Image courtesy of Shudder
Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) has inherited Comely Suites, her deceased grandmother’s suburban hotel. What’s her first order of business as owner? A weekend getaway there with her girlfriend Cal (Hari Nef) and a couple of her friends. Dancing and drinking the night away with the hotel entirely to themselves (or is it?), an initially carefree time turns into a downward spiral of jealousy, betrayal, and neuroticism. Ruthie’s friend Fran (Annabelle Dexter-Jones) begins to see what she’s convinced are former guests of the hotel paying her a visit, and the others aren’t having any of it, thinking she’s lost her marbles. Combined with some infidelity and a strained relationship between Ruthie and her mother, tension reaches its boiling point during their stay and leads to…“bad things” among the women.
Stewart Thorndike’s sophomore effort Bad Things pays obvious homage to The Shining with a queer, gender-swapped twist. Much like the Overlook Hotel, Comely Suites is always coated in snow, its former inhabitants are stuck in a past they believe to be present, one character goes a bit “Jack Torrance,” and there’s even a set of twins at the end of the hall. Nevertheless, this film hardly has the substance to do this homage any justice. While there are certain scenes that are effective in giving the hotel a slightly unsettling essence, the film is shot so plainly that any haunting depictions of residual ghosts seem like regular people doing underwhelming activities like jogging or sitting around a table. As a result, Fran’s terrified reaction to these entities seems a bit absurd and unwarranted. The film is especially ineffective with its scares and suspense, doing very little to keep viewers engrossed in the more supernatural aspects of the plotline if that’s what they’re invested in. The scarce spookiness eventually morphs into a retro slasher-style display, but even the bloodshed when it goes that mode seems dissatisfying.
What works even less than its lackluster presentation of the horror elements is the dynamic between the four lead actors. With such a small cast that takes up so much screen time, it’s downright necessary to have a solid base of fleshed-out characters that work well together as an ensemble. However, the majority of the film is filled with disinteresting drama and backstory surrounding them that feels completely inorganic. The motivations for some of the character’s more nefarious actions feel flimsy and often seem like they’re coming from left field. Outside of a few of Gayle Rankin’s moments, the acting also feels somewhat inauthentic. The script isn’t doing the actors any favors either, filled with awkward dialogue and exposition that fill up the majority of the film. Moreover, the way Ruthie’s relationship with her mother is handled feels stiff and slightly confusing, like an added element to give the story depth that doesn’t entirely work as well as intended. There’s simply no chemistry between the cast, and it makes even the zippy 86-minute running time feel like drudgery.
One part supernatural thriller, one part slasher film, and one part relationship drama, Bad Things is too many things but not enough of any of the interesting ones. It lacks focus and has an identity crisis that never really resolves itself or seems bold enough in what it’s trying to do. All The Shining references in the world aren’t making this one a memorable horror film. Bad Things is, unfortunately, a bad thing.
—Andrea Riley