Tuesday’s best bet: ‘The Last House on the Left’
“The Last House on the Left” hits the shelves Tuesday, and besides Dexter Season 3, it’s your only good option.
Mini review: I have almost no trust in movie remakes. But every now and then, one comes along and totally surprises me. The reboot of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” was one and now, “The Last House on the Left (Unrated version)” is one. Being a fan of Wes Craven’s 1972 original, I never expected to like this one, but I did. A lot. I’m going to toss aside all movie pretension and admit that the remake, in its own way, was better.
The story is one of revenge. A group of complete lunatics (played wonderfully by Garret Dillahunt, Aaron Paul and Riki Lindhome) decide to torture young Mari (Sara Paxton) and her friend. When they’re done with the two girls, they seek refuge at a house that just happens to be Mari’s vacation home. When her parents (Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn) realize they’ve welcomed their daughter’s attackers into their home, they decide to protect themselves and avenge their daughter’s attack.
The one thing I disliked about the remake was the parents didn’t exactly pre-meditate their revenge. In the original, the parents planned out their attacks in a somewhat elaborate fashion. The 2009 version has the parents, at first, merely defending themselves. It eventually turns to revenge, but doesn’t quite hit the mark with that like the original.
It’s a pretty brutal and bloody movie. Horror fans will approve. Others might find it a bit too much. A-
“The Last House on the Left” is available on DVD and Blu-Ray and includes the theatrical R-rating version and the uncut version, which is four minutes longer. Special features: Deleted scenes, A Look Inside featurette.
I’ve included the original trailer, which is one of the best trailer’s I’ve seen in a long time (thought maybe a bit too revealing). That Taken by Trees version of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is perfectly haunting.
