ATM (I) (2012) User Reviews (241)

You know..

[ohsokool · 4/10 · 20 March 2012]

...in all honesty, ATM had a small chance to be modern day thriller. The actors are decent. They can certainly get into character and that's were it all ends. All logic and common sense goes out the window from the point they reach the ATM, and park 100 damn feet from it. LOL. The thought process these 3 main characters go through trying to escape one man, leads me to believe Poppa Smurf could have held them hostage at Disneyland. Successfully. Forever.

Everything the ATM "stalker villain" does makes sense, because the 3 captives simply have zero.

Watch this flick if you're a fan of "b" movies, or simply bored and want to pick it apart and cringe and a very bad script. Again, I think the writers and directors could have had something, if only they put in a bit more thought. Great idea, horrible execution.

Not as bad as people are making it out to be!

[talktomemegc · 5/10 · 21 August 2012]

Yes OK, this movie gets you angry especially towards the end and the ending in general. BUT it definitely was a movie that had me on the edge of my seat. It wasn't creepy or necessarily scary but it had its jumpy moments and the 'killer' was pretty creepy himself. It wasn't the best, the acting was good, I enjoyed the plot, it wasn't as predictable as you'd think, the ending could of been done differently but if you enjoy 'edge of your seat' movies and have some free time I'd recommend giving it a watch! All in all it wasn't at all as bad as some people are making it out to be. It killed time and if I'm honest I kind of enjoyed it, but that's coming from a 16 year old. Haha.

The movie seems like a half-thought-out idea.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 5/10 · 4 April 2012]

In all honesty, I can really see why the film-makers thought that this movie would be a good idea and something that could work out well. You can really tell that this movie had some good ideas in it but things aren't really thought out well enough and the movie is incredibly flawed, mostly due to its story.

These sort of thrillers/horror movies set mostly at one location, are somewhat popular now days and this movie obviously tried to have a go at it as well and ride on the success of the genre. Nothing wrong with that, as long as the movie is good, which obviously isn't the case with this movie.

Problem is that its concept is ridiculously flawed and not thought out properly. The movie doesn't exactly feature, what you could consider, a tight plot. It's build around the concept of 3 people being stuck inside an ATM because outside there is an hooded maniac, looking to kill them, as soon as they get out. Now, this is something that could had worked if things got written a bit more tight and complicated. But this is all there is to the movie really; 3 people being stuck inside a small building, with 1 guy lurking around outside. It's really silly, once you really start thinking about it. First of all, it's 3 versus 1 and it's not like the guy has some sort of superpowers, or is armed to the teeth. I'm not saying that they should had taken on the guy but surely they could had ran out quite easily, the moment the guy was at the back, trying to break into the ATM. The movie is filled with moments like this, that just are plain stupid. It just far too often doesn't make sense and because of that, there also really is no true tension in this movie.

The movie still thinks it's being really clever at times, mostly toward its end, when the 'twist' comes but let me just tell you, the ending simply makes no sense at all and doesn't explain anything. It only makes things look more flawed and ridicules and besides forced. Why do these sort of movies often feel the need to have a 'surprise' ending in it? Sometimes a movie is simply better off when it's being more straight-forward and not by trying to be clever and surprise its audience.

This was an obvious low budget production, which becomes apparent through its looks but also really its acting. No, I definitely wasn't impressed by any of the acting in this movie, which was perhaps another reason why I just wasn't taken at all by it.

But it still wasn't a movie I hated watching. I guess it's too short and harmless for that. Maybe the more casual movie goer can still get some enjoyment and entertainment out of this movie, as long as they don't spend too much time thinking about its plot. But even those people have to admit at the end that this is a far from great or effective enough movie.

Really can't recommended it.

5/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

I can't even. Spoilers.

[NarcoNelly · 1/10 · 27 September 2015]

So here's how the pitch meeting probably went:

"So we're going to do a thriller, kind of like Phone Booth, but with an ATM machine. We're going to get the Buried writer on board and some young up-and-coming talent to play three saps who get tormented by a faceless killer who traps them in one of those stand-alone bank machine buildings in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night."

"Okay, so far so good."

"Except they're not trapped. Like the doors are unlocked and they can leave any time."

"Wait so... what?"

"Don't worry about it, okay? They're just like, in there. And the killer, see, he has all these ATM schematics that we'll superimpose over the opening credits, Se7en-style, to show that he meticulously masterminded this whole thing."

"Alright I'm listening."

"Except he doesn't bring a weapon of any kind with him. Or tools. Like, he's planning on messing with the heat 'cause it's really cold out and he has to like clang around in the back there to turn the heat off and also flood the place--cause it's waterproof. He just gets the tools out of their car, see."

"So he has their car keys?"

"Oh no, they have the keys in there with them. They don't make a break for the car while he's doing other stuff though, because they parked really far away for some reason."

"I'm starting to see the logic of this. And of course they don't have phones in there."

"Why would they? It's 2012, nobody has a cell phone."

"Alright, I'm into this. And this killer--he's some disgruntled guy, right? Like we find out that our heroes actually wronged him somehow so what's happening to them is karma? Twist ending, love it."

"Oh no, he's a total rando who goes around trapping people in ATM booths and the like because he's really bent out of shape about living in a storage container."

"SOLD."

MidWest Bank's Help Guide

[Rhapthorne · 3/10 · 17 April 2012]

Welcome to MidWest Bank's helpful guide on how to use our ATM vestibules! Please follow these tips to make the most out of your cash- wanting needs!

1. We understand that the modern lifestyle leaves little time for exercise. To help you, we recommend parking your car far from our vestibule and taking a walk across the car park. We even recommend this in sub-zero temperatures.

2. Like all banks we're really only in it for profit. This means that we don't bother paying for locks on our doors. This has the handy benefit of saving you time getting in and out.

3. Stay calm within our vestibules! Our security cameras are programmed to only film violent actions and gestures. At all other times, they just don't work.

4. We only install cameras inside the vestibule. There are none outside whatsoever, so if you want to fight – please exit and we hope you win!

5. We also don't install alarms in our vestibules. The absolute only way of setting off an alarm is by activating the fire-sprinkler system. Smash our machines all you want, as there will be no alarm! Our cameras will activate however – see point 3 above.

6. We pointlessly heat our vestibules at the moment. We don't build in any insulation, so most of this heat leaves within minutes. To save costs we will probably be removing all heating soon.

7. All our vestibules are in safe areas. Please feel free to leave your cars unlocked and valuables within, including cell phones and handbags.

8. Our security guards are hired from the finest stock of fat men that couldn't pass the police exam. We realise they are stupid, so we don't arm them either. But they do get a nice company car and a decent pension.

9. We really don't want our alarm to go off, so we install the sprinkler system high up and it can only be activated by heat. There is no way a solid blunt hit will smash the bauble and release the water and sound the alarm.

10. If you withdraw the maximum of $500 in one go you will automatically be entered into our free prize draw! The prize is a stylish Parka Coat to help keep you warm in our vestibules!

Latest winners have been:

Killer of Winnipeg – he says he spends a lot of time at our vestibules and this coat has greatly improved his activity there!

Janitor of Winnipeg – he often withdraws cash at our vestibules on his way to work. Just don't mistake him for Killer!

Security Guard of Winnipeg – one of our own employees! We even emblazoned this one with SECURITY to help make him feel special!

Banker of Winnipeg – however he busted up our vestibule so we will not be sending him his coat.

Yeah, I jest, but this film is a joke. Don't bother with it. If like plenty of other people you're tempted by the trailer, you've seen all the film has to offer.

The most arrogant "horror" film ever made

[HeroOfTomorrow · 1/10 · 7 March 2012]

My god, did this movie make me angry. For one, the huge, glaring plot holes make this movie so immensely illogical that it needn't even be watched. I'll give you some examples:

-parking your car fifty yards from an ATM in sub-zero weather, even though you could have parked right in front, is completely unrealistic; -spending five hours in -5 Fahrenheit wearing only a shirt will either kill you or render you completely immobile and unintelligible with pneumonia, hypothermia, frostbite, etc; -filling a room with water makes little sense when one can just OPEN THE DOOR A BIT; -a security guard asking "are you okay?" twenty times, even though the occupants have clearly and visibly written "HELP" on the window is beyond ridiculous; -the police arrest the blonde guy, but who cares? His story will actually make sense; why would he drive two cars into an ATM while he's filling it with water? Why would they think he killed his friend, even though you obviously see the girl helping out?

And it goes ONNN and ONNN and ONNN.

My biggest problem, though, is that the creators of this film are just laughing at us, the viewers. You don't know WHY this murderer is a murderer; you don't know WHY he picks the places he picks; you don't know ANYTHING. Nothing matters. There's no story arc or plot.

I don't think I've ever been this truly ticked off by a film. I do not recommend.

ATM

[0U · 13 February 2020]

I didn't hate this movie and it was watchable. Was I not so bored, would I have bothered? Probably not, but once started, I wanted to see the end. The acting was very good. Surprisingly good given the reviews. The story line had promise. I think that's mainly what did this movie in. It was mostly well made. Just needed some oomph in the plot. The end scene was pointless without some history and I wasn't emotionally invested in the characters due to lack of back story.

Does a good job of creating tension

[cricketbat · 7/10 · 7 July 2018]

ATM is actually a pretty good horror movie. It focuses more on suspense than blood and gore, which I appreciate, and it maintains a sense of realism throughout. Yes, it is fairly contrived and yes, the ending is unsatisfying, but the movie, as a whole, does a good job of creating tension. Plus, each member of the small cast gives an excellent performance. I'd watch this one again.

The most annoying horror film EVER

[bowmanblue · 3/10 · 20 December 2014]

That's quite a claim, I know. But bear with me... we all know from watching horror films, that there's at least one moment where the hero knocks the evil killer to the floor then just runs off, allowing him to get back up and chase them down all over again. We all scream, "No! Hit him again! And again!" but they never do.

That sort of thing normally happens once or twice in your average horror film. Not in the case of ATM though. You will find yourself screaming at the TV screen near constantly for about forty minutes of the film.

ATM is about three friends who use an ATM (or 'cash machine' as I always called them) in the middle of the night. They go inside to withdraw some dollars, only to find there's a psychotic killer (who looks a bit like Kenny from South Park in my opinion) waiting outside for them. And that's why he does - waits. He stands across the parking lot staring at them. They could just run away. They don't. It's also worth noting that these are the only three people in 2011 who don't have a single mobile phone between them. The killer then kills a passer by. While he's doing that, they could just run away. They don't. The killer then ransacks their car (which is parked right across the car park). They could just run away. They don't. The killer then wanders round the back of the ATM building they're in to hammer it a bit (why?). During that time he's banging on the back, they could just open then front door and run off without him seeing. They don't. And so it goes on.

These are truly the stupidest three people in the world. I watched it to the end, just to see if it got any better. It didn't really. And that was a shame as, believe it or not, the characters were actually quite well-written and funny. Plus the production values were quite high, putting it above many other modern horrors.

If you're expecting something clever and different like Phone Booth then you won't find it here.

Was actually pretty good

[theWBohlken · 6/10 · 6 August 2012]

No this movie isn't the greatest thing ever, yes there are a few things that make you go Hmmm. BUT... It is a tense movie. It's scary cause something like this could happen. I have a fear of being at an ATM and having someone rob me. Tho plays on that fear but adds more to it. There is a lot of hate on here about the film like plot holes and what not. Which there aren't as much as some would say. The obviously haven't watched the whole film. Things are answered in a way that actually makes you think about the motivates of the killer rather than big it down with why why why!!! And more of here you think about it. The characters may not be the best written but that's life, not everyone in the world are nice and that you can stand. It isn't a horror film but more of a thriller suspense like panic room or joy ride.

ATM ( A Terrible Movie)

[flyroundee · 1/10 · 15 March 2012]

Why? This movie not only asks you suspend belief, but it asks you to tear it into tiny pieces, light it on fire and then bury it. I was hoping it might be a 'trapped scenario' film with some good writing and twists to get around a weak premise. Nope. Everything the characters do is beyond stupid and if you have half a brain through the entire film you'll be asking yourself why they don't do the obvious. 1 Guy, 3 of them...umm run in different directions? Maybe..for a start...

Anyway, the film is boring and predictable (except that you're hoping for some sort of brilliant twist or SOMETHING worth your time at the end), a modest 3M$ budget can't excuse a horrible script, with horrible contrived plot manipulation ( the one character randomly slips when he tries to run to get help? the camera only records 3 second intervals? they couldn't set off an alarm in the span of a full night between three brains at a mall parking lot? Are walk in ATM's randomly situated in the middle of parking lots away from everything else? Why wouldn't either guy decide to team up and go kick his ass, it was apparent he had no gun as he didn't use it to kill the pedestrian and never at any point showed one, I could go on forever.) I've seen many many cheap films with much better outcomes.

On the upside, the design is fine, the acting is fine, but it doesn't account for the rest of it. I wasted my 90 mins, but you don't have to, go to an ATM, take out some money, and go see another film.

Quite possibly the best movie ever made

[jgibbon08 · 10/10 · 4 June 2019]

ATM is, without a doubt, one of the most fantastic movies ever made. To call it a modern masterpiece would be an understatement. This film dwarfs all other movies in terms of its script, scope, scale, acting, visuals effects, sound design, cinematography, and sheer majesty.

Josh Peck is a triumph. He brings countless years of expertise to his role of Corey. On the surface, Corey at first appears like a typical jerk by forcing his coworker to stop at an ATM on the side of the road late at night. But as the film progresses, the layers of Corey's character begin to peel back, and you start to realize that there is much more to Corey than meets the eye. Alice Eve and Brian Geraghty are no less mesmerizing as a pair of coworkers turned lovers who, along with, Corey, are in for a wild ride at a seemingly ordinary ATM stop.

But the actor who steals the show is Mike O'Brian, playing Man. Man is, in a word, bone-chilling. His posture and blank, ominous stare are the makings of sheer terror that you will not be able to shake for weeks. His graceful yet harrowing movements make every second of ATM a hair-raising experience. Not to give anything away, but the final moments of ATM left me bone dry. Many modern film critics cite one of the greatest Oscar snubs of the 20th century as Jack Nicholson's performance in The Shining. I predict that critics will look back on O'Brian's performance as Man as the biggest Oscar snub of this century. My jaw literally hit the floor when I saw that he was not nominated in 2012.

The winner of this film however is director David Brooks. From the first frame of ATM, I was sitting on the edge of my seat. David Brooks and his esteemed cinematographer, Bengt Jonsson, guide the camera with the skill and grace of a modern day Francis Ford Coppola and Gordon Willis. The extended and sometimes horrifying shots of the ATM and parking lot tingle the spine and boggle the mind. The fact that Brooks is not getting paid millions of dollars to direct Marvel films is an atrocity.

ATM is modern filmmaking at its finest. I have purchased several Blu-Ray copies of ATM in case any get scratched, as I plan to re-watch the film roughly once a day for the rest of my life. Do yourself a favor and check out this movie.

Not Amazing, But Better Than I Was Told

[hollywoodlights1992 · 6/10 · 8 September 2015]

I'm not going to lie--I was nervous going into this film. Not because of a disdain for horror, mind you, I'm a fan of the genre, but rather due to the overwhelming amount of 1 and 2 star reviews the film has, combined with the appalling critical reviews of the film.

I can safely say I'm glad I checked this film out, though.

I'd be lying if I said the film didn't have a plot hole or two; or even moments that are downright stupid for that matter, but I enjoy it. One of the joys of being a horror fan is the diversity available to viewers. You're never locked in to what you have to watch, but rather what you want to watch.

This film isn't "A Nightmare on Elm Street" by any stretch. This film falls more in-line with "Nightmare on Elm Street 2"--meaning it has a lot of promise but fails the execution in various ways.

Being someone who grew up watching Josh Peck in programs like "The Amanda Show" and "Drake & Josh", I was expecting a standard performance by Peck. I was rather pleased when I discovered that in this film he curses, smokes, and drinks; a far cry from his early days.

As for plot, the story is simple: three people are in ATM booth when a psychopath traps and tortures them. It doesn't cover any ground that "Phonebooth" didn't already tread, just with a campier and more horrific execution. Going into this film expecting it to be a masterpiece on par with the works of Hitchcock or Craven will leave you sorely disappointed. You'll find a much more enjoyable time can be spent with the film when it's properly acknowledged as a fun, slightly campy, yet dark and serious horror flick.

The Three Stooges in an Awful, Unrealistic, Moronic and illogical Movie

[claudio_carvalho · 2/10 · 21 October 2013]

After a party in the company, David Hargrove (Brian Geraghty) gives a ride home to his colleagues Emily Brandt (Alice Eve) and Corey Thompson (Josh Peck). Corey decides to have dinner and they go to an isolated ATM to withdraw cash. Soon they are threatened by an unknown man (Mike O'Brian) and they become trapped in the ATM trying to survive.

"ATM" is among the worst movies that I have seen with an awful, unrealistic, moronic and illogical plot, characters and plot point. The stupidity begins with David that has a crush on Emily, but he is shy. When he finally has the chance to drive her home, the douchebag Corey asks him to take him home instead of taking a taxi. Therefore, the douche is not a real friend of David, messing up David's flirtation with his dream girl, and David is a sucker, losing the chance to stay alone with Emily. Corey decides to eat a pizza in a location in the United States of America that does not accept credit card. I do not live in this country but I have never had trouble in using credit card in this country. Then they see a stranger menacing them. In my country, ATMs have a hot line direct to the central of the bank to report problems, but I do not know how it works in the United States of America if client has a problem. The trio never runs at the same time, each one to one different direction, instead of doing what they do. When David and Emily finally run out of the ATM, they bring the wounded Corey back to the insecure ATM chamber. The stupid situations go on along 90 minutes running time. But the plot point, with David becoming the prime suspect of the murders, is laughable. My vote is two.

Title (Brazil): "Armadilha" ("Trap")

A test on anger management

[Cloud182 · 1/10 · 8 March 2012]

The plot, how to trick ATM surveillance cams. Level of excitement, none. This movie is too predictable, you can tell what's up next. Stupidity, a lot in this movie.

1. If you are in a party, and you know that you have a retarded office mate that tugs with you for a ride, will you care to go back to say goodbye, if you will be with a hot chick? 2. no one will walk a dog at 1am, in freezing weather 3. and of course the slip of death that cast out her girlfriend. 4. can you fill an ATM booth with water? new bar for water tightness. 5. a janitor walking beside the ATM, not noticing the dead man and police outside, being mistaken to be the serial killer and getting himself killed.

jeez, i hate going to bed with this mood.

Serial Killer and the ATM

[TroyeEvans · 2/10 · 13 March 2012]

So this is a horror or thriller. It is a wise choice for this movie to go without a wide cinema release. It does not really have the horror element and it can only be said to be mildly thrilling.

The title says it all. It's about three people trapped in a remote ATM and encounter a killer. I don't know if it's just me, but the first 30 minutes when I noticed the constant popping up of the CCTV footage and our title character performing aggressively, I made attempts to guess the ending, and I was right. I'm not going to spoil it here, but I promise it is not going to be a twist or stunt that blows you away. And in movies like this, it is often frustrating to watch when you know what is going to happen anyway.

While the plot does not have serious errors, the story is an overall unsatisfactory work. The acting is not top-class but okay, but the plot development and the ending are not pleasant from where I stand.

I've seen worse thrillers, but still I do not recommend this. There are better choices.

A complete waste of time

[anthonycljong · 1/10 · 11 March 2012]

There was absolutely no point to write a screenplay for movies like this. Absolute nonsense.

All the events of the movie are absolutely "forced". Car parked so far away. Security guard getting knocked out. Guy walking a dog in the middle of the parking lot getting killed? (all seen from the trailer). Come on... I empathize with the actors and crew members who had to be part of this nonsensical project.

SPOILER: What was the motive of the killer? He just hides in his storage unit drawing up plans on acetate that he can overlap. Give me a break. If one of the characters had a cell phone, a lighter, or A BRAIN, the killer would have gone home.

I can't wait for the reviews to start pouring in... or perhaps, no one would watch this straight to "cassette" tape movie.

One of the most ignorant movies I've seen in my life.

ATM: Good but not great

[doublebky · 7/10 · 5 August 2012]

First off, too many people thought this was gonna be a horror/slasher film. It truly is not one. This film deals with suspense and is a "thinking man's" thriller. Simply put, what would you do if you were put in the situation that these characters were put into? For starters, I watched the directors cut and I am not sure of any differences that may exist between this and the original theatrical version.

ATM starts out kinda slow, with a guy who is finally taking a chance on asking out a girl he has had his eye on for some time now. He offers to take her home from a Christmas party when his buddy reminds him that he is his ride home for the night. They end up stopping at an ATM to get some money and that is when the mayhem starts. A menacing figure begins to terrorize the ATM occupants and, as the night wears on, forced them into paranoid thoughts and acts of desperation.

I don't wanna give too much away but I have read a few things up here that I would like to comment on. First off, none of the three main characters are heroes. I read why not just beat him up...HE HAS A TIRE IRON IN HIS HAND. Are you gonna attack a weapon-wielding guy, especially if you don't know how to fight? Secondly, some people have said why not run in three directions? Hmm, interesting idea BUT here is some factors. One, they have dress shoes on. Ever try to run in dress shoes or for the women's case heels? Two, how many "bad people" are truly out there? Do you know if there is one, two or maybe more? Of course you don't, so you stay. Lastly, if it is cold, you are paranoid and beyond freaked and a guy has killed two people in front of your eyes, you probably have NO DAMN IDEA what you would do.

I loved how the killer pushes the cars up to the door to kinda lock them in. Adding the water was just another element of "OMG what now???" He was not going for drowning there people, the water would have caused hypothermia with the freezing temperatures. Loved the "chair" idea as well.

Yes, there were plot holes. Yes they could have parked closer to the ATM. Yes they could have opened the door a little when the water came in, even with the cars in the way (but remember, hypothermia was what the killer was going for. main character even mentions this so people would get it.) The acting is good, not great but reminds you with someone you work with if you work at an office or cubicle. The ending seemed a little rushed together but it makes sense if you think about it. Good to see no excessive gore just for the sake of having it, seems to be the norm nowadays and there truly is no need for it here.

6.75 out of 10. Despite the horrible reviews up here, check it out for yourself. Put on the actors shoes and ask yourself what you would do in each situation. Not a great film, but good enough for a rental at least.

What the hell did I just watch????

[lipali89 · 1/10 · 5 March 2012]

If you've seen the trailer, you've seen about 80% of the movie itself. If you've seen the trailer, you either don't watch it cause it's lame, or you DO watch it cause you want to know HOW lame it really is.

So I sacrificed myself for you so you don't need to waste your time on this.

To be honest this movie is probably the biggest piece of $#!/ I've seen in a long, long time.

Watching the movie really made my brain hurt because I simply could not believe how stupid they were.

***SPOILER*** For Instance: The murderer parks the car right in front of the ATM door so Posh-, Scary-, and Baby-Spice wouldn't be able to get out of the ATM. As Baby Spice tries to open the door he can at least open it a little. It might not be enough to squeeze their bodies through (not if they had it planned) but it's enough to let the WATER through so the ATM wouldn't fill up with it. And that is just one out of many many MANY other stupid moments in that movie.

Of course no one has a cell phone. (If one of them would've had a cell there would be other common problems like low battery or now connection... or they forgot the number of the cops. Yes, they are that stupid)

***

Apart from that the acting is OK and the ending is not THAT bad but that's about it.

Like I said, if you've seen the trailer, you know most of the movie. You won't be really surprised by anything - It's much too predictable.

I would not recommend this to you at all.

Counting dust particles is more enjoyable than seeing this movie.

[e-kard · 12 March 2012]

This is as close to suicide as you can get without actually killing yourself. If u want to inflict mental discomfort for 1 hour and 30 minutes then by all means go and watch this movie.

Very sad to see actors signing up and relating themselves to this kind of trash. I guess this is what makes the difference from actor to actor. Selection of movie script.

This movie is my first review. It was so bad that it made me sign up to IMDb to let the world know how bad it is. A warning as it may be so time is not wasted.

The acting was at least, not bad. Too bad for everything else.

Hars comments - FALSE! Try it out!

[Patient444 · 7/10 · 6 March 2012]

Two guys, one chick, one maniac! All I knew about the movie! Expectations: quite low! Reality: truly impressed!

Now, I am the 6th person to comment on this movie (at this time) and I notice that the feedback ATM got is very bad! 4 people simply stating that this is the worse thing out there, while another praised it. Well, I for one, will definitely be joining the "forever alone user", because I really think this movie rules! And let me tell you why:

1. acting: very good, the people involved in this movie really made me believe they were scared out of their minds and desperately trying to find a way out of the situation. 2. camera work: lovely! This movie managed to make me feel the cold that "was" on the set, I even tuck myself better in bed a few times, whenever I saw that thermometer or whenever I could head the wind blowing. 3. plot: although ATM has 2 scenes that you can predict quite easily, there are a lot of surprises here, so I enjoyed every one of them. 4. the maniac: and last but not least, he did a good job, I liked his performance, only thing that was rather disappointing is the end, where...well...better if you check it out for yourself.

So, now, dunno why all the hate, I for one am a HUGE horror fan, so I would hate to see this little gem of suspense and horror being left out of one's collection, trust me and the other guy, this movie kicks ass! If you are able to appreciate more independent horror movies too, well this one will definitely be the one for you! Please, try it out! PS: I am NOT involved in the making of ATM.

What a Waste of Time

[simon-d-cesair · 1/10 · 12 March 2012]

When I watched the trailer I wanted to see this movie, as it seemed intense and dramatic! However, after I have seen it now, I wished I would have done something else with my time. The three main characters are acting dumb and unrealistic; I don't even think there was anything to act because there was no real story line. I kept wondering where I have seen a killer like this before and then I remembered... "Urban Legends". I loved Urban Legends, nice and interesting story, cute actors, nice ending. But this Movie is nothing like it. Urban Legends was a master piece compared to this sad piece of ... I don't even know how to call it... Disappointment I guess... STAY AWAY FROM THIS MOVIE.

A taut, tense, and absorbing thriller

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 9 September 2012]

Christmastime. Three young white collar office workers -- wimpy nice guy David (a solid and likable performance by Brian Geragthy), cocky smartaleck Corey (smoothly played by Josh Peck), and the sweet'n'perky Emily (a fine and appealing portrayal by fetching blonde Alice Eve) -- make a late night stop at an ATM. The trio find themselves in great jeopardy after a cunning and ruthless psycho traps them inside the vestibule and forces them to participate in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Director David Brooks, working from a tight and gripping script by Chris Sparling, relates the riveting story at a snappy pace, builds and sustains a tremendous amount of nerve-rattling suspense, vividly captures the unsparing bitterness of the freezing cold weather, delivers a few jolting moments of sudden brutal violence, and maintains a grimly ominous tone throughout. The three leads all do sturdy work in their roles, with Geragthy a particular stand-out throughout. The downbeat surprise ending packs a pretty mean punch while the killer's aura of mystery and penchant for outright sadism adds an extra eerie and unsettling edge. Bengt Jonsson's crisp cinematography makes the most out of the cramped confined setting. David Buckley's shivery score hits the shuddery spot. A neat little nail-biter.

Decent - Somewhat Silly but Recommended Rental

[PeteTheReviewer · 6/10 · 1 September 2012]

I rented this film from RedBox for 74 cents after seeing the absolutely horrible reviews on the review sites and seeing the trailer. I tend to gravitate towards horrible movies. Though clearly flawed, bordering on ridiculous in parts this film isn't really terrible.

Positives: Decent (though not great) acting from the three primary characters. Interesting premise and (at least in the directors cut I watched) some explanation for some of the plot holes at the end (I won't get into the details as that would be spoiling things). Horrific scenes are not over done and there is a fair amount of suspense.

Negatives: Some of the directing seemed sloppy to me, at least at the start. Though maybe this was by design. Dialog is weak in much of the movie but in this genre that is rather typical. Some parts seem to run long and are overdone. Some plot points don't make sense until the end and may not make sense at all unless you watch the directors cut (I didn't watch the theatrical so I don't know).

In closing I think this film is worth a RedBox rental. It's entertaining if nothing else and even has bonus "making of" on the rental disk which is rare these days.

It could've been so much better

[benegesserit20 · 5/10 · 20 May 2012]

This comment contains spoiler so please don't read it before watching the movie.

The reason I gave 5 points was the very few but quite good ideas of this film, e.g. the ATM scene and the bad guy going for creating the "perfect crime" just for the hell of it, I guess (we will not learn about his motivation, but this one came to my mind at the end of the movie). However,the opportunities for making this film a really good one remained unexploited. Maybe the greatest mistakes of the movie are the illogical and sometimes completely brainless acts of the characters that makes you think that they will totally deserve what they get.

A few examples:

• They are parking miles away from the ATM in a completely empty parking lot. - They are taking their credit cards with them but not their cell phones. When they get a cell phone, there's no connect (which is fine in a jungle or in a desert but not in the middle of a city) and the car cannot be locked up properly. Such a conjunction of unlucky events is extremely unlikely. - 3 good guys vs. 1 bad guy (without any serious weapon), he still wins. This wouldn't be so unique but they didn't even try. - They let the ATM room filled with water without opening the door... - When the security guy disappears for hours, no one is looking for him, but when a fire alarm turns on in an ATM, a bunch of police cars and the fire dept. arrive in minutes.

Ruining such a good basic story with things like those... Such a pity.