This is going to be one of those reviews where the little I say about the specifics of the film the better. Doors is an experience, unlike anything that makes up the cinematic landscape currently—or in recent memory for that matter. It’s an ensemble piece, led by Josh Peck, Lino Esco, and Wilson Bethel, about what happens when inexplicable items show up and instantly half of the world’s population disappears. Sounds like when Thanos snaps his fingers, huh? It’s not.
Doors come from the wildly creative filmmaking team that brought us Becky, Southbound, and the V/H/S trilogy, Jeff Desom. Saman Kesh, and Dugan O’Neal. They have delivered a trilogy of vignettes about specific earthlings and how they are connected to these new entities. Some are drawn to them and wind up inside them, never to return. Others feel the fear of their presence and stay as far away as possible. While still, there are a handful of folks who seek to study these millions of doors across the globe in hope of communicating with them. There’s a wish that a line of communication will be established and a reason for their sudden appearance.
What exactly is their agenda? What’s is so effective about Doors is that—even in the end—that is not necessarily made clear, although we have a rather good idea.
The government has enlisted so-called “Knockers,” get it—those who knock on doors. These folks volunteer to enter the doors and know that they have a specific amount of time to get in and get out or they will never be heard from again.
Will we ever learn their origin? Their purpose? And why do they seem to communicate with certain people and not others? This is one of those films where the questions far outnumber the answers, and that’s A-OK. Don’t go in looking for conclusions upon its ending, that much is left up to the viewer—sometimes, those are the best movies. I adore films that make you think, that play on your imagination, and push the envelope of what the human mind may consider possible and even beyond that.
The film commences in detention (the Lockdown segment) when the proctor is trying to keep his charges in order. Then, something happens. It reminds us of Signs where everything that is going on is beyond our sight. But one thing is for sure. You know what is hitting the fan. It’s a wonderful way to open this particular story in that the wonder and awe at what is occurring are through the red. We have panicked teenagers on our hands when the proctor gets a phone call and excuses himself from the room, promising he will be back. Meanwhile, jets fly overhead and as the students exit the detection hall, there is a door.
Then, there’s the second that stars Peck and Esco and centers on those Knockers volunteers who agree to head into a door and report back what they are seeing. Fittingly, this section is called “Knockers.” There is something called Door Psychosis and it settles into the human being about the 12-minute mark. What is real? What is deep inside their psyche? That’s another question that may or may not be answered and the journey is the joy.
Lastly is the third act is entitled “Jamal” and finds Kyp Malone portraying a scientist deep in the forest who has a secret. There is a door in the woods behind his house. He has kept his door a secret and has tried valiantly to understand it and hopefully, successfully communicate with it, so as to learn its purpose.
There is a bit of a knock on the film as it feels like the most independent of independent movies but given that aspect that thrills and science fiction stalwarts that are integral to any effect sci-fi flick are all there. The best science-fiction stories leave you wondering what on earth you just watched and have you spending hours wondering what on earth just happened.
That’s Doors in a nutshell and it is slightly uneven, but all adds up to something wickedly original—which in the world of sci-fi in these days of uber-aware fans, that is something to be proud of and to be celebrated.
Doors is currently in select theaters, will debut on On Demand March 23 and then DVD and Blu-Ray on March April 6.
Grade: B