Knock Knock(2015 film)

Knock Knockis a 2015thrillerfilm[a]directed byEli Roth,[6]who also co-wrote the script withGuillermo AmoedoandNicolás López.The film starsKeanu Reeves,Lorenza IzzoandAna de Armas.The film was released on October 9, 2015, byLionsgate Premiere.Knock Knockis aremakeofDeath Game(shot in 1974, not released until 1977), which was directed by Peter S. Traynor and starredSondra LockeandColleen Camp.All three individuals had a hand in the production ofKnock Knock,while Camp also had a cameo in the newer film.[7][8]

Knock Knock
Theatrical release poster
Directed byEli Roth
Written by
Based onDeath Game
1977 film
by Anthony Overman
Michael Ronald Ross
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAntonio Quercia
Edited byDiego Macho
Music byManuel Riveiro
Production
companies
Distributed byLionsgate Premiere(United States)
Corazón Films (Chile)
Release dates
  • January 23, 2015(2015-01-23)(Sundance)
  • October 9, 2015(2015-10-09)(United States)
Running time
99 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Chile
  • United States[2]
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish
Budget$10 million[3][4]
Box office$6.3 million[5]

Plot

edit

OnFather's Dayweekend,architectEvan Webber remains home to complete his work project and attend hisphysical therapyappointment for his injured shoulder while his wife and children go on a pre-planned vacation. His wife Karen, a successful artist, leaves their assistant Louis in charge of her sculpture that needs to be moved to an art gallery for her show.

Two women, Genesis and Bel, knock on Evan's door during a rainstorm. Soaking wet, they tell him they are looking for the address of a party but their phones are not working. Evan allows them in to dry off and use the Internet. The girls play with the family dog, Monkey, and flirt with Evan while he orders anUberfor them. They disappear to the bathroom when their driver arrives. Evan brings them their clothes and finds them nude. He tries to convince them to leave, but they seduce him and he has athreesomewith them.

The next morning, Evan finds that his wife's sculpture has been vandalized by the girls. When he threatens to call the police, they claim they are underage. Vivian, a friend of Karen's, stops by. Seeing Genesis, she angrily leaves. When Evan threatens to report a break-in, they agree to be taken home.

Evan returns home and cleans the mess. Genesis knocks him out with one of his wife's sculptures. Bel climbs onto him to seduce him. Evan refuses, but the girls threaten toFaceTimehis wife unless he agrees to do what they demand. He is tied to his bed, and Bel forces herself on him while Genesis records, calling him apedophile.Evan breaks free and charges at Genesis, but she stabs him with a fork; she and Bel tie him to a chair with an electrical cord.

Louis arrives for the sculpture and finds Evan; he hears the girls smashing the sculpture. He runs to stop them, but has anasthmaattack and realizes they have taken hisinhaler.He slips, hits his head, and dies. The giggling girls turn Louis' corpse into a red sculpture and dig a grave in the backyard for Evan. They use both Evan's and Louis' phones to send text messages in order to give the appearance that Evan discovered that Louis had an affair with Evan's wife and murdered Louis. The girls trash the house and torture Evan. He escapes from the house, only to be held at gunpoint by Genesis. The girls have a sadistic fetish for killing men, with multiple previous victims to satisfy their sexual urges for violence, and announce that he will die at dawn.

At dawn, they tie Evan up with a hose, bury him in the hole, leaving only his head aboveground, and tell him they will crush his skull with a large stone. It misses his head, and the girls reveal that the entire ordeal was merely a "game;" they never intended to kill Evan, nor are underage; everything they did was part of a hobby of seducing, victimizing, and ruining the homes of married men with children who cheat on their spouses. Genesis shows Evan the video she recorded with his phone of Bel assaulting him. She uploads it to hisFacebookprofile. They depart for another victim and take Monkey with them, leaving Evan to his fate. Karen and the kids arrive to find the house ruined.

Cast

edit

Production

edit

On April 4, 2014,Keanu Reeveswas added to the cast to play Evan Webber. Chilean actress Ignacia Allamand also joined the film.[9][10]The shooting took place inSantiago de Chile.Eli Roth stated that filming in Chile is easier than in the United States.[11]Roth wanted the film to have a comedic approach, with physical humor too.[12]

Release

edit

Knock Knockpremiered at the2015 Sundance Film Festivalon January 23, 2015.[13]Three days later,Lionsgateacquired the distribution rights to the film.[14]The film was released in the United States on October 9, 2015.[15]

Home media

edit

Knock Knockwas released on DVD and Blu-ray on December 8, 2015.

Critical reception

edit

On thereview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,37% of 76 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Knock Knockbrings a lot of talent to bear on its satirical approach to torture horror, but not effectively enough to overcome its repetitive story or misguidedly campy tone. "[16]Metacritic,which uses aweighted average,assigned the film a score of 53 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[17]

Dread Centralawarded it a score of four out of five, saying "what we do have is a home invasion film for the social media generation (yes, it does feature social media in its plot) that should make you think twice before offering warmth and shelter to a stranger on a dark and stormy night."[18]

Jeff Bond ofGeek Monthlypraised Reeves' performance, saying, "his [dramatic] turn in [the film]... helps make the movie easily Roth's best work. "[19]

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^Sources differ as to the exact genre of the film; some have classified it as apsychological thriller,[20]anerotic thriller[21][22]or adark comedy.[21]

References

edit
  1. ^"KNOCK KNOCK(18) ".British Board of Film Classification.June 11, 2015.RetrievedAugust 11,2015.
  2. ^"Knock Knock (2015)".British Film Institute.Archived fromthe originalon June 3, 2016.
  3. ^Sneider, Jeff (February 21, 2014)."Eli Roth to direct, co-write horror movie 'Knock Knock' (Exclusive)".The Wrap.Archivedfrom the original on February 23, 2014.RetrievedJune 28,2015.
  4. ^Jagernauth, Kevin (April 4, 2014)."Keanu Reeves joins Eli Roth's 'Knock Knock,' Benicio Del Toro joins Denis Villeneuve's 'Sicario' & more".Indiewire.Archived fromthe originalon April 7, 2014.RetrievedJune 28,2015.
  5. ^"Knock Knock (2015)".the-numbers.RetrievedOctober 9,2015.
  6. ^Truitt, Brian (October 6, 2015)."'Knock Knock' aims to be 'Fatal Attraction'".USA Today.RetrievedJanuary 29,2022.
  7. ^Gingold, Michael (October 7, 2015)."Q&A:"KNOCK KNOCK"!Who's There? Director Eli Roth, on Keanu," Free Pizza "and More".Fangoria.Archived fromthe originalon October 23, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 2,2017.
  8. ^King, Susan (October 3, 2015)."In 'Knock Knock,' actress Colleen Camp has a cameo -- and a producer credit ".The Los Angeles Times.Los Angeles, California:Tronc.RetrievedSeptember 2,2017.
  9. ^Phillips, Chaka (April 14, 2014)."Eli Roth New Movie: 'Knock Knock' To Star Keanu Reeves; Film To Debut In September?".latinpost.com.RetrievedAugust 18,2014.
  10. ^"Keanu Reeves finished filming his movie" Knock Knock "in Chile".twitter.com. May 11, 2014.RetrievedAugust 18,2014.
  11. ^Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 4, 2014)."Keanu Reeves, Eli Roth To Team On Thriller 'Knock Knock'".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedAugust 18,2014.
  12. ^Abriss, Erik (October 7, 2015)."The Everlasting, Eternal Appeal of Keanu Reeves".Complex.RetrievedApril 26,2023.
  13. ^"Jason Segel's 'The End of the Tour' wows at Sundance".NY Daily News.January 24, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 25,2015.
  14. ^Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 26, 2015)."Lionsgate Closes Eli Roth-Keanu Reeves Thriller 'Knock Knock' At $2.5 Million".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedJanuary 27,2015.
  15. ^"Lionsgate Publicity".Lionsgate Publicity.RetrievedAugust 29,2015.
  16. ^"Knock Knock".Rotten Tomatoes.Fandango Media.RetrievedSeptember 14,2023.
  17. ^"Knock Knock".Metacritic.Fandom, Inc.RetrievedSeptember 14,2023.
  18. ^Gelmini, David (July 2, 2015)."Knock Knock (2015)".Dread Central.RetrievedAugust 29,2015.
  19. ^Bond, Jeff (August 2020). "Oh Keanu, you complete me".Geek Monthly.No. 11.EGM Media, LLC.p. 4.
  20. ^Brian Truitt (October 6, 2015)."'Knock Knock' aims to be 'Fatal Attraction'".USA Today.RetrievedJanuary 29,2022.
  21. ^abDowd, A l.A. (October 8, 2015)."Keanu goes full Cage in Eli Roth's sick home-invasion comedy Knock Knock".The A.V. Club.RetrievedApril 26,2023.
  22. ^Nashawaty, Chris (October 9, 2015)."'Knock Knock': EW review ".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedApril 26,2023.
edit