What is P2? Sadly, it’s not anything as exciting as a new games console. No, it’s the parking level of an up market Fifth Avenue office building, and that just about sums up this weak and unambitious psychological thriller.
Angela Bridges (Rachel Nichols) is a young executive working late on Christmas Eve. When she finally drags herself away from the office, she ventures downstairs to the parking garage only to find that her car doesn’t start. With no phone signal or help at hand she stumbles across a night guard, Thomas (Wes Bentley), who is immediately too helpful to be trusted. In the blink of an eye Angela is drugged, chained to his desk and fighting off the attentions of both Tommy and his ravenous dog Rocky.
P2 is yet another would-be chiller that uses its limited scope and sparse sets to mirror the small, dark places of the human mind and toy with the almost universal fear of claustrophobia. But as cliché after cliché is aired like old laundry it becomes so formulaic that Franck Khalfoun has to repeatedly zoom in on the garage’s ‘P2’ sign to remind himself which film he’s directing.
It’s especially frustrating when the psycho is played by someone with Wes Bentley’s naturally creepy aura, especially when we’ve seen it manipulated so brilliantly in the likes of American Beauty. Rachel Nichols does her best to make a gin and tonic with the lemons the script gives her, but perhaps she should watch Alien again before attempting to kick ass and take names – her tough girl act isn’t fooling anyone.
