveal the power of the room and the riches that start to provide the young couple. Volckman drops clues along the way as we watch the greed increase and even a sparkle in Kate’s eye with unexpected news.
The film really is a one of a kind and makes for some of the best creepy chapters in this very tantalizing movie. Nicely played out the twists start to come early on, but once you figure that one out, it’s time for another. His antagonist John Doe is a weirdo that’s totally out of his mind, but even that comes into question as Volckman moves into another chapter leading up to an ending you will not have conceived.
In the starring role of Kate, Olga Kurylenko provides another outstanding character in her long list of winners. Here she’s the winsome wife who relishes a chance to get away from the everyday grind of her demanding job. When she starts finding the riches that the house provides, to her it’s a dream come true. But as the saying goes, be careful for what you wish for, becomes a reality and Kate finds herself in the middle of a nightmare.
As Matt, Kevin Janssens gives possibly one of the best performances of his career as the mind bended artist who can’t believe his eyes at the treasures materializing from the room. Lost in the wild possibilities of his future, he starts to scheme on how to protect what he has found and what to choose next. But, how do you spend millions when you can just wish and it just appears? And when there is a live or death choice to be made, he may not be ready to make it.
The Room has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains language, sex/brief nudity, violence. Some may find the film absurd, but I found it amazingly freaky.
FINAL ANALYSIS: One of the best horror flicks of the year. (5 out of 5 Stars)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast:  Olga Kurylenko, Kevin Janssens, Joshua Wilson
Directed by: Christian Volckman
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Horror
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, language, sex/brief nudity, violence
Running Time: 1 hr. 40 min.
Video Release Date: July 21, 2020
Original Theatrical Release Date: November 6, 2019
Language: English
Reviewed Format: Blu-ray
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Aspect Ratio 2.39:1 Widescreen
Subtitles: English SDH
Distributed by: RJLE Films
Released on: Blu-ray, DVD, VOD, Digital