The original Vacancy was a rather simple but also rather effective and well done little horror film; and while it certainly wasn't brilliant, I did at least enjoy it. I do have to say that I never really thought the film needed a follow-up, and after finding out that Vacancy 2 would be a direct to video release, I did abandon all hope...but to my surprise, the film is better than I thought it would be an almost qualifies as being a decent horror film. Naturally I was expecting this film to be more or less the same as the original; but actually it does take a (slightly) more unexpected route. This film is actually a prequel to the original. The plot begins with a seedy motel where the employees spy on couples having sex and then sells the tapes to a marketer who gets rid of them on the black market. Things are turned upside down one day when a man arrives with a prostitute, and kills her. The hotel owners then hatch a plan with the murderer to make snuff films instead of sex tapes.

The film attempts to explain how exactly the staff of the motel in the original film got into the business of killing people; but due to the bizarre plot decisions spread throughout the film, Vacancy 2 actually creates more questions than it answers. For a start, why set it a different motel all together? Also, I don't remember seeing ANY of the characters of this film in the original. The saddest part is that most of these changes are put in place because of the ending, which could have been a lot neater if only the filmmakers were a bit braver! Still, on its own merits; the film is entertaining, if shallow and silly, entertainment. The victim characters are just your average horror film fodder and neither invokes any emotion towards them nor do they really provide any interest. The team of killers is slightly more interesting...though not much more. Still, it would be silly to go into this expecting anything more than just a throwaway ninety minutes and the film was at least more entertaining than I thought it would be. I'd say it's just about worth a look if you liked the original.

In 2004, the redneck managers of the Meadow View Motel Gordon (David Moscow) and Reece (Brian Klugman) use room 6 to videotape the intimacy of the guests to sell porn movies. When the mysterious Mr. Smith (Scott G. Anderson) checks in with a young woman, they witness the sadistic psychopath guest stabbing and killing his mate. The footage is a success and they decide to make other snuff movies with Smith. When Caleb (Trevor Wright),who is traveling from Chicago with his fiancée Jessica (Agnes Bruckner) and his best friend Tanner (Arjay Smith),decides to rest in Meadow View, they have a nightmarish night and try to survive from the sick intention of the gang.

The underrated "Vacancy 2: The First Cut" is a decent prequel to the original "Vacancy" (which is also a reasonable movie, nothing more than that). There are some stupid scenes, like for example Jessica beating on the window instead of escaping; or the attitude of Tanner in the house of Otis and Doris; or the conclusion with the police finding no evidence of the murders; but the final result is not bad or mediocre like mentioned in some reviews. The screenplay and the story could be better but work on DVD. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Temos Vagas 2 - The First Cut" ("Vacancy 2: The First Cut")

The Pinewood Motel was shut down in April 2007 and 200 videotaped murders were discovered from as far back as September 2004. It all started with motel clerks Reece (Brian Klugman) and Gordon (David Moscow) videotaping the sexual escapades of their guests and selling them to the truck driver (David Shackelford). Then they film the mysterious Mr. Smith murdering a woman in the room. They take Smith prisoner who sells them on making more snuff movies. Young couple Jessica (Agnes Bruckner) and Caleb (Trevor Wright) with their funny black friend Tanner (Arjay Smith) arrive at the motel just in time.

It's a real disappointment that neither Frank Whaley nor Ethan Embry come back for this prequel. The connection to the first movie is lost. I only know Bruckner and she's played this damsel-in-distress before as all young actresses do. The concept is basically the same as the original which means that there are no surprises. The first one was a well-made simple B-horror elevated because of compelling good actors in the cast. The simplicity means there is no place for this to go. The lack of good actors is really where this falls down. Fank Whaley was creepy in the first one. This is just a straight-to-video cash grab.