THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (2009)

Add Review To List
Add Film To List
Write Your Own Review

"Do not take a date expecting her to jump into your arms and laugh it off with a giggle and a kiss."

I came to a sad realization earlier this week. It seems that this decade may not be remembered for anything remarkably original in the horror genre. At least those in the 1970s could appreciate the classics of internal horror The Exorcist and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Those in the 1980s could appreciate the stupid, yet campy slasher films. And those in the 1990's have the revitalization of the slasher genre through films like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. With the exception of the exhausted Saw series, this decade pretty much has remakes to lean on. That's right, the new trend is not to come up with something new, but just completely redo something that already exists. As saddened as I am by this trend, a horror lover like me has no choice but to look at these projects as objectively as possible. After all, maybe it is the sore economy that reflects such sore choices by movie studios. On that note, the latest "re-imagining" I have had the pleasure of viewing is The Last House on the Left.

The Last House on the Left was originally directed by Wes Craven in 1972 and is regarded by horror fans as one of the grittiest and brutal flicks ever made. It is actually a retelling of Ingmar Bergman's Virgin Spring, but Last House was never criticized for hacking. While Bergman's picture was quite artistic, Craven's version was an unsettling favorite in grind houses. The remake follows the same storyline as Craven's original. There is the picturesque family going away to their lakeside vacation home. John (Tony Goldwyn) is a stressed-out doctor in need of a vacation, while his wife Emma (Monica Potter) thinks he needs a little R and R. They have in tow their ambitious daughter Mari (Sara Paxton). When John and Emma decide to have a romantic dinner together, they see no harm in letting Mari run around the local town with her friend Paige (Martha MacIsaac).

Of course not all things go as innocent as planned. Mari and Paige flirt their way into the motel room of a shyster pothead (Spencer Treat Clark) for some harmless toking. Only it turns out the room is inhabited by escaped killer Krug (Garret Dillahunt), his equally sick brother Francis (Aaron Paul), and his just as equally murderous girlfriend (Riki Lindhome). There is no sly or easy way to explain what happens to the girls except through honesty: Mari and Paige are taken to the woods where Paige is brutally felt up and stabbed to death, and Mari is violently raped before being left for dead. Like the scene in the predecessor film, it is a moment rarely seen in horror films in the sense that it is actually horrifying. Yes we can laugh at Jason and Freddy, but viewers rarely know how to react in theaters to such horrific imagery.

Then comes the twist we have all been waiting for. The band of criminals take shelter in the home of John and Emma, who make them cocoa and heal their wounds. Once John and Emma actually discover who these people are and what they have done to their daughter, they are given an opportunity like no other. In their own home, they have the chance to exact revenge on those who hurt their daughter.

I mentioned in the introduction that I have to look at remakes as objectively as possible. In a perfect world, I would be reviewing a freshly-scripted flick, but we are stuck with these money-making schemes. With that being said, Last House on the Left is done in the best way possible. I am subtracting points simply because there is no flash of brilliance in retreading a classic. However, director Dennis Iliadis does not settle for cheap thrills in order to earn a PG-13 rating. Like Craven (who serves here as a producer) did in the original film, he really knows how to set up scenes so that they play with our emotions. The rape scene in this film is not quick and painless. It is merciless to the core, and any viewer with a soul will find fury building up inside. This emotion is bottled up inside of us and used effectively when John and Emma have the chance to exact revenge. The movie does well in making itself an exercise in violence. Once John and Emma commit acts of violence themselves, I admittedly felt a sense of relief, as though I would be able to sleep better at night. However, I am not sure if the theater full of people laughing, hooting, and hollering was what the filmmakers wanted, but maybe I am just a restrained guy.

Performances in horror movies tend to be lackluster because it is hard to find theater experts up for a round of blood and guts. However, I really felt the performances by Goldwyn and Potter. Their reaction to their daughter's abuse is very gut-wrenching. I was particularly impressed with Monica Potter in these scenes. The blond and attractive actress used to play flaky roles in romantic comedies and has laid low for a few years. I am not sure if this choice will put her back on the map, but I found her performance as a vengeful mother to be very mature for a change. Garret Dillahunt is another actor to watch. He really gets into Krug as a truly soulless villain. One minute, we want to believe he is an OK guy doing what needs to be done when he is on the run, but once he commits such horrendous acts, it is hard not to tremble at his presence knowing what he is capable of.

The biggest disclaimer here is that The Last House on the Left is not campy and fun. Do not take a date expecting her to jump into your arms and laugh it off with a giggle and a kiss. The movie is unrelentingly terrifying and may be too real for some viewers. While I do not condone this whole remake system, the movie still does a commendable job of capturing the edgy brutality of the original. It also brings together a talented cast. I would highly suggest this for true horror fans who do not mind an upsetting experience that will play with your anger emotions.

*I am writing this entry as an aside from the review because there was no easy way to work it into the review structure. However, it still needs to be said. This paragraph goes out to the people who brought their children to see this movie, and any other ignorant American who plans on doing the same thing. I listened to your children scream in terror as a teenage girl was brutally raped before their eyes, and I sat in astonishment when you did not take them out of the theater to ease their pain. I usually try to refrain from being opinionated about parenting, but I am very confidant in saying that you will one day burn in hell. I've blown off the fact that people actually dragged their kids to Hostel. But this? I only hope you can afford them the psychiatric help they need later on in life.

dodd@movieweb.com