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Room 9
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Inept horror tale has violence, drinking, language.
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Room 9
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What's the Story?
In ROOM 9, a honeymoon couple checked into a room in the Johnson/Bedford Inn in 1979. As they enter their room -- yes, room 9 -- Jed Bedford (Michael Berryman) believes that he's experiencing spiritual visions that demand that this couple be killed in order to wash away their sins. At Bedford's command, a group of men enter room 9 and brutally murder the couple. Forty years later, a young man named Jason Brooks has received a mysterious letter informing him that he's now the owner of the Johnson/Bedford Inn. He decides to check it out, drives to the town where the inn is located, has car trouble near the town, is helped by creepy mechanics, and then meets Nisha, one of the inn's caretakers, with whom he gets drunk on wine and eventually passes out in room 9, where he experiences terrible nightmares. Meanwhile, Beau Johnson (Kane Hodder) is released from prison for his role in the murders, gets drunk in a bar with his best friend Bobby D., starts a fight with a biker gang, and then meets a woman who wants to drink with him. Around this time, Detective Michael Dakota is investigating murders that he suspects may have something to do with Johnson's parole. Then, a mysterious woman named Star (Scout Taylor-Compton) arrives in town. She allows a hitchhiker into her car who almost assaults her but is stopped by a local and seemingly good Samaritan named Zion, who is also one of the inn's caretakers. It's up to some or all of these characters to figure out who's behind these latest murders and why.
Is It Any Good?
It's nearly impossible to put into words what a horrible movie Room 9 is on all possible levels and in all metrics of measurement. Nonsensical interludes and montages with drone footage of the small town in which the movie is set are interspersed with horror movie icon Michael Berryman praying or sharpening an ax while heavy metal instrumentals play. Jolting edits and fuzzy video quality are made to resemble either the quality of a VHS cassette or a 1970s television with bad antenna reception. There are clunky character introductions and scenes that don't seem to serve any purpose to the story whatsoever, cringeworthy dialogue and acting, and ineptitude on every level.
In perhaps the most entertaining and funniest scene, and as good an indication as any of what a bad movie this is, a detective is shown interviewing a suspect in the interrogation room. On the detective's desk, plain as day, is THE SCRIPT, opened up to, presumably, the exact page in which this scene is happening. If the whole movie is meant to be a joke, it would be great to be in on it, but it doesn't seem to be the case. The whole thing is incoherent from start to finish, and essentially unwatchable. Somehow, there's a sequel in the works for this. Here's hoping those involved have gone back to film school to learn the most basic fundamentals of making a movie with a comprehensible story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about horror movies. Why are they so popular, and what's the appeal?
How does the violence here compare to the violence in other horror movies you've seen?
What would be the challenges in making a low-budget movie? Can low-budget movies be good? If so, what are some examples of movies not made on blockbuster budgets that were still enjoyable?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: July 20, 2021
- Cast: Kane Hodder , Michael Berryman , Scout Taylor-Compton
- Director: Thomas Walton
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 104 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: Bloody violence and some language.
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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