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 Rated: R
Starring: Wes Bentley, Rachel Nichols, Simon Reynolds, Grace Lynn Kung
Directed by: Franck Khalfoun
Rachel Nichols and Wes Bentley pair up in P2, a
high-energy thriller that hits its target with white-knuckled suspense and
mind-bending terror. I was totally
immersed in the story from the start, and glued to the screen until the heart-pounding finish.
P2 centers on Angela (Nichols), a corporate executive
for a mid-town Manhattan
firm who gets hung up at the office with last minute business, and finds herself
nearly the last one out of the office building on Christmas Eve. Late for a family Christmas gathering, she
rushes down to the parking garage, but discovers her car won’t start.
Thomas (Bentley), a garage security guard,
tries to get her car started, but with no success. She decides to call a taxi from the now
deserted lobby, as her cell has no signal in the garage. But, when the cab arrives the building lobby
doors won’t open. Realizing she’s locked
in by the computer security center she rushes down to the exit in the parking
garage. But when she gets there, she
finds that fighting for her life is only the beginning of one terrifying night.
Casting in P2
would be considered critical, because there are only two main characters in the
script. But, Nichols and Bentley were
meant to play the parts of Angela and Thomas, and should be highly rewarded for
their wonderful acting.
The many faces
of Nichols are shown in her amazing performance. Angela’s aloof mannerisms born
out of the character’s successful climb up the corporate ladder melts away as
she claws for freedom from her garage prison.
Then her face turns to terror when she realizes that the only way out is
to defend herself from a demented guard and his ferocious dog. Tormented until she can’t take anymore, it’s
not a face of aloof or terror, but complete retaliatory butt-kicking anger.
Bentley’s
depiction of the deranged security guard goes from very chilling to
psychopathic. Totally capturing the evil
within his character, Bentley makes the film work. I had to turn away at times when he carried
out some very dastardly deeds, and his torturous tasks made me cringe.
A first-time director, Khalfoun should be commended on his ability to control the
action and hold the audience captive during 98 minutes of mesmerizing
torment. And the shooting in the dark
cinematography is amazing, a commanding part of the total eeriness of the
movie.
Guys,
taking a date to P2 would be highly recommended as long as she is not
squeamish about gore and violence. But,
you may want to double up on your long sleeve shirts or you will probably find
fingernail marks in your arms. Oh, and
the trick where you ask her to wait by the car in the dark parking lot following
the movie because you lost your keys in the theater? Sounds cool!
FINAL
ANALYSIS: A nail-biting, white-knuckle terror flick that will keep you on the
edge of your seat to its startling, mind-blowing finish. It’s a ‘charmer'.
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