What separates a movie like this from The Net? Or any movie that sees technology as a boogeyman for that matter? I’d honestly like to know, because this year I’ve seen the best of what this sub-genre has to offer in Black Mirror and the worst of it in Transcendence. Black Mirror‘s best episodes work because they appear to exist a few minutes into the future, using recognizable tech (or at least the next logical version of that tech) to show you how desperately wrong things could go if we let it get the better of us. And Transcendence…well, that movie wants to talk about the singularity in zombie-movie language.
I’m curious what Nacho Vigalando is doing with Open Windows, because I think he’s obviously capable of making a narratively inventive movie along the same lines as his own Timecrimes. This new trailer is definitely showing the film off as a thriller first and foremost, but is that it? If he’s not talking about technology, is he digging deeper and exploring the psychological horror of voyeurism? Everyone wants to make the easy Hitchcock comparison (even this trailer), but is this the real deal or just an excuse to get Sasha Grey to cry with her boobs out?
We’ll know more on September 29th when the film opens, I guess.
In the meantime, if you want to see another film where Elijah Woods is menaced by a disembodied voice while he sits, mostly stationary, then check out Grand Piano. It’s currently streaming on Netflix.