Apartment 143 (a.k.a. Emergo), 2012.
Directed by Carles Torrens.
Starring Kai Lennox, Gia Mantegna, Fransecs Garrido, Fiona Glascott, Rick Gonzalez and Michael O’Keefe.
SYNOPSIS:
A team of parapsychologists conduct an investigation into why strange phenomena are tormenting a family in their apartment building…
Since (at least) the massive success of The Blair Witch Project in 1999, filmmakers have been using various camera techniques and found footage to try to scare audiences in new and unexpected ways. Sometimes it works – the Paranormal Activity series for example – but often it doesn’t. For many, it is merely an inexpensive gimmick and a shortcut to framing a story.
When it does work then, it is a real pleasure for horror fans and film lovers in general. Written by Rodrigo Cortes, the creator of innovative political thriller Buried and this year’s chiller Red Lights, Apartment 143 is one such film.
A superior example of an already crowded stable, the Spanish production, originally titled Emergo, is an intelligent chiller and one that transcends its familiar set up.
Following a small parapsychology team (Rick Gonzalez, Fiona Glascott) led by the enigmatic Heseltine (Francesc Garrido), Apartment 143 builds up a claustrophobic, stifling tension that explodes into action with startling results. Investigating poltergeist like activity in a city apartment building, the team gradually uncover disturbing family secrets surrounding father Alan White (Kai Lennox) son Benny (Damian Roman) and daughter Cailin (Gia Mantegna).
Using a plethora of imaginative camera shots within the confined space of a few rooms and a hallway, first time director Carlo Torrens shows a great eye for detail in what is a smart and effective scarer. Making proper use of well defined characters and some enjoyably tense performances, the film has an emotional basis to go with all of the cameras and gadgetry on show.
Certain scenes are almost hallucinogenic in set-up; a prolonged scene featuring stroboscopic lights only enhances this nightmarish, bad-trip atmosphere. The cramped, labyrinthine nature of the apartment building is fully explored and exploited for maximum effect – the sense of being trapped is translated brilliantly well. In this regard, the creators are perhaps taking a cue from the similarly stifling Buried.
Clocking in at a stripped down and lean 80 minutes, Apartment 143 does more than most in this successful, well realised and thoughtful production. Most importantly, it scores highly on the requisite amount of jumps and scares and manages to convey something of a wider story full of even greater horror.
Extras include trailer and a 15 minute making of featuring comment from Torrens, Cortes and the cast.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk is a freelance journalist and film writer.
