Starts slowly but grows into a rather unsettling little film
Added 5/1/2009
I really enjoy sampling the horror cinema wares of different regions and countries. More often than not, they are better than the same old paint-by-numbers films coming out of Hollywood; more than that, though, foreign horror films almost always put me in an environment I'm not fully familiar with and inject a creative element into the whole experience that branches down dark corridors I've yet to traverse. Kollegiet (Room 205) marks my first foray into Danish horror, and I must say I'm not quite sure how to approach this particular film. I want to criticize and praise it at the same time. Part of me says it wasn't all that impressive of a film, but another part of me has to acknowledge the fact that it definitely managed to get under my skin before all was said and done.
Room 205 isn't going to grab you by the lapels and shake you. In fact, it's difficult to really get into the story or characters early on. The fact that the whole atmosphere is dark, dreary, and rainy all of the time doesn't help, but the real burden the film has to overcome is the fact that it develops very slowly over the course of the first half hour. It's even difficult to get much of a read on the main character, Katrine (Neel Rønholt), who initially comes across as a shy and unassuming young lady just entering university; there's an air of mystery about her, however, as we see some definite conflict between her and her father and soon learn that her mother killed herself some time earlier. Her new dorm mates are rather standoffish, especially Sanne (Julie Ølgaard), and we know they basically ran the last dorm mate out of the house; you're either in or out, and Rolf (Mikkel Arendt) was out. Katrine soon hears the story of a ghost in room 205, supposedly that of a young woman who died there twenty years earlier. Surprisingly enough, it is not Katrine but Sanne who actually lives in room 205 - but that doesn't mean Katrine has nothing to worry about, especially after an indiscretion and betrayal lands her on the outs just like Rolf.
I've seen some viewers compare this movie to The Ring (Widescreen Edition), but I don't see any connection whatsoever between the two films. Room 205 is in no way a Danish version of The Ring. I do agree with those who say this film was not scary, but I do have to say that I came to find it deliciously unsettling. That probably has more to do with the directing and cinematography than the actual story, though. Mirrors play a significant role in this film, and director Martin Barnewitz makes great use of them to produce several eerie and oddly captivating visual shots. Unfortunately, the English dubbing of the film leaves much to be desired (having watched the film online - legally, I might add - I did not have the option of foregoing the dubbing in favor of the much more desirable subtitles).
Some people just aren't going to like this film, but I hope those who see it resist whatever temptation they feel to give up on it early on. When matters eventually start to hit the fan (or mirror, in this case), Room 205 is quite capable of pulling off some effective horror-laden moments. The deaths, while not overly gory, are nevertheless presented quite effectively, and there's a strong psychological aspect to the whole story. You have to connect with Katrine to get the full effect, but I think most viewers will do just that. Personally, I found Neel Rønholt to be a most enchanting young actress - and not just because she bears a definite resemblance to both Erin Brown (formerly Misty Mundae) and someone I know. She's exquisite, and I daresay her smile could launch a thousand ships. She's definitely earned a spot on my personal watch list of actresses. I'm also going to keep an eye out for other Danish horror movies; it's far from perfect, but Room 205 gives me the distinct impression that good things are happening in Danish cinema.
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Tepid Danish horror flick
Added 4/21/2009
I really hoped for better when I picked this up. "Room 205" doesn't really have a unique plot or above average acting, and the scare factor is very low. This Danish horror flick centers around a young woman who moves into a dorm where there's a Room 205, purported to be haunted by the restless spirit of a dead girl. When the young woman finds herself being a target of bullying, her mental state is further confused by the startling visions she experiences - of a strange entity, a face staring at her from a mirror etc. Soon, people in the dorm begin to die under horrible circumstances - is it a supernatural entity at work or something less sinister?
The movie's flaws lies in many areas - though the lead actress is pretty enough and seems to act credibly enough, the plot unfolds very slowly that I almost dozed off midway through. Yes, it's a Danish movie, and one can have the option of English audio [though I watched it in the original Danish with English subtitles], but language barrier aside, this movie was still lack luster.
The acting by the other cast members was quite stilted, and the effects didn't elicit any scares either. The muted tones used throughout the movie lent the picture quality a hazy and uncomplimentary effect. The story was promising, though by no means original [Asian horror has done better with similar premise], and it's a pity the potential wasn't realized.
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Great potential never fulfilled
Added 1/3/2009
When you watch a ghost story, you expect some spooks, chills and a few explanations about the backstory.
What you get in Room 205 is a sometimes badly dubbed film that lacks any scare effect.
Katrine is a troubled young woman who moves away from home after her mother's death. There, she discovers spiteful housemates who want to make her life hell after a bad hook up. During a rave, a ghost suddenly awakens and sets out to destroy them all.
As I watched this film, I kept waiting for that AH-HA moment - the one that pulls everything together in an intriguing twist. I also expected a few scares. I got non of that. The plot was seriously underdeveloped. There were obvious directions it could have gone, but everything was just, well, very dull.
Perhaps this works for European audiences, but it is not for the American horror fan. Save your cash for other Ghost House titles.
2 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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Room For Improvement
Added 11/19/2008
ROOM 205 baffled me. There is so much not to like about it. For instance, the entire movie is dubbed, and by voice-actors who sound like they've been chugging Dramamine. The plot mainly concerns a girl named Katrine who has just moved into a dormitory in Copenhagen. Her roommates are intrusive and manipulative jerks whom she befriends immediately by mostly standing around and grinning. It took me a while to realize that they are supposed to be youngish college students (hence the bizarre clique mentality they all share), because none of them look like they're any younger than 35. Their unofficial leader is the shrewish Sanne (pronounced like "Sane? Uhhhhh..."), who does not suffer from the typically human need to blink. Sanne kinda-sorta befriends Katrine (this is up for debate), but then Katrine goes and has harried hallway sex with Sanne's ex. Sanne, of course, goes on the warpath, and Katrine is suddenly foisted out of the clique. She joins Rolf, who was the last roommate before her. In every scene, Rolf appears to have just woken from a nap; he's the sickliest-looking man in Denmark.
At some point during the course of an ubelievably loud dormitory rave, a ghost is awakened.
The characters in this film are so confusing that they are almost hypnotic. Katrine's tendency to never defend herself or respond to common conversational comments is simultaneously off-putting and admirable. Secondary characters appear out of nowhere whenever a few extra bodies are required, but they contribute only as much to the action as your standard piece of scenery.
And yet, I still kinda liked it.
Ignoring for the moment that I am a sucker for really bad movies, the things this film did superbly were the horror moments. When it needs to be, the film is legitimately scary. The ghost and her mirror world are almost as engrossing as the rest of the movie's awkward awfulness. Much is accomplished with a few subtle jump cuts and lighting tricks, and there are few to no of the cheap-shot false-scares that movies like these usually haul out by the truckload.
I've never seen any of his other works (they include titles like "Bag Kameraet Pa Hotel Pandemonium" and "Legekammeraten"), but I give dirctor Martin Barnewitz props for doing some interesting work with Jannik Tai Mosholt's inane script. It may be slow and weird, but ROOM 205 is also kind of addictive. And if it doesn't make you jump, odds are good it will at least make you laugh.
2 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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A ghost story minus the scares
Added 11/8/2008
Along with The Substitute, Room 205 is a Danish import carrying the Ghost House Underground banner. Unlike The Substitute though, Room 205 is a tedious bore that fails to deliver, and ends up being a ghost story minus the scares. The gorgeous Neel Rønholt (who is a dead ringer for erotic scream queen Erin Brown, AKA Misty Mundae) stars as a newly moved in college student that soon learns the last inhabitant of her dorm room met a tragic and grisly demise. Her spirit is restless, and it isn't long before her mates start getting picked off one by one. It's nothing we haven't seen or heard before, but Room 205 at least starts out promising before getting caught up in mellowdrama. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Room 205 is just plain boring for almost 2/3's of its running time. Though it does get better during the last third of the film, Room 205 still ends up being a mostly boring disappointment. Still, you could always do much worse horror wise, and Room 205 is worth a look for ghost story fans, just don't expect too much out of it.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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