This 2010 remake of 'I Spit On Your Grave (Unrated)' is no longer on at the cinema as far as I'm aware, but if you didn't see the movie and you're reading this review contemplating whether or not to buy the DVD, then here's a review for you....(and yes, you should buy it!!):
I'll review this movie in comparison to the original as you will probably only be reading this if you're a horror fan and so consequently would more than likely have seen (or have) the 1978 version. The original is of course an undoubted classic and a shocking horror movie and I have every respect for it, but I have to say that this remake is far superior and here's why:
It has much better production values; it's beautifully filmed, it had a small but decent budget and it looks slick and very atmospheric with wonderful lighting throughout. The male actors are totally superb and scarily believable; serious kudos to each and every one of them (especially Jeff Branson and Andrew Howard); they are far, far more convincing than the cartoony, generic red-necks of the original. As for the female lead, I could never take anything away from Camille Keatons brave and gut-wrenching performance in the 1978 version, so let's just say that Sarah Butler is a wonderful find and without a doubt this actress does absolute justice to the role!!
The storyline is basically faithful to the original but rightly so has been updated to include modern technology. I've read a few moans about the lead character Jennifer Hill accidentally dropping her mobile phone down the toilet thereby rendering her cut off from help, but come on!! something like that had to happen or else there wouldn't be much of a story now would there??!!! The addition of a new character in the form of the Sheriff is very welcome, providing a nice (if a tad predictable) twist. For what it is, his character is so well constructed that it's a genuine treat to watch every scene with him in it.
The rape scene is mercifully shorter and more compact than the original and I think that's probably a good thing. Perhaps by shortening this scene it lacks a little of the impact of the original, but it still works extremely well and the utter horror of what the poor girl endures is more than satisfactorily conveyed. If anything the humiliating lead-up to the rape is almost more powerful and horrifying to watch than the rape itself which again I feel betters the original.
Finally, the revenge....I've read several reviews bemoaning the fact that in this version the victim does not seduce her attackers as she did in the original but instead just steams in and 'captures' them. Well excuse me, but after what that character endured I just don't think that she or any other woman could then sexually offer themselves up to a foul monster of a man who has robbed them of all their humanity and who has defiled, broken and violated them in such a brutal and horrendous way. The two female friends that I watched the movie with are in total agreement with me on that point too.
Some have sneeringly described what happens next as 'torture porn'... Well SO FRICKIN' WHAT??!! Those characters deserved everything they got and as far as I'm concerned the worse the better!! It's a horror film for goodness sake, people do actually want to see some gore and horror when they watch a 'horror' film!!! As the type of guy who lives to see 'baddies' get what they deserve in a movie (and LOATHES it when they don't!!), the fate of the rapists was personally my fave part of the film and if anything I would have like to have seen even more, especially the scene where Johnny get's his just deserts! I'm guessing that budgetary constraints prevented us from actually seeing ole Johnny get the snip, but I would have liked to have seen something similar to the ending of 'Hostel 2' where that nasty piece of work get's de-junked, but you can't have everything I guess!!! The other killings are imaginative and brilliant and are executed (if you'll excuse the pun) in a far more thought-out, well crafted and visually exciting way than in the original.
Some people think I'm weird cuz I tend always to prefer re-makes over the originals (The Hills Have Eyes, The Last House On The Left, Dawn Of The Dead, etc)...Well DUH!!! It's because they're loads better!!!! and believe me, great as the original is, this remake of 'I Spit On Your Grave' is truly loads better. Whether you've seen the original or you haven't, if you love great horror films and if you love great re-makes, then this is a Grade A movie - see it, buy it, then add it with pride to your DVD horror collection!!!
I'll review this movie in comparison to the original as you will probably only be reading this if you're a horror fan and so consequently would more than likely have seen (or have) the 1978 version. The original is of course an undoubted classic and a shocking horror movie and I have every respect for it, but I have to say that this remake is far superior and here's why:
It has much better production values; it's beautifully filmed, it had a small but decent budget and it looks slick and very atmospheric with wonderful lighting throughout. The male actors are totally superb and scarily believable; serious kudos to each and every one of them (especially Jeff Branson and Andrew Howard); they are far, far more convincing than the cartoony, generic red-necks of the original. As for the female lead, I could never take anything away from Camille Keatons brave and gut-wrenching performance in the 1978 version, so let's just say that Sarah Butler is a wonderful find and without a doubt this actress does absolute justice to the role!!
The storyline is basically faithful to the original but rightly so has been updated to include modern technology. I've read a few moans about the lead character Jennifer Hill accidentally dropping her mobile phone down the toilet thereby rendering her cut off from help, but come on!! something like that had to happen or else there wouldn't be much of a story now would there??!!! The addition of a new character in the form of the Sheriff is very welcome, providing a nice (if a tad predictable) twist. For what it is, his character is so well constructed that it's a genuine treat to watch every scene with him in it.
The rape scene is mercifully shorter and more compact than the original and I think that's probably a good thing. Perhaps by shortening this scene it lacks a little of the impact of the original, but it still works extremely well and the utter horror of what the poor girl endures is more than satisfactorily conveyed. If anything the humiliating lead-up to the rape is almost more powerful and horrifying to watch than the rape itself which again I feel betters the original.
Finally, the revenge....I've read several reviews bemoaning the fact that in this version the victim does not seduce her attackers as she did in the original but instead just steams in and 'captures' them. Well excuse me, but after what that character endured I just don't think that she or any other woman could then sexually offer themselves up to a foul monster of a man who has robbed them of all their humanity and who has defiled, broken and violated them in such a brutal and horrendous way. The two female friends that I watched the movie with are in total agreement with me on that point too.
Some have sneeringly described what happens next as 'torture porn'... Well SO FRICKIN' WHAT??!! Those characters deserved everything they got and as far as I'm concerned the worse the better!! It's a horror film for goodness sake, people do actually want to see some gore and horror when they watch a 'horror' film!!! As the type of guy who lives to see 'baddies' get what they deserve in a movie (and LOATHES it when they don't!!), the fate of the rapists was personally my fave part of the film and if anything I would have like to have seen even more, especially the scene where Johnny get's his just deserts! I'm guessing that budgetary constraints prevented us from actually seeing ole Johnny get the snip, but I would have liked to have seen something similar to the ending of 'Hostel 2' where that nasty piece of work get's de-junked, but you can't have everything I guess!!! The other killings are imaginative and brilliant and are executed (if you'll excuse the pun) in a far more thought-out, well crafted and visually exciting way than in the original.
Some people think I'm weird cuz I tend always to prefer re-makes over the originals (The Hills Have Eyes, The Last House On The Left, Dawn Of The Dead, etc)...Well DUH!!! It's because they're loads better!!!! and believe me, great as the original is, this remake of 'I Spit On Your Grave' is truly loads better. Whether you've seen the original or you haven't, if you love great horror films and if you love great re-makes, then this is a Grade A movie - see it, buy it, then add it with pride to your DVD horror collection!!!
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