The Black Room is a movie about vampires, though not in the conventional sense. Some need blood to live, and one in particular in this film needs continuous transfusions or he will die. There are also emotional vampires, those who drain the life out of people thanks to their complete lack of empathy and awareness. Both are cruel in their own ways, and while the former intentionally causes harm, the latter does not; instead, it harms through its own selfishness. Sadly, there are no actual vampires, those with fangs and an undead complexion, in this film, but what is there ends up being interesting enough to warrant a viewing.

Larry is a bored suburban husband who is dissatisfied with his life, much less his sex life. Every time he thinks he and his wife are going to be intimate, his kids wake up or interrupt, leaving him feeling highly unfulfilled. As such, Larry gets it in his head that he is going to have to sate his desires elsewhere, despite loving his wife. To that end, he rents a room from a brother and sister named Jason and Bridget, where he might bring those women willing to be with him, not knowing that when he leaves them, the siblings end up killing them. Each death is a means to an end, though, as Jason needs the blood these women provide to extend his own life. Things come to a head when Larry’s wife catches on, starts cheating on him in the very same room that he has rented, their children get kidnapped, and they discover that Bridget and Jason are killers who will do whatever it takes to get what they need.

For the most part, this is an interesting film, although it maintains an uneven pace, often feeling a little slow, which makes it hard to fully engage with. The filmmakers understand their audience, though, and there is enough nudity to keep the audience engaged, despite the languid tempo. That being said, the cinematography by Robert Harmon helped offset the pacing with a moody atmosphere, often filled with numerous shadows and candlelight. It also creates a bit of suspense within the film, not to mention a creeping horror as one knows that Jason and Bridget are behind the scenes, waiting to strike. There is a bit of strangeness to the events that unfold, specifically the ending, which leaves off with the villains dead, but not dead. There is a fair amount of blood and violence, which keeps the interest high, though one does have to wonder what was going through the heads of those who made this picture to end it as they did.

Some might call this picture a little sleazy, and in a way, it is. It feels dirtier than it does erotic, though it is a certainty that the latter is what the movie was aiming for. Clara Perryman is quite good as the wife of serial cheater Larry. Out of all the women in the movie, she is by far the most attractive, though it makes one wonder if it is simply because she is the wronged woman. Be that as it may, Cassandra Gava tries her best to be alluring, and there is a minor appearance by Linnea Quigley, for those looking for a familiar name. That being said, Christopher McDonald also appears in a bit part, adding to the curiosity.

At the end of the day, The Black Room is a strange entry into the horror genre, yet it remains an intriguing one. Though it is doubtful anyone would want to watch it twice, it is worth seeing at least once.

2.5 out of 5