Loyola Greyhound

Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: Arts & Society

Media Credit: Summit Entertainment Like a number of other horror films, "P2" falls short on having a well-thought-out plot line and instead focuses on exemplifying the physical assets of the leading torture victim. In this case, Rachel Nichols is attacked and put in a slutty evening gown by a psycho security guard.

It's funny, these days, how much America feeds off of gore and exploitation-based horror movies. These torture films that flood the theaters with blood are now occupying screens at any time of year; even the season to be jolly isn't sacred anymore. Now, the Christmas themed, how-the-hell-do-I-get-out-of-this-parking-garage-with-a-psycho-killer movie, "P2" continues the trend of making any time torture time.

In "P2," Rachel Nichols (previously seen in the TV series "Alias" and who will be seen an upcoming movie starring Tom Hanks, "Charlie Wilson's War") is a young New York executive named Angela Bridges working extreme overtime on Christmas Eve.

When she finally gets to leave to go to a family party, she is seemingly alone. Alone, that is, until she can't start her car in the parking garage and meets up with a "friendly" security guard, (Wes Bentley, of "American Beauty") who tries to help her. After his failed attempt, she rejects his invitation to stay with him and enjoy a Christmas meal.

So, as she is walking, seemingly alone again, to try to figure out a way to get out of the locked down parking garage, she is attacked by the once friendly security guard.

Moments in movie time later, she wakes up chained to a dinner table in a new, pretty, skimpy dress (ahh... the woman's wardrobe in horror movies) with a security guard who has been watching her for months and just wants to spend some time with her.

Now the game is on as she must figure out a way to escape from the "P2" level of the parking garage and to get away from a pretty creative and yet boyishly creepy guard named Thomas.

If you may have noticed the hint of sarcasm in my tone while writing the synopsis, you can sense the annoyance I felt after an hour and a half of this mindless entertainment. Horror movies can be brilliant when the characters have more layers to them than one skimpy white dress and a business card playing opposite a one layer security guard uniform covered in blood.

Continued...

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