The Last House on the Left

Released: 2009

MPAA Rating: R (Review is Unrated DVD version)

Run time: 1:50

It is a rare thing indeed when a re-make is even close to being as good as the original. In some cases ("The Pink Panther"), you wonder why they would ever dream of re-doing it in the first place. After recently watching the original "The Last House on the Left", this was a movie screaming for a remake. Cult classic or not, it was just not well done. The current version not only matches the original, it far surpasses it. Every single element of this version is better. The acting is way superior to the original. The production value is very slick and the script has been tightened up to remove some of the silliness in the original and make this a straightforward horror-revenge movie. The basic plot framework is the same: Two girls (Sara Paxton and Martha McIsaac) are hanging out and meet a stranger (Spencer Treat Clark) who offers to sell them some pot. When they go to his hotel to complete the deal, they suddenly find themselves abducted by a group of escaped convicts led by the stranger's father, Krug (Garret Dillahunt). After the gang have car trouble, they are in the woods with the girls where the real brutality begins. Unbeknownst to the thugs, they are very close to one of the girls' home. A series of events find the gang knocking on the door to the girl's home looking for "help". Once the couple (Tony Goldwyn and Monica Potter) discover what happened to their daughter and that these people did it, they decide to do "whatever it takes" to get their revenge. In some ways, the revenge is more brutal than the initial crimes, but you certainly find yourself cheering for it. This version does a very nice job setting up the events that motivate the characters. The criminals are much more realistic, the crimes are portrayed with no holds barred. There is a rape scene in the film that is completely horrifying and brutal and very uncomfortable to watch. Any one, male or female, who have "rape fantasies" really have no idea how brutal a crime it really is. You are always told that rape is not a sex crime, it is a crime of violence. The movie portrays this perfectly. Unlike the original, the nudity in those movie is not exploitative, it is usually horrific. This was a very suspenseful and often uncomfortable movie and definitely worth the time. Wes Craven gets props for the story and the creation of the characters, but this film is so much better than his was. The only major negative to this film was a one minute scene right before the end credits that was completely over the top and ridiculous.

Grade: B

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