Tenants, a film produced by 13th Floor Productions in association with EXIT 19 and Wallick Productions, brings an anthology of horror that weaves together seven terrifying tales within a single apartment complex. Directed by Blake Reigle, Jonathan Louis Lewis, Sean Mesler, and Buz Wallick, this 94-minute thriller follows one woman’s desperate search for her sister, navigating through the twisted stories of the tenants, each encounter spiraling into madness and terror.
The premise is simple but effective: Joni, played by Mary O’Neil, is desperately searching for her sister Emily in a building that becomes stranger with each passing floor. As she confronts the horrors of each tenant’s apartment, Joni unknowingly leaves a bloody trail in her wake, with a shadowy figure stalking her every move. The terror escalates as we meet an actress who discovers a thirst for blood, a father haunted by the monster in his hoarded belongings, and a grieving mother who must face the return of her lost child. Each story unfolds with its own brand of horror, but not all are equally effective.
One of the standout segments features the grieving mother, whose horror is slow to build but deeply rewarding once it arrives. The performances in this story are powerful, and the pacing, while deliberate, makes the eventual payoff all the more impactful. The cinematography here also shines, with clever shot choices that heighten the suspense and terror.
Another highlight is the segment titled Need Anything, about two roommates at each other’s throats over unpaid bills and cleanliness. The tone here is reminiscent of a classic Tales from the Crypt episode, with its playful yet suspenseful score and a darkly humorous twist. It delivers a solid payoff, and its balance of tension and fun makes it one of the more memorable stories in the anthology.
However, not every segment feels as cohesive. The story about a father and son struggling with the father’s hoarding, while well-acted, feels somewhat out of place in terms of tone. It’s a quieter, more character-driven piece that doesn’t entirely fit with the horror-heavy segments surrounding it, but it wraps up in a satisfying way that still makes it worth watching.
The stalker maintenance man segment hits the right tone for the overall film but suffers from some over-the-top performances. While it doesn’t derail the story, it does stand out as not quite meeting the quality of some of the stronger pieces. Despite this, the segment is effective in its creepiness and fits within the anthology’s broader themes of paranoia and unease.
The film’s wraparound story, featuring Joni’s search for her sister, is perhaps the weakest link. While O’Neil’s performance is solid, the narrative connecting the different segments feels disjointed and at times confusing. The dark shadowy figure following her adds intrigue, but the overall execution of the wraparound feels underdeveloped. Each segment might have shined brighter as standalone short films, allowing the anthology to better explore its characters and stories without needing to rely on a tenuous thread connecting them.
Visually, the film impresses, with strong cinematography throughout, shot on Red Komodo and exhibited in 4K. The apartment complex feels claustrophobic, each floor offering a new nightmare, and the production design effectively sells the decaying, haunted atmosphere of the building. While the uneven tone and occasional narrative confusion may take viewers out of the experience at times, Tenants still delivers a satisfying blend of horror styles and chilling tales that make it worth the watch.
Overall, Tenants is a solid horror anthology with some standout stories and performances, though it doesn’t quite stick the landing as a cohesive whole. Horror fans will appreciate the different take on terror, and while some segments work better than others, the film offers enough variety to keep you on edge throughout. The cost of rent, indeed, may be your life, but it’s worth paying to experience this creepy apartment complex of horrors.
Jessie Hobson