Like a Male Penguin

I read tons of negative reviews about this film, but David Brooks’ 2012 thriller, “ATM,” isn’t really all that bad.

The movie actually starts off really strong, introducing us to characters David and Corey played by Brian Geraghty and Josh Peck, respectively. I love how these two characters interact with each other and each actors’ performance seems very natural. It is a welcome change from most horror films similar to this one. Josh Peck has come a long way since his days on “Drake and Josh” and I was pleasantly surprised by him throughout this entire thing.

The location and setting were great in Brooks and writer Chris Sparling’s story. The idea of being stuck inside of a bank kiosk may not seem too frightening on paper, but when the reason for being stuck is a killer who you can’t even really see, it’s a whole other story. The lead up to get us to the location was done perfectly and didn’t seem forced in any way.

There isn’t much gore to be had, but there are a few good kill scenes and various ‘traps’ that let viewers further understand what really gets this killer’s rocks off. There are certain moments that make this feel sort of like a slasher without downright being one, which is also a nice touch.

I’m pretty sure what earns this film such bad reviews is the ending. While it did seem somewhat anticlimactic, it actually is pretty clever and seems very realistic as to how a sitatuon like this would really end. The best part is we actually get an even further look into what this killer is all about and leaves things open for a possible sequel.

I enjoy this movie for what it is and don’t think it should get as much hate as it does. I give it 3.5 debit cards out of 5.