MINI REVIEW: RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR (***)

Chris Gorak's low-budget yet very effective debut thriller RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR (***) will scare the doo-doo out of you if you live in the greater Los Angeles area. Well, actually, depending on how much you fear biological terrorism, it'll scare you no matter where you call home. The film centers on a husband (Brad, Rory Cochrane) and wife (Lexi, Mary McCormack) who live in LA; he's a slacker musician type and she works to pay the bills at some sort of executive type job. One day, after Lexi departs their Hollywood hills home for her office downtown, the radio buzzes with the insane news that Los Angeles is under attack by terrorists; dirty bombs have been detonated in strategic areas of the city, creating instant chaos. People are told to stay in their homes and seal them up (duck-tape baby!) and not to come into contact with anyone who has been exposed to the explosions and the fall-out ash that is covering the city. Nobody knows who is responsible for the attacks or what the impact of the biological weapons immediately are. It's a nightmarish, apocalyptic scenario that is handled in a scary, realistic way thanks to Gorak's fine directorial touches. Previously an art director on films such as FIGHT CLUB, MINORITY REPORT, and FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, Gorak instantly shows that he can create a mood and atmosphere with limited resources; the film rarely leaves the couple's house. The story gets a little crazy and some of the decisions that the characters make aren't necessarily the ones that I might make. And the ending dips into TWILIGHT ZONE territory a bit more than it probably should. But for most of it's quick running time, RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR is a scary thriller with a timely scenario and two live-wire performances from the leads. If you want a visceral jolt, check it out.