Review: Creep (2004) ★★

Like so many horror films before it, Creep (2004) starts off strong and eventually succumbs to a weak script, mediocre performances, and a complete oversaturation of the titular villain. It was written and directed by Christopher Smith, who, in 2006, brought us Severance, a somewhat flawed, but nonetheless superior horror-comedy film about a group of coworkers lost out in the wilderness on a business retreat gone awry. While Severance benefits from its ensemble cast, Creep fails to impress on several fronts.

The film centers on Kate, played by Franka Potente, who, at the beginning of the film, leaves one party to go to another. She ends up falling asleep at the subway station, missing what the final train of the night. When she wakes up, she finds that the station doors have been locked, trapping her inside for the night. An empty train comes by and she boards, only to have the train stop and the lights turn off. A friend of hers from the party, Guy (played by Jeremy Sheffield) attacks and attempts to rape Kate. As he assaults Kate, an unknown assailant drags him out of sight. Kate spends the remainder of the night trying to find a way out of the subway tunnels, all the while pursued by the “creep” who stalks the empty passageways.

If this sounds like a promising and frightening premise, you’re right. If you think that the filmmakers took this premise and did anything remotely interesting with it, you’re wrong. But first, I will address the positives. Creep is a technically proficient film. It is well shot, with clever lighting and camera work. The use of an abandoned London subway station was a brilliant choice for the setting. It is both visually striking (with flickering lights and dancing shadows) and claustrophobic for the audience and characters alike. And again, the plot starts off strong, but unfortunately, it simply does not deliver. Potente gives a bland, two-dimensional performance (even though she is clearly capable of holding a movie up on her own, re: Run Lola Run). The plot quickly devolves into boring horror tropes, with characters making laughably bad decisions that keep them in danger until the very end.

One interesting aspect of the film is the constant threat of sexual violence. When Guy (aptly named) attacks Kate, the filmmakers imply that he is the titular “creep.” We assume that she will spend the rest of the film trying to escape Guy. When the real creep disposes of Guy, we realize that an even bigger threat exists. While the real monster never attempts to rape Kate, we still have the threat of sexual violence in the back of our minds. As viewers, we are unsure of the creep’s intentions and thus assume the worst. This helps amplify the tension and horror for a while. Unfortunately, this tension is short-lived.

One element of this film that hurts it the most is the monster. The problem with the “creep” is that we see far too much of him. When the filmmakers officially introduce the monster, he becomes a central character in the film. We see his every move, and once the mystery dissipates, so too does the horror. He ceases to be horrific, and, at times, he even becomes ridiculous. Strangely, even though we see too much of him, the filmmakers can’t decide if they want to reveal his backstory. The film hints at the origins of “the creep” without really telling the audience anything substantial. As a result, we’re left scratching our heads and wondering if we missed something along the way.

In Christopher Smith’s defense, a monster’s “big reveal” (or lack thereof) is always a tightrope. Audiences might feel shortchanged if you never show the monster. Alternatively, they might feel bored if the monster appears in every other scene (as is the case in Creep). So, I try not to judge the film too harshly in that respect. However, any horror director must understand the fundamental intention of horror and the art of keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. Creep has its moments, but it doesn’t always fulfill these basic obligations.

To be fair, there were times that Creep was an entertaining and even scary film. Creep (2004) coincided with the height of the torture porn genre, so it leans a bit more heavily on gore. Given the lack of a credible plot in the second act, this works to its advantage. If you can’t maintain tension throughout a horror film, the least you can do is shock the audience every once in a while.

However, Creep fails to carry its own story to the end. Horror fans will surely leave the viewing experience wanting more, as I did. Ultimately, Creep throws around a handful of good ideas and scary moments, but not much else.

Rating: ★★ out of 5

If you’d like to watch Creep (2004), it is currently available to purchase via Amazon here. And if you’d like to read more film reviews like this one, consult the Philosophy in Film Homepage!