Very well executed

A Brilliant Conflict

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Daisy has come to Hollywood to pursue her dreams. The apartment and surrounding areas where she lives are less than salubrious so she is confident her personal taser will halt any unwanted advances. With that kind of forethought, it is only ever a matter of time before she's beaten to death. It happens with a hammer in the – currently under renovation – 'luxury' hotel, The Lusman Arms where she was staying. This place is populated by OTT stereotypes who are mainly played as caricatures. This gives The Lusman Arms a heightened sense of reality in which new arrivals Nell and Steven, refreshingly normal, seem instantly out of place.Nell meets Chas Rooker, an elderly resident, whose job it is to provide (a) a sympathetic voice of reason, and (b) a lot of the back-story concerning how Jack Lusman, an occultist who built the place, mysteriously disappeared many years ago.When the (implausibly and awkwardly framed) attacks come from the black-clad killer – utilising hammers, drills etc – the victims have proved to be so ridiculously excessive in character, the murders take on a cartoonish aspect, which I find neither terrifying or particularly amusing. Only towards the end, when the killer's face is revealed in a long shot as he shrieks and howls like an animal in torment, does any sense of fear emerge. The stings and whirls of the incidental music that have been trying to convince us to be scared since the beginning, finally have some horror to embrace.The idea of the building being cursed, and the killer being a 'coffin birth, born of death' is fascinating but is only briefly touched on. His possible spectral existence seems to have been eschewed in favour of whacky characterisations of the residents. This is a shame. The final 'he's dead – no he's not – yes he is – no he's not' is inevitable before the thrash metal screams of the closing music roll over the credits.The performances verge from the capable to the unconvincing (an abusive punk rocker is less than threatening). Only Angela Bettis as Nell really impresses, making the most of her character. She had proved excellent in the 2002 film 'May', in which she played a sympathetic outcast.

Many people believe that Tobe Hooper hasn't made a good film since the funhouse. While i respect there opinion i honestly don't think there opinion is very true. Sure his stuff he's done has never been able to top TCM but to be perfectly frank not many films do.Anyway, toolbox murders is a very dark and very underrated horror film. its a better version than the original and is more horror prone than the old one. Tobe directs this film inch perfect acting is solid there some extremely well suspense filled moments and many jump scenes. one thing i really liked about this film was how unpredictable it was.Hooper remade a film that needed remaking and he did it remarkably well and it was from the writers who also worked with Tobe on his overly criticised crocodile. a must see for fans of Hooper and the horror genre in general.

Although I write in this commentary solely about the building in which the horrible crimes are happening, notice that this is already a spoiler - if not THE spoiler of the whole movie. This is why I "flagged" this text.It is not by change that the candidates for "haunted houses" are exclusively old buildings. "This house is history, and you are a part of it", the maintenance supervisor says in Tobe Hooper's "Toolbox Murders" (2003). Practically only old houses possess these creaky beams, that stale odor that comes out of the walls, the characteristic noise when the wind presses against the windows, the howling of an old elevator, etc. But that is not all. Before the unfortunate functionalism started to make Tabula Rasa with each trace of architectural generosity, houses often had strange hollow parts in the walls, little closets that lead wide into nowhere, "crawling spaces" between ceiling and next higher floor, mysterious huge and sometimes more-level attics and cellars, etc. And so it is in "Toolbox Murders": "There is a whole townhouse in this building", the historian in the movie says. It turns out that from each apartment there is a little space lacking, but so that these parts are connected by a steep stairwell in the wall of the house. (Note: The building is not the Ambassador Hotel, as indicated in IMDb. The Ambassador Hotel was torn down two years before the movie was shot.)

This was a dull little film to me. The atmosphere was good and the claustrophobia of the Lusman Arms building was really good but the acting was so weak and the characters neither charismatic nor intimidating. None of them is likable with the exception of the excellent Angela Bettis who took this thing and carried it across the finish line. I certainly could not have stood watching this to the end without her sensitive, intelligent and interesting acting. She gives the very real and convincing performance of a truly gifted actor and I look forward to enjoying more of her work. Her turn in this movie is close to being on a par with her brilliant "MAY". Sadly, no nudity, no underwear...........not even a glimpse!