Tamal Kundu
Directed by Eli Roth and starring Keanu Reeves, Ana de Armas, and Lorenza Izzo, ‘Knock Knock’ is a film that unfolds like a morality play. At the center of it is an architect named Evan Webber (Reeves), whose happy and peaceful life is thrown into complete disarray after he lets two young girls, Genesis (Izzo) and Bel (Armas), into his house. With his wife and children gone for a short vacation at the beach, Evan wanted to catch up on his work. But with the arrival of the girls, he finds that he can’t concentrate.
Although Evan initially rejects their attempts to seduce him, he ultimately gives in. They later tell him that they are both minors. Evan realizes that he is in serious trouble. As the movie progresses, the girls’ behavior becomes more and more unhinged. If the morally ambiguous hero, multi-layered and complex villains, and the wild plot of ‘Knock Knock’ have got you wondering if the film is based on actual events, this is the article for you.
Is Knock Knock Based on a True Story?
No, ‘Knock Knock’ is not based on a true story. Roth wrote the screenplay of the film with Guillermo Amoedo and Nicolás López. The film is a modern adaptation of the 1977 film ‘Death Game.’ Directed by Peter S. Traynor, the older film has almost an identical plot and a cast that includes Sondra Locke, Colleen Camp, and Seymour Cassel.
The original film is based on a story by Larry Spiegel, Don Bluth, and Traynor adapted for the big screen by Jo Heims, Anthony Overman, and Michael Ronald Ross. When it was originally released, ‘Death Game’ did poorly both with the critics and at the box office. But in the ensuing years, the film has garnered a loyal fanbase. An unabashed exploitation film through and through, ‘Death Game’ is perhaps one of the best examples of the remarkable enduring qualities of a B-film.
In the opening credits, the film declares itself to be based on true events, although this claim was never verified. B-film producers traditionally like to attach a “based on true story” tag to attract more audience, and this was no exception. The film then goes on to add that “It should serve to remind us that fate allows no man to insulate himself against the evil which pervades our society.” Aside from ‘Knock Knock,’ ‘Death Game’ has been remade one other time.
In 1980, Spanish filmmaker Manuel Esteba made ‘Vicious and Nude’ (Viciosas al Desnudo). Actors Jack Taylor, Adriana Vega, and Eva Lyberten portray the key roles. ‘Death Game’s director, Traynor’, along with the film’s two main female stars Locke and Camp, were involved in the production of ‘Knock Knock’. Camp even stars as Vivian, one of Evan’s wife’s friends, who comes to check up on him and discovers Genesis there. So, even if it does seem to be inspired by a true event, the movie is simply a remake of a ’70s film.
Read More: Where Was Knock Knock Filmed?
