Static (2012)

Addie Dade: "You don't have to pretend anymore."

By Todd Levin
With Sarah Shahi, Milo Ventimiglia and Sara Paxton

What really decided me on seeing Static is that the lead role was Sarah Shahi who I know from her role of Carmen de la Pica Morales in The L Word (2004). Even though I didn't like her character, I think she's a good actress and as a general rule, I tend to follow as much as I can the work of actresses who were involved in The L Word.

In the film, Jonathan Dade is a successful writer but him and his wife have had a hard time living together since the accidental death of their 3 year old son. They live on a big property in a massive mansion with a pond. One night, they are woken up by loud banging on their door and a woman named Rachel says she has a flat tire on the road and then saw men with gas masks threatening her so she ran to their house. Rachel asks if she can sleep the night before leaving because she is badly shaken up, but she mysteriously seems to know too much about the couple and her presence starts making them uneasy. From there on, they are in for a long night.

The opening shots of Static are really beautiful. I was really looking forward to the film after the intro, and the photography and natural sights were promising.  Unfortunately, that only lasted the intro after which most of the film happens inside the house. It remains a well filmed movie, but nothing as impressive as the opening suggested.

The movie starts off as what could be a good psychological movie about a couple dealing with grief, a la Rabbit Hole (2010), however it quickly turns into a semi-horror, semi-thriller of a couple being stalked in their house by some strangers... a la Ils (2006) or The Strangers (2008), which in my opinion is not necessarily a good thing. This turnaround is filled with clichés, like the phones not working, the car not starting or the rifle not functioning. The ending twist is decent, however it cannot compensate for the lack of substance in the movie. It is possible that some would enjoy seeking clues during the whole movie in order to see how it all works out, but I was saddened by the decision to not explore the couples' relationship and psychology more.

Nevertheless, the actors playing the couple did a good job with the little they were given. The film is entertaining but we are neither served a good thriller, nor a drama, nor an horror film and it feels like everything is still in suspension when the credits roll.

I liked: The gas masks. The couple;s dynamic. Creative. Beautiful intro.

I disliked: Full of clichés. The twist is a little tasteless. The sounds are unexplained and is that the static that gives its title?

49/100
People who enjoy stalkers, mysterious assaults on a home type of movies will most likely enjoy this one, however, it is quite an undecided film and the spectator might feel led on.