The Last House On The Left (2009)

Let's get business out of the way first. The Last House on the Left is not a horror movie, at least not in the way you'd imagine. It is more of a thriller, an intense and psychological one, where the only real comparison to horror is the occasional bloody demise of a bad guy. Wait, did I say bad guy? Yup, for those of you who haven't seen the original LHOTL film, made by Wes Craven in 1972, this is a tale that turns the usual victim/hunter relationship on its head. I still have yet to see the original, but remakes don't get me all childish and pouting because an old classic is attempted again. The original remains intact, so quit whining.

The Last House on the Left, of the 2009 variety, was tightly paced, and to watch the family, whose daughter was raped and abused, seek revenge on the very same people when they accidentally arrive on their front doorstep is wonderful. You can cheer when one of Krug's (Garret Dillahunt) gang is offed, because their horrible actions earlier may (?) justify the killing. I thought the script kept things moving, and there weren't any moments of boredom, perhaps because of all the anticipation of knowing what was going to happen next. Dennis Iliadis has directed a very nice looking film, and even pushes up close when the worst things happen, forcing you to watch them. I liked that touch. It felt especially effective, yet disturbing when we witness daughter Mari's rape. The scene is uncomfortable and real, but it is necessary to the plot. It makes the family's reaction justifiable. Only the microwave gimmick at the end had me shaking my head at plausibility, but it was a fun image and certainly entertaining.

Genre - Thriller (3)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (3)
Production (3)
Directing (3)