Knock Knock Review
Erotic thrillers aren't exactly my cup of tea, but I'm also not one to avoid a Keanu Reeves thriller of any kind, especially when it pops up on a streaming service for free. To call Keanu Reeves a B-list actor does seem harsh...but, I think I am willing to defend that ranking, despite my love for most films featuring the actor.
Knock Knock follows a man who is pulled into a game of cat and mouse with two young women who seduce him and frame him. With his wife and children away, Reeves must find a way out of the situation that he believes blurs the line of fault.
I wouldn't consider this film to be towards the top of the list of Reeves films. At times he seemed to be coasting through the role, but it's hard to tell the difference between cashing in and Reeves' inability to break away from his own typecasted personality. An enraged Reeves just feels wrong, which in my opinion makes it less his fault and more-so the casting director's error.
Too often erotic thrillers feel like an excuse to produce a soft pornographic scene with famous actors as long as the scene is sandwiched between a thriller-y plot. That is perhaps an unfair conclusion, as I have limited my erotic thriller intake, but in general that is my impression. And this film doesn't feel much different.
This film does have this moral ambiguity that sets it apart from other films. But it makes the plot feel meaningless rather than thought-provoking. The women have ill intentions and are morally suspect, but their argument defending their actions and placing the blame on Reeves isn't entirely false. So instead of reaching the conclusion of a definable victory, you find yourself rooting for everyone to suffer an ill fate, and anything short of that would feel like a disappointment. And while there is something to be said about the director's purposeful delivery, I can't help but consider this film a disappointment for that reason.
Horror Qualifier: 5/10
Horror Quality: 2/10
Film Quality: 3/10