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The Roost (2005)
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Reviews Counted:18
Fresh:10
Rotten:8
Average Rating:6/10
Runtime: 81 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Synopsis: Writer-director Ti West hearkens back to the days of vintage horror with his monster-movie scarefest THE ROOST. Utilizing the classic framing device of a horror-movie host (Tom Noonan), the film... Writer-director Ti West hearkens back to the days of vintage horror with his monster-movie scarefest THE ROOST. Utilizing the classic framing device of a horror-movie host (Tom Noonan), the film follows four friends whose car breaks down near a disused farmhouse swarming with bats that turn people into zombies. Indie horror-movie director Larry Fessenden (WENDIGO, HABIT) makes a cameo appearance. [More]
Starring: Tom Noonan, Karl Jacob, Sean Reid, Wil Horneff
Starring: Tom Noonan, Karl Jacob, Sean Reid, Wil Horneff, Vanessa Horneff, John Speredakos
Director: Ti West
Director: Ti West
Screenwriter: Ti West
Producer: Susan Leber
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Reviews for The Roost
...there's not much you haven't seen before; but the result is a first-rate run-through of horror tropes,
The cinematic equivalent of really slow, beyond deliberate, wish-it-was-over-with-already kick to the groin. Would've been stellar as a short though...seriously!
No-budget no-brainer...but West shows signs of real talent, even if he doesn't have the resources needed to put it to best use.
One thing you can say about this movie is that director Ti West knew his limitations and made the most out of the money he had to work with.
The director makes the most of the tense slow stretches, with the camera occasionally drifting off in search of action while characters wait in dreadful silence.
Ti West's affectionate homage to no-frills fright flicks keeps it simple and succeeds on its own stripped-down terms.
The Roost's pacing is so leaden that you long for a pregnant pause, instead of interminable nothingness.
West gets an enthusiastic round of applause for trusting his eye for stripped-down horror. Now he needs to complete the picture with writing that shows the same conviction.
The Roost, writer-director Ti West's homage to low-budget '70s horror movies, places a premium on tension while taking a fresh bite out of the old vampire-bat tale.
Anyone who says they don’t make 'em like they used to just isn’t looking hard enough.
The Roost was made for about one-hundredth the cost of most Hollywood genre fare and has at least a thousand times the imagination.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
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| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
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