The Last House On The Left Movie
| Resolution | Size | Download | ||
|
1920x1040 | 8329.6 MiB | 1080p | |
|
1280x696 | 6716.89 MiB | 720p | |
|
640x344 | 801.01 MiB | divx | |
|
480x258 | 523.29 MiB | ipod | |
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
After kidnapping and brutally assaulting two young women, a gang led by a prison escapee unknowingly finds refuge at a vacation home belonging the parents of one of the victims — a mother and father who devise an increasingly gruesome series of revenge tactics.
| Garret Dillahunt | Krug |
| Michael Bowen | Morton |
| Joshua Cox | Giles |
| Riki Lindhome | Sadie |
| Aaron Paul | Francis |
| Sara Paxton | Mari Collingwood |
| Monica Potter | Emma Collingwood |
| Tony Goldwyn | John Collingwood |
| Martha MacIsaac | Paige |
| Spencer Treat Clark | Justin |
| Usha Khan | Maid |
| Dennis Iliadis |
6.70 out of 10 (19566 votes)
Visitor Reviews
In this writer's opinion, the best horror remake by far.
posted on 26 Aug 2009As we all know, the horror remake has become a genre in its own way. With each remake, we constantly complain that Hollywood is running out of ideas and is turning to the cheap thrills of half assed remakes to get their buck as quickly as they can. Virtually every major horror film of the 1970's and 1980's has already been remade, or is on its way (hello, Hellraiser and A Nightmare On Elm Street!). While there have been some terrible abominations to their originals, the 2009 version of Wes Craven's "The Last House On the Left" is not even close to those, surpassing the others to become the best horror remake to date. While some may say, "that's like being the best video game movie!", I assure you, this is a thriller that thrills, scares, and knows how to get the audience involved with the film.As is a movie that isn't all that deep itself, and has a basic premise with no major plot twist, I'll keep this review short. I'm not going to be an idiot and say that this is a movie that has deep, thought provoking characters with oodles of development - it's not that kind of film. Dennis Iliadis knows what he has to work with and uses it to his advantage, shooting a riveting thriller that, while showcasing enough blood to drown a small village, is never overdone. "The Last House On the Left" doesn't delve into the easy escape route of the torture porn/unnecessary sex romp that other remakes have (I'm looking at you, Friday the 13th). It's gruesome and bloody when it needs to be, and this is why the audience can enjoy it.Another detail I really liked about this one was the extreme attention paid to the suspense. At around 2 hours, this one runs pretty long for a horror film, and most of it is the build up to the climactic showdown in the house of which the title speaks. However, there's enough thrills and suspense in this to keep us interested, even though the actual house doesn't play a role until the second half of the movie. I also liked the script from Carl Ellsworth, who again manages to create an entertaining atmosphere, much like he did in Red Eye and Disturbia. Is the guy going to win any Oscars? No, as most of the dialog in his movies is pretty below average, but the guy knows how to write entertaining movies.I guess the acting here is acceptable, especially for a horror film (oh how I long for a great actor to be in a horror film again...where did the Sigourney Weaver's of the world go?), but it's nothing to write home about. Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn are acceptable as parents acting instinctively to protect their daughter, while Sara Paxton is impressive in a role that will not remind anyone that this is the same girl that did "Aquamarine". As for the villains, again, they are passable, but I really think Josh Brolin would've owned Garrett Dillahunt's role, while Aaron Paul's part would've been perfect for a guy like Ben Foster. What's that? Yes I'm aware that those two would probably never sign on to a movie like this, I'm just having a bit of wishful thinking. Dillahunt's character was well written enough to the point where he didn't need to add anything to make him menacing, but there was a lot of potential there.All in all, this is one of the better horror films of recent memory (better than pretty much any mainstream 2008 horror film, that's for sure), and in my opinion the best remake of them all. It's not cheap, it's well made, and it's got what looks like a lot of effort in it. I really enjoyed it for what it was, and came out pleasantly surprised.
Amazing movie but not for the feint of heart
posted on 26 Aug 2009*Potential spoilers*From start to end it was an amazing movie. Right from the get-go the characters get set up for an amazing plot line that leaves audiences ecstatic and fulfilled. Most of the scenes are well played out and I had a hard time finding a problem with the acting.One scene captures the real horror of rape. 10/10 for the acting on that scene and two thumbs up for the producers on their take of it. However, having had my cousin raped and murdered as a young girl the scene hits home a little hard so I'm throwing a word of caution to any who think it might bring up bad memories. Seriously, it's that graphic.All in all: Amazing movie. 10/10
Quite good for a remake to a classic Grindhouse film.
posted on 22 Aug 2009This does contain some very big spoilers, but nothing you haven't seen in the trailer.I can still remember when I heard there was going to be a remake to Wes Craven's 1972 debut film. I told anyone who would listen that it was a mistake as there was simply no possible way to duplicate, even remotely, the feel of despair, disgust, shock, horror and hopelessness that the original made you feel. The original is without a doubt the most disturbing film I have ever seen. You can check my review of it out here at IMDb. The original was made with no studio backing, no budget and by two of horrors future icons. These are the same guys that would bring to life Freddy and Jason.I was not wrong in my preconceived notions. The remake is nothing like the original. And really, how could it be? It is a studio film. It has Hollywood producers and if you wanted a film like the one in 1972, you would get an X-rating. As it stands, we have an R-rated film and it does a very nice job of retelling the story for a new generation of horror fans.Is this one any good? Definitely. In fact, it is probably the best horror film of the year so far. Just because it cannot compare to the original, doesn't take away from the quality of the remake.As the story goes, Mary and her parents are vacationing for the summer at their cottage, the last house on the left. Mary is a well to do kid, whose father is a doctor and her mother is some sort of business débutante. In spite of their wealth, they come across as a nice family and nothing like the pretentious and snotty family that they could of been in another horror film. Just before they head to their cottage for the summer, we see the story of Krug, who is being taken to a penitentiary for some crime. He is rescued by his brother and girlfriend. And they decide the best thing to do is kill the two police officers holding Krug. The killings are long and drawn out and they are violent. Krug and his gang are not nice people. This is established from the outset.Mary decides to go to town to see her friend Paige and soon they are getting some weed from Justin, who happens to be Krug's kid. Krug and his merry band of miscreants come back to the hotel and they kidnap Mary and Paige and make off with them. At this point, nothing terrible has happened to the girls. Paige tried to escape from the hotel and she is beaten up a bit. I didn't really feel fear for Mary and Paige, not yet anyway. That all changes when they get to the forest. In a shocking moment, Paige is killed as both Krug and Francis stick a knife in her back and her stomach. This was the first time in the film that it felt like a semblance of the 1972 film. Then Mary is raped. The rape is done as violently but without any nudity as possible. This does take away from the disgust of the act, but again, an R rating had to be achieved for this film. Soon Mary is running for her life and she is shot and presumed dead.Up until now the film is good. Where it gets great and showcases Dennis Iliadis' talent is when the killers end up at The Collingwood's doorstep in need of help and shelter for the night. They of course have no idea these are Mary's parents and when the parents, played beautifully by Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn discover the killers, their plan for retribution is carried out with no pity, no fear and no remorse.The tag line for this film is a perfect appetizer for what you are about to see. "If bad people hurt someone you love, how far would you go to hurt them back?" The problem with so many revenge films, horror or other genres, is that the bad guys wreak havoc on the good guys for 95 minutes. Then in the last 5 minutes of the film, the good guys get their meager revenge and then the bad guys die. There is not a lot to cheer about. I need to see the bad guys get what's coming to them. And in a film where innocence is lost and a young virgin is raped and dehumanized, it is even more tantamount to see the bad guys get theirs. The Last House on the Left takes care of this beautifully. One of the signs that this is an effective film is that people talk about the merits and reality of whether or not a microwave would really blow a man's head up even with the door open, as opposed to whether or not that man deserved to have his head blown off. At this point, you just want to see something terrible happen to the iniquitous, evil bastards on screen. You don't care what it is, but it has to be cruel and maniacal. It won't help you forget the rape, but it will mitigate the act knowing that retribution was served.The Last House on the Left is a very well made film with wonderful performances from the good guys, the bad guys and everyone in between. It is not for the weak at heart or those easily offended. However, if you want to see a truly disturbing film, watch the original. But be forewarned, it is a disturbing and brutal film. The early 70's was a different time for film making. You would never get away with what you did then in todays movie making political forum. But this remake does a very nice job of trying. Kudos to all involved.8.5/10
A movie ruined for me by one scene
posted on 18 Aug 2009A near 5 minute long scene depicting a young girl being raped in which it shows him unzipper his pants, and you get to hear every sound from a side angle as you get to whitness him penetrate her, and for the duration of the next 5 minutes get to see her scream in horror as his parts smack against her rear. Absolutely terrible, horribly offensive, and unnecessary trash, possibly the most irritating scene I've seen in any movie. Maybe it's because this was the unrated version i watched. It didn't need to be so offensive to be shocking, and i guarantee the rating of this movie (6.8 currently) would be at least a 7.3 had it not been for that scene. I hope others agree, if not, that's really effed up. The rest of the movie after that for me was wasted potential. That one scene absolutely ruined it for me and left a terrible mood which will definitely take hours to pass. You just don't show trash like that in a movie, unrated or not. Like I said, i hope many agree with me. If not, thats a disgusting shame.
Best remake in years!
posted on 18 Aug 2009This is my first review on IMDb so be gentle! I was so pleased with the film I joined to let others know my views. I have seen my fair share of remakes and have been very disappointed with the majority of them, I am happy to say I found this to be a very worthy remake, I would go as far to say that it was actually better than the original in a lot of ways! I watched the original as a child and found it pretty disturbing but a very well executed horror, I recently watched it again in anticipation of the 2009 release and wasn't as impressed, I know that the grainy dated footage added something to the film, somehow documentary style and with the budget they had Wes Craven done a very good job, however I think it was let down a bit by the music which was very inappropriate and sounded like it could have been in a comedy this and the fact my girlfriend was giggling at some of the movie didn't help, particularly the two policemen and their antics, they seemed like a comedy duo which detracted from the dark story, maybe this was deliberate and was intended to give us a break from the harsh storyline? However that aside it is a classic film which I was hoping would be done justice.Enough about the original on to the 2009 remake, the film sticks very true to the original, some people are not happy about the small changes but I think they added to the film, made it more believable, gave us more information about the characters, made us care more about what was going to happen, I wont go in to any details, I don't want to ruin it for anyone but I think the changes made this in to a much more rewarding film for the viewer. I have read other reviews complaining it went too far, that they should have left certain scenes out, are you serious? why did you bother watching it, have you lived under a rock for the past 30 years, did you not know the original storyline? It had to have harrowing scenes which made you feel uncomfortable, the film would not have worked without them! I think this is the best remake I have seen in many years and give it 10 stars, very good acting, excellent directing and a great cast, it had a lot to live up to and it succeeded when so many other films have failed. I highly recommend this film to fans of the original and newcomers to The Last House On The Left.
One Of The Best Remakes I've Ever Seen!
posted on 16 Aug 2009I walked in to the remake of "Last House on the Left" not expecting much: Not only had I seen the original, which-sorry Wes-was a very flawed film, I have so little expectation for horror remakes to be anything but over-budgeted crap. With these very negative expectations, The Last House on the Left surprised me greatly by being one of the better thrillers I had seen in quite a while! The acting was almost shockingly good (especially in comparison to the original film), The script was very effective, and the score by John Murphy was really perfect in how it drove and complemented the suspense. The remake improved upon its source material in so many ways: the better parts of the original were kept, while some of the stupider unnecessary exploitation was cut, making the level of violence in the film brutally realistic rather than intentionally offensive. The pacing was also significantly better, with what I would consider a nearly perfect balance between the exposition, the initial action, and the results of that action. Overall "The Last House on the Left" was a unexpectedly excellent film, and in my mind may have validated the horror remake, or at least demonstrated that it can be done well.
Serously?!
posted on 14 Aug 2009I'm not even going to talk about the tasteless scenes, the explicit rape, the violence... How in hell women can give it more than a 1? I'm not giving it a 0 because it doesn't let me. All the ones who like this film are really sick, f***ed up in the head. Specially that guy that thought it was awful because it wasn't explicit enough WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!!!I only went to watch this film because it had good reviews, even tho the acting was brilliant because i really believe what was happening in every scene. Great job from Riki Lindhome, she is great as a psycho in this film ( i like her funny psycho better in Big Bang Theory tho). The only good thing in this film is that it ends.
Wow Just Wow
posted on 10 Aug 2009I didn't know what to expect when I read reviews from various websites. I went to go see this with several of my friends a couple members of my family. It started out with them driving back from swimming practice and ends with so much gore and intensity, that you pretty much don't move for the rest of the movie. The reason why I didn't give this movie a ten was because some of the movie was just too much, but I guess that's what you get when you go see a movie with a rape scene. I thought the rape scene was a little bit too much but later in the movie the emotions of the family made the rape scene manageable. My opinion is to not see your little kids see this, but this was the best horror movie by far this year!
At least it differed from the original
posted on 10 Aug 2009Well, face it Garret Dillahunt, while putting in a pretty stellar performance here, is no David Hess. But, I'll give the guy a break because we just can't have that kind of sleaze that we used to in the good old 1970s, as evident to all of the people who are disturbed (and complaining) about the rape scene (a pivotal scene that was SUPPOSED to be disturbing.) Those people complaining I'm guessing hadn't seen the original and realized that the sleaze factor had been toned down. Yes, there is a psychologically draining rape scene, but they cut back on the hour of endless sexual abuse in Craven's original (plus some of the less PC killings at the end.) Now, that said, this version is different from the original, which, to me, is good. I own the original, and if i want to see it I'll watch it again. Sadi was a little less sensitive to the girls-- which, good or bad, is at least different. Krug is more of a hillbilly in this than a street thug. And it increasing became better because the methods of taking revenge on these animals made the film.I gave it a 7, exactly what I'd give the original-- which basically was nearly ruined by bumbling bad actors as cops and cheesy music (I wish Wes would edit some of that out.)
thejonnyFILM.com reviews Last House On The Left
posted on 08 Aug 2009well after seeing it: Last night Man On The Street and I traveled into, what seemed like, the depths of hell. And I don't mean "hell" like sitting through a Freddie Prinze Jr. movie, I mean "hell" like making you want to crawl out of your skin in every possible way that a good thriller should make you feel.Because I've wronged you on almost every recommendation I've made lately, I feel obligated to let you know that if you have an untold tolerance for general inhumanity, The Last House On The Left is a must see.first things first, the movie is NOT a horror movie. it's a thriller. there's no bogey men. no curses. no weirdness. just terrible people doing terrible things to innocent victims in harrowing drawn out scenes that range from no-big-deal drug use to am-i-somehow-an- accomplice rape. the film was far from perfect: there's a dead-brother plot that never really comes full circle and the final scene, while AMAZINGLY satisfying, feels a little bit out of place. But if director Dennis Iliadis was setting out to create an entertaining (?) film that would make you want to die half way through (there were double-digit amounts of people who walked out of the theater we were in.) then he succeeded with flying colors.The scariest thing about this movie to me is the fact that director Iliadis has only one other credit to his name. that movie is called Hardcore. so just to be clear there was a script that he felt better deserved the title "Hardcore" then a film about an innocent family who has no choice but to savagely murder the cop killing rapists who left their daughter for dead. and after looking at the trailer for Hardcore....
Slightly better than the original
posted on 06 Aug 2009I thought that Wes Craven's 'Last House on the Left' was a fairly decent movie that was brutal yet entertaining.When I heard of the remake,I wasn't excited,but I did want to see it.I can't say that this was a great film,but it headed in the right direction just like the original did.I like the plot: two teenage girls encounter vicious psychopaths who kidnap them and then rape them.Pretty cruel,but I liked it.They kill one of the girls and they presumably kill the other.But they didn't.The killers stay at one of the girls home with her parents and they have no idea what happened to their daughter until she comes home with blood and scars all over her.Then the parents find out that the people who hurt her are in their house.One of the killers had his hand shoved into a garbage disposal and then got stabbed in the head.The other was shot,and the last one had his head put into a microwave while it was still on and then his head blew up.Pretty creative,don't you think?This is a good remake that deserves to be seen by those who have or haven't seen the original film.
This Last House is worth visiting!
posted on 04 Aug 2009After escaping the law thanks to his brother & lover, bad to the bone criminal Krug, hits the road with his partners in crime where along the way they kidnap two girls with plans of using them as hostages, however after an attempted escape by one of the girls, they wind up into an accident & from there, the trio torture, rape & even kill one of the girls & leave the other for dead after she is shot trying to swim away. Seeking shelter from a bad thunderstorm in a nice country home with a doctor & his wife, they soon realize their grave error when the parents find out they were responsible for the horrible deed done to their daughter when she happens to crawl back to the house alive, now the criminals find the tables have been turned & they are the ones who are going to get a taste of their own medicine! Having seen the trailer for this remake of Wes Craven's original LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972) I knew one thing for sure, no matter how this film turned out good or bad, it would be so much better than his original awful first outing that he made with Friday The 13th director Sean S. Cunningham & I was right! LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT 09' is a well written, well acted, well directed & very tight suspense horror thriller! All those things The older version didn't have. The film really does keep one on the edge of their seat, however like in the older version the violence here is very unpleasant (especially the rape scene) but unlike the original version, this one's main focus is on the suspense, wherein the original went so far as to try & include comedy with tons of violence & plenty of bloodshed & wound up a horrible mess. The direction here was also much better than what Craven did on the original film & the villains are extra hateful here. Fans wanting to see a really good tight knit thriller will love this, but again be forewarned it's extremely violent.**** stars
One Of The Best Experiences I've Had At A Cinema All Around!
posted on 04 Aug 2009I had watched the original with friends before. What attracted it to us was the way the movie was being put across "to avoid fainting keep repeating it's just a movie" etc. We loved horror and anything just generally shocking it was the most fun along with comedy's you could have with friends!. Well it certainly did not let anyone one of us down it was pretty insane?! shall we say. Either way a truly great piece of horror beyond what any of us had seen at the time.When i heard about This Re-make i was not so much excited but anxious to see how they would handle the story and the scenes that would be necessary to tell it to the best of it's ability.I was impressed.I knew straight away it would be reasonably mild compared to the first one it had to be , to be watchable in cinemas in order to make money. And for the most part it was. However it still kept that vital shock value the gore (the blood & guts) were handled perfectly it was like the hills have eyes re-make in the sense you saw what was happening the camera never once did one of those annoying wall shots were you see the blood splatter! when a knife went in or a bullet etc. it went in and you saw it. Well with a horror film that's half the battle straight away.Obviously you probably know this film is centred around a group of convicts who are a perfect example of a human being with no soul or heart. And this even better than the first one in my opinion is displayed amazingly. In this film you really get the feeling that these guys would do anything to any human being in the world and would not feel one bit of remorse for there actions. I would even go as far as to say out of every film i've ever watched these have to be some of the scariest people i've seen on the silver screen. It all adds to the great experience.The "Rape" scene/scenes are also what this film is pretty famous for and i was interested to see how they would handle this films such scenes. I thought it was handled pretty well. What this film hits straight on the head is the atmosphere the music and every aspect of the film combined just build up to exploding point then it happens. It was like nothing i'd experienced in a cinema before the place was packed out with what was to be honest a perfect testing range for the film there were people of my age (18) all the way to what i would have said was about 70-ish. As the scenes built up and up the piercing sounds of the girls screams , the actions taking place on screen and everything accumulated into one terrifying experience. I looked round the once rowdy room to find everyone silent and i could just feel it someone had to walk out.And they did.For the first time in my life a film was that shocking that as many as 10 people walked out and couldn't come back. That is what horror is meant to do!. So at this point Last House had already scored high marks with me it had stayed as true to the original as it could have. (There was also someone crying behind us!).This film splits the story 50/50.The first half is horrible it is meant to shock and appaul the audience so that when the second kicks in it satisfies all!. And god does it never before has revenge felt so right. People again were re-acting to the film again in a way i'd never seen people were clapping chants "get in" , "have it" "go on" and cheering. Admitadley by the younger members of the audience but non the less a great re-action. In my eyes this film was just as perfect as this re-make could have been it had it all. And it was one of the first films i'd seen in along time that was almost more than a film it was a genuine experience.Oh and you'd be surprised to know the acting was actually very well done i wouldn't have changed it at all t be honest again pleasantly surprised.Only things that this film down was the fact that it's still a pointless story and if not for the shock factor couldn't possibly be even an average film!. so I'm afraid it's a 7 from me which is still good for a horror film non the less.It's definitely one of the better horror re-makes and one everyone will have a load of fun watching what more can you ask for in this day and age!.
There have been better remakes, but this is still better than the worst of the lot
posted on 02 Aug 2009Earlier in 2009 we saw re-imaginings of both 'My Bloody Valentine' and 'Friday the 13th.' Both turned out to be much better than they deserved to and have sparked talk of sequels that may come out next year. The third horror reboot/remake/restart, whatever you want to call it, of the year is of Wes Craven's debut 'The Last House on the Left,' which is known for being rather graphic. This didn't stop someone from wanting to revisit it and so the question was: Will it be as extreme as the original, or will it go further? At this time I can't answer this because I have yet to see the original, though I plan to, but I can say there are some moments and images that will undoubtedly make some wince and/or cover their eyes. This is neither an excellent horror film nor a spectacular remake, but compared to the likes of the new 'The Fog' and 'April Fools Day' it's pretty damn good.Pros: Apart from maybe Monica Potter, the rest of the cast is in top form. Gorgeous cinematography and scenery. Plenty of bloodshed and powerful fight and death scenes. A nice musical score that ranges from sort of beautiful and calming to subtle and unnerving. A good pace that at times is slow and steady and fast at others. Director Iliadis does a fine job of creating tension and unlike some directors uses the shaky cam effect effectively.Cons: Not that the script is really poorly written, it's just mediocre and a little too straight forward. Monica Potter is the weak link here acting-wise because she seems like she doesn't even want to be there. The middle drags a bit. Not exactly groundbreaking.Final thoughts: Overall a decent horror/thriller that won't bowl you over, but is worth a look for fans of the genre. Also, if you like your horror to be more grounded in reality then this is a good choice. Though I'm sure nowhere near as raw and gritty as the original, the harsher stuff is still quite real.My rating: 3.5/5
Always go for the gold … The Last House on the Left
posted on 02 Aug 2009I don't usually get disgusted or squeamish when it comes to horror and gore, but after viewing The Last House on the Left remake, one of the many old Wes Craven films getting reworked, I have to admit, it was pretty harrowing. Does making me tense up and await some scenes' conclusions make it an effective suspense/thriller? I'm not so sure. The plot line is thin, the result obvious, so as far as what will happen, there is very little question or anticipation. That being said, however, the death scenes and brutality are very much shrouded in the unknown. What one would expect to be the usual horror flick kills become methodical, realistic, and unbearable. Fists are thrown, knives are stabbed, and characters are slowed and tired. No one is supernatural, no one is above his own mortality, and, frankly, while that fact may not make it scary per se, it does make you question your motivations to keep sitting there watching it all.The gist of the story is as follows: a family, (mother, father, and daughter), goes to the lake for a vacation from clients and patients. It is a year since Ben, the older child, passed away, and they are all just looking to enjoy themselves and relax despite his absence and the work that has distracted them and gotten them through the rough time. Daughter Mari is seventeen and looking to have more fun than just hanging with her parents and working on her swim speed. So, on the first night of their arrival, she asks to borrow the car and visit an old friend, Paige. The two find themselves meeting a boy their age that tells them he has some primo weed at his motel. His father and the woman he's sleeping with, as well as his uncle aren't supposed to be back, but of course, that assumption is wrong, ushering in the start of the chaos and carnage. Why you ask? Oh, because, as the opening scene shows, the boy's father is an escaped, murdering psychopath excised from the cop car transporting him by his girl and brother. Let's just say that their arrival to the motel turns the kiddies' party up a few notches.It is not all about this motley crew's doings with the two young girls who have seen their faces and most likely will tell the police, no, most of the film's action comes afterwards. You see, Mari escapes and slowly makes her way back home to her parents. The catch, however, is that the Manson family has already arrived there, thinking Mari has been killed, and playing house to earn a peaceful night indoors from the lovely and accommodating Collingwoods. So, what starts out as a brutal look into the activities of miscreants and how they treat those in their captivity becomes a revenge flick of epic proportions as the mister and missus decide to achieve retribution themselves for the state their daughter has been left in. Phones dead, power being supplied by a generator, and the sky opened up pouring rain on top of them, the Collingwoods play judge, jury, and executioner with deft skill and precision, or at least as much as can be expected from two suburbanites out to protect themselves and the child they have left.It must be said that this thing is shot very nicely. Straight from the brief opening credit sequence, (no names listed until the end), as we dodge through trees, illuminated one at a time in the stark darkness as we move past, to some gorgeous underwater frames, to some inventive blocking and use of focus changing, the camera-work is intriguing in its own rite. As for the acting, it's pretty darn good for a genre film of this kind. Martha MacIsaac, as Paige, annoyed me a bit, but no complaints otherwise. I really liked Sara Paxton as Mari, especially her cool, collected self as she attempts to escape her captors; Monica Potter is a loving, yet strong mother figure that is willing to do what's necessary for her family; and Tony Goldwyn is pretty badass once he realizes the foursome staying under his roof are the ones who raped and left his daughter for dead. He will always be the bad guy in Ghost for me, but it's nice to see him back on the big screen as he rarely gets to play in a high profile release. And then there is Spencer Treat Clark as Justin, the boy who unknowingly brought the young girls into the path of his violent dad. His vulnerability and inability to do anything to help is hard to watch.What is really trying to watch, however, besides some gruesome moments during the revenge portion of the story, (claw hammer and garbage disposal anyone?), is the graphically realistic rape sequence. This scene is definitely not for the faint of heart because, as I read in an interview by Garret Dillahunt, he of psychopath patriarch Krug fame here, Paxton told him to go for it and make the moment as brutal as possible. And, trust me, it is. In the mud, clothes ripped, abstract close-ups of body parts unable to move under his strength, and everyone else watching, it becomes even more disturbing when finished as the camera lingers, in slow motion, on Paxton as she gets up—dirty and defiled—the comment by Dillahunt to his son, "you don't know what you missed", the only noise. Aaron Paul as the uncle and Riki Lindhome as the female companion are good and creepy in a horror film kind of way, but it's Dillahunt that adds just the right mix of real life malice. A formidable force, able to smile and bring people in close before pouncing, he is one scary monster making all that follows his opening moment of choking a cop to death while holding a photo of his kids in front of his eyes possible, reviling, and effective horror.
Being a remake, they should have tried to go farther!
posted on 31 Jul 2009There were a lot of stuff that disappointed me about the remake of LHOTL. For starters: it definitely didn't try to take anything a step further. the violence in this movie is toned down. Second: The guy that plays Krug is definitely not any match against David Hess--who frightened the hell out of me when i saw the original. Sure, the guy who played Krug in the remake was sick and demented, but he felt more like a bad guy out of an action movie; his character just wasn't scary. Also, i didn't feel any terror for him when he gets his head put in the microwave at the end. In the original: Wes Craven turned his antagonists into regular people at the end, so we could also feel their terror. I thought it worked since i usually root for the antagonists in movies. And also: "Mari doesn't die in this one!" I think that's what ruined the entire point. In the original: Mari getting killed off was one of the awesome climaxes.The film does have some good stuff about it, though. The acting was much better than the original (with the exception of Sadie and Paige) Tony Golwin does a much better job than Gaylord St James. The girl that played Mari also impressed me. I was actually convinced that she was getting raped.
Fantastic Thriller, Well Acted with Unbearable Suspense.
posted on 29 Jul 2009What I took into Last House 09 was what I knew about the original (by the way i have the original movie on DVD and it has been sitting there unwatched for a few years), and I must admit it's definitely a quality movie, great acting, wrought tension and great scares, i must say there were times I was hiding behind my hands because it was so suspenseful.It is also beautifully shot and looks amazing, Dennis Iliadis direction is superb and he gets every bit of energy and emotion from all of his cast. The actors are also really well cast, Garett Dillahunt is truly frightening as the movie's main bad guy, Riki Lindholme portrays Sadie with true evil and is very very creepy, Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn both pull off the typical family putting on a brave face (considering the back story which i'll not spoil for anyone who hasn't seen the movie yet), that are put in a position where they have to do what they can to protect their daughter's life and their own. Sara Paxton and Martha MacIsaac also show that they are capable of a more dramatic element than just a comedy and teen movie fare, that we are used to seeing them in.The only thing I hated about the movie was the rape scene, the build up was just so intense that I found myself covering my ears so I couldn't hear what was going on, but apart from that go see this movie if you want to see how a remake should be done.A thought provoking, pulse racing thriller, that will have you on the edge of your seat until the credits roll.
Pointless and ridiculous remake.
posted on 27 Jul 2009To start, I am a fan of horror remakes. With movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the sequels take away B movie cheesiness and add style and suspense keeping the clever and horrifying plots.However after watching Both versions of Last House On The Left sadly it is not the case this time. The style is there, the cheesiness has gone, but also takes the horror and messes up the plot. This 2009 version tries to turn the story into a thriller, and fails. It changes the plot unnecessarily - trying to give a more happy outcome to the story, and in doing so invalidates the entire point of the ending.. Without going into spoilers actions are taken which are unjustifiable based on what hasn't taken place in this sequel.The only thing the original had going for it was the 'nothing left to lose' attitude that fuelled the ending. Also, the methods used in the ending were pretty funny and inventive, whereas in this remake it lost all originality.
Good Lord - What the Hell
posted on 27 Jul 2009I am a fan of 2 of the actors in this movie - but after this disgusting piece of crap they've made I've lost all respect for both Garret Dillahunt & Aaron Paul. Both had won me over from Terminator & Breaking Bad. This is perhaps too real, I've seen a rape scene in movie that lasted 15 minutes. But this one was too brutal within seconds. Underage girls being raped and murdered is not my idea of entertainment, cinema or art. I'm sure these circumstances have happened before in the world, but there's no need for this movie. I don't know how any of the actors could have stomached the script, let alone making the film. And I hope they're all ashamed from the outcome.
Probably the most HARD-HITTING Movie Ever!
posted on 28 Aug 2009Its rare that you come across movies that leave an impact even hours after you watch them . "The last house on the Left(TLHOTL)" falls under this category. There are not many movies whose remake is miles ahead of its original counter-part. My head was filled with the brutal scenes from the movie until I went to sleep. I enjoyed 'Dawn Of the Dead' more than the original and so did TLHOTL. The way the director builds up atmospheric tension in this movie right from the beginning till the last scene-its really incredible and a treat to watch. TLHOTL is a revenge thriller and remains true to its genre & is better than most of its counterparts- in terms of look, thrill,entertainment value,acting,direction-everything just falls in its right place. The only drawback of this movie is that its not meant for audience below the age of 18(at least I don't recommend it). When I finished watching it, my 13 year old bro(who is a big movie buff like me) asked if he could watch it-I told him the same thing. The way the rape scene and the scenes thereafter were handled-its too terrifying and hard-hitting for young audience. Watch this movie if you like tense atmospheric,suspenseful thrillers like SAW,DEATH SENTENCE,MISERY etc- it will be going to take you to a different world altogether. You will be so engrossed that you will forget watz happening around you. I give it a solid 8/10 for its flawlessness. GO FOR IT!