Architect Evan (Keanu Reeves) is working from home late on a stormy night when he hears the titular “Knock Knock” (2015) at his door. It’s remarkable how effectively creepy this is, even though we know it’s merely two young women, dressed to party, who have (supposedly) been dropped at the wrong house.
Housecall
Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) and Bell (Ana de Armas) have no weapons, and one useless cellphone. Even if they have some bizarre scheme in mind, how could it work? But Evan – whose wife and kids are away — is uncomfortable. All male viewers (especially those who are married) will feel uneasy too – for all the nightmare reasons that unfold in writer-director Eli Roth’s smart spin on home-invasion horror.
I recently watched Roth’s debut, “Cabin Fever” (2003). That’s a case of a solid script that doesn’t have the cast to pull off the required sense of unease. “Knock Knock,” made after he had become a commercially successful auteur, is different.
“Knock Knock” (2015)
Director: Eli Roth
Writers: Eli Roth, Nicolás López, Guillermo Amoedo (screenplay); Anthony Overman, Michael Ronald Ross (story)
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Ana de Armas, Lorenza Izzo
Again, the screenplay is fairly smart, as Genesis and Bell slowly and intriguingly work their scheme. Roth eventually peppers in biting one-off notes of commentary about every sociopolitical issue of the day – the 1 percent, privilege, sex and consent, the notion of a male rape victim.
Among its less overt (but more successful) commentaries, “Knock Knock” illustrates how silly it is to take sides in “he said, she said” conflicts. These would become common in the #MeToo era a few years after this film’s release.
Just as we know society won’t support Evan for what could go down on this fateful night, we likewise totally support him as we see the events unfold. He is unambiguously the victim, even if he would not be cast that way in a legal case.
In from the rain
“Knock Knock” hugely benefits from its great cast – at least before the final act. Genesis and Bell are irresistible sexpots, although Evan does impressively resist them, playing the gentleman who lets them dry off while they wait for their Uber.
The leads are as sexy as the screenplay intends, particularly de Armas (now rightfully a movie star) as she dances around with one shoulder of her bathrobe threatening to spill off. Ironic as it may be, it can’t be denied that’s part of the film’s appeal.
Reeves doesn’t downplay his John Wick status too much in playing this family man. Indeed, Evan has a similar shaggy hairstyle. An injured shoulder levels the playing field with these sly home invaders, but when Evan playfully says he could take the two girls in a fight, we believe him.
But Evan is rightly uneasy because of the unseen weapons attractive women can wield. Males may be (on average) physically stronger, but that doesn’t give Evan the edge in this showdown.
The film’s first half is spicy because we don’t know the women’s precise plan, and because we’re watching an A-list soft-pornographic film. It’s like a pleasant experience before the horror we suspect will follow.
Reeves’ limited range
The film’s second half is less successful as Roth peppers in those myriad themes and tries for a big torture-oriented set piece. Reeves can be great within a certain range, and he is when playing the slightly off-balance noble host – and also in action series like “John Wick” and “The Matrix.”
When Evan starts to be victimized, Reeves isn’t as good. Or else Roth directs him to not be as good – he strikes me as a helmer who doesn’t do a lot of takes. Via Reeves’ back-half performance, Roth is perhaps making a “Cabin Fever”-esque wild stab at dark comedy.
Roth is known as a “torture porn” director, but in some scenes he shies away from bad treatment of his characters. The attempt at comedy is a way to escape the subtle horror of Evan’s life being ruined (even if he survives the night).
Even if Roth eventually softens the blow with a finale that’s less pointed than it could’ve been, the central conceit retains its power. It’s an outside-the-box yet perfect horror premise, well executed most of the way. It can’t be denied “Knock Knock” pulls off a near-impossible trick: By film’s end, I wouldn’t open my door for Ana de Armas.