Cinematic Releases: The Loft

With barely any marketing, The Loft remake is in theaters this weekend.

"Stop worrying so much.
You're definitely as hot
as you think you are."

In a cinematic era that lacks mystery or true eroticism that doesn't border on pornography, The Loft surprisingly delivers one of the best whodunit theatrical releases in several years with a who's who cast of five male leads that finally come into their own.

Blending a modern tone with a defined attempt at capturing a bit of Hitchcock, The Loft is a pleasant departure during the otherwise barren months of winter. Mixing a charismatic team of extremely attractive male and female actors doesn't hurt much either. The Loft looks good, sounds great, and does an awesome job at bringing back that mid-'80s to mid-'90s flair for erotic, edge of your seat, sexually charged thrillers.

Centered around a male cast featuring a blunderous Wentworth Miller, a brutally realistic James Marsden, a suave Karl Urban, a calculated Matthias Schoenaerts, and a rotten Eric Stonestreet, The Loft borrows certain cues from other mysterious movies about friends hiding secrets. There are minor shades of Very Bad Things, small hints of River's Edge, and a tonal quality that sometimes feels juxtaposed from any of the numerous dramatic thrillers that defined my teenage years. Yet, the cold stares from a newly refined Rhona Mitra combined with the balmy presence of Rachael Taylor and the strangely seductive Isabel Lucas makes this one steamy affair at the movies.

"My god. I'm alive. I don't need
those silly looking glasses, and
there's no clawed mutant to steal
my HOT girlfriend (see above).
Bad ass. "

The set design is immaculate and defines the tone with an uppity high class feel that fits perfectly for capturing the essence of these characters and their motives. From big wig shindigs to high class San Diego hotels to exclusive wedding parties and private sex pads, The Loft exemplifies the nature of men that can afford to live above and beyond the means of any typical person. In that aspect, the film is pure escapist fun that just so happens to involve murderous intrigue and moral decay. From beginning to end, this is an enthralling but realistic journey that captivates through its use of sexuality, beautiful women, and romanticized intrigue.

For fans of movies like Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct, Unfaithful, or any other variance of titles in this sub-genre, this is a nearly perfect attempt at revitalizing the long lost art of sensual drama. There are moments of schmaltzy acting by Wentworth Miller that drag it down a hair, but other than that, this is a solid winter release that deserves to do well at the box office. Yet, the timing of the release will definitely kill this thing. On that note, snag a copy when it comes out on blu-ray. This has a rewatchability factor that most current releases absolutely lack. I'm sure there are clues laid out all over the place. I was not expecting a movie this good.


-CG