Remake This Movie: Down (aka The Shaft) (2001)

 Movie Reviewing is really a game of patience.  Sometimes you have to wait for an obscure movie to be available to watch.
Once it is on Disc and/or Streaming, you have to pounce!

That's the case with today's Film- Down (aka The Shaft) from 2001.  It's a Remake of The Lift from 1983 by Dick Maas. 
Who Directed this one?  Dick Maas- again.

Yep, English-language Remakes with the same Director/Writer isn't just for Japanese Horror Movies (and Michael Haneke).  Let's get Dick involved too!

The Lift was about a killer Elevator.  Down is still about a killer Elevator.
Does Maas- who also Wrote this one- bring anything new to the Story nearly 20 years later?  To find out, read on...

The Film is still about a killer Elevator, although its first victims are actually...pregnant women who give birth in it due to the heat while stuck in it.

Do babies being born in the Elevator affect the Plot?  No, no they don't.

It does get our Elevator Techs into things though.

A young reporter covers the story.  It's...Naomi Watts?!?

It's one thing to do that Children of the Corn Film before you made it big.
It's another thing to do those Ring Films- Sam Raimi's company made them.

To be in the American Remake of 'The Killer Elevator Film' though?  Hmm...

It does eventually kill some people, most notably one of the 2 Horny Security Guards.

It sure was important to show them spying on a Hooker earlier so that their death would be...ironic?

It also kills a blind guy, but it is okay because he's a lecherous jerk.
It also kills his dog by proxy, which is NOT okay.

They also do the 'will it kill the little girl' bit from the original and it still doesn't.

Our Lead- the less responsible and often drunk Repair Tech- takes full duties when his buddy is killed by the Elevator and is then subsequently blamed for the other killings.

How?
Why?

Shut up, that's why!

A thing to note is that a bunch of really talented Character Actors are in this one.  They aren't 'too good for this,' since it is, after all, a Movie and they are Movie Stars.

That said, it is a bit sad for me to see people like Edward Herrman, Dan Hedaya, Jackie Hoffman, Michael Ironisde and Ron Perlman in this.

They are all actually good and stand out when, you know, the Plot involves a killer elevator powered by 'bio-organic computer chips.'

The Film peaks with a big Scene where an Elevator launches itself so fast towards the roof that the floor breaks and everyone- including children!- fall to their deaths.

When it breaches the ceiling, the Film abruptly cuts to...the White House as it is called a 'terror attack.'

This is set in NYC and was meant to be released in 2001.  Can you see why it was shelved until 2003?

Random fact for you- Comedian Ike Barinholtz is in this because he was actually living in the Netherlands when they shot this. 
So, to be clear, the Film was shot mostly not in New York City (basically just the exteriors are NYC) and with Maas' Dutch Crew.  How 'American' is this American Remake again?

Watts teams up with the Tech as more deaths occur, including a Roller Blader launched through a window!  She shows him a tape and... you fool, don't watch that tape!

You'll die in 7 days!!!  It's even blue!!!

They uncover the whole thing with the 'bio-organic chips' and Ironside takes Watts hostage.

He's killed by his own Elevator (aka petard) and they blow it up.

In the aftermath, our Heroes are now a couple.  Joy.  The End.

It's...mostly the same.  This version features Watts' Character, which is an improvement though.  She's a plucky, Lois Lane-type Reporter that does help out.

This is still a Film about a killer Elevator.  The reason is still dumb.

I wish there was more to say here, but it is mostly the same and still silly.  The stuff with the good Actors helps this feel less silly than the last one, but then suddenly more silly.  Should I explain?

So, for instance, we get a well-acted Scene where Perlman- in his last appearance- tells Ironside that things have gone too far and he can't support him.  A slow, serious silence follows.
After that, all of the stuff about 'bio-organic chips' is explained.

What's funny about the delay in this being released is that it came out AFTER 2002's The Ring is that it was then marketed as a Horror Film like that one.  Joy.

Next up, we get back on track to cover more Films from my still-ever-growing DVD pile.  It's likely more Sci-Fi though.  Stay tuned...