Stuck on Level 13

Author(s): Ryan
Location: n/a

"Stuck on Level 13"

Directed by Neil Marshall
Written by Neil Marshall & Carl Ellsworth
Music by Marco Beltrami

Main Cast

Kristen Bell (Kelly Belle)
Jared Padalecki (Jesse Ackles)
Rosario Dawson (Ronny Trelli)
Christina Milian (Shanti Jones)
Mandy Moore (Sherri Lawson)
Justin Timberlake (Brett Carls)
Sarah Michelle Gellar (Sara Hart)
Kerri Russell (Georgia Peet)
Tyrese Gibson (Jonas Smith)
Nathan Fillion (Officer Linus Brown)
Jennifer Tilly (911 Operator)

Tagline: "When the Killer on the loose is in front of you, what do you do?"

Synopsis: Kelly Belle (Kristen Bell), Ronny Trelli (Rosario Dawson), and Shanti Jones (Christina Milian) are best friends forever. As they all finish up with college they decide to hit the town for a night down in Atlantic City to try their luck on the slots and the men….

As their long booze-filled night progresses they meet clean-cut grad, Jesse Ackles (Jared Padalecki). The smooth-talker convinces the three girls to go to his room in a motel down the block. Though the girls are reluctant they don’t want to split up with the stranger.

When they arrive at the room for what they expect to be a one night stand turns out to be much more…. Jesse takes out a knife and slits Ronny’s throat. However before they can unlatch the door he swings at Shanti and then Kelly who tumbles out the second story window into the pool; causing Jesse to high-tail out of the room.

It is two weeks later when Kelly awakes from her coma, the knife only cutting her abdomen. However, Kelly is emotionally distraught, with severe paranoia and nightmares. Officer Linus Brown (Nathan Fillion) gets a good description from her but fears that she may not be helpful, with her high alcohol blood level from the night and her unstable condition.

However, when the case gets left cold, Kelly turns reckless and paranoid as ever. Listed as unstable by the hospital Kelly has no where to go and is poor. She coats the surrounding towns with flyers of the murderer hoping for him to be caught, in hopes to be able to live a life again.

Still no leads, Kelly goes to the Kleiman Building, a 55-foot skyscraper where she hopes to talk to the producers of America’s Most Wanted. Armed with flyers she gets on the elevator but on her way up the elevator gets stuck on level 13. Distraught and paranoid she looks around at the other 6 people with her.

There is Sherri Lawson (Mandy Moore) and Brett Carls (Justin Timberlake), a couple getting their marriage license, a temp, Sara Hart (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a pregnant woman, Georgia Peet (Kerri Russel), a lawyer, Jonas Smith (Tyrese Gibson), and…..JESSE ACKLES!!!!!

Scared to death Kelly has no clue what to do, hiding the flyers and putting her hands on her switchblade and mace. Should she kill him and be set free? Or will he kill her first? But what about the others who are in the elevator???? Luckily no one notices, as fear stricken as herself. But as the 911 operator (Jennifer Tilly), comes over the intercom informing them that they have a good couple of hours, that she will be listening in the whole time to talk them through; they decide to share stories about each other; and they are all more or less connected to Ronny and Shanti; Sherri sharing a class with Shanti, Brett having dated Ronny, Sara’s sister used to be Shanti’s friend and Jonas was a lawyer for Ronny when she got a DUI. However when Georgia goes into contractions she knocks the flyers out of Kelly’s bag. With the 911 Operator trying to guide them through the pregnancy in the over crowded elevator, and the other riders looking at Jesse who looks an awful lot like the caricature, it’s all coming down to what will happen next??????

What the Press would say:

“Two thumbs ALL THE WAY up!”-Ebert & Roeper

“A harrowing psychological thriller that relies on plot and chills, something rarely seen in cinema today! The intensity pulling you in and it is impossible to escape it!”- People

“A+! A nail-biting character psychological horror that is first rate in it’s genre among others!”-Entertainment Weekly

“Stuck is always moving up and up and up to the most intense scene in cinematic history that will leave your jaw open wide!”-Rolling Stone Magazine

Stuck on Level 13 is nail-bitting and intense in the most extreme way. With an original concept, Stuck keeps on moving and doesn’t stop.

Director Neil Marshall captures the claustrophobia like he did in The Descent and Ridley Scott did for Alien. With his angles and techniques you feel as if you are in an elevator watching and can’t get out.

Written by Neil Marshall and Carl Ellsworth (Red Eye, Disturbia), they capture the dialogue brilliantly and realistically, in what turns into a character piece as well as a horror.

As far as the acting goes Kristen Bell shows her amazing range without going over the top or being too subtle. She is paranoid and fear-stricken though confident and strong to bring the murderer to justice. A lot to ask from such a young actress who pulls it off better than an Oscar winner.

Jared Padalecki is amazing with a poker face that you can’t tell what he’s thinking, coming or going. Though he is subtle he is brilliant and mad. Whether he is the killer or not it is unclear until the end, with no left turns.

Among the supporting cast all are on par with the leads. Christina Milian and Rosario Dawson portray college grads who like to have fun but never appear to be like idiots. Moore and Timberlake have much chemistry and work well nicely off of each other. Gibson is commanding and Gellar fits the role nicely. Russell is amazing in her scene of pregnancy (probably recalling to when she gave birth earlier this year), Scott and Fillion have a nice small-role as well as Jennifer Tilly whose voice is pitch perfect, feeling comforting and not annoying.

Stuck on Level 13 is the quite simply a masterpiece up their with Halloween and character features such as Crash and thrillers like Silence of the Lambs. Let’s just hope that the success doesn’t lead to: Stuck on Level 14 though!!!!!

Best Picture
Best Director: Neil Marshall
Best Screenplay: Neil Marshall & Carl Ellsworth
Best Original Score: Marco Beltrami
Best Actor: Jared Padalecki
Best Supporting Actor: Justin Timberlake
Best Actress: Kristen Bell
Best Supporting Actress: Rosario Dawson, Christina Milia