Let's get this fact out of the way first, The Last House on the Left is a remake. I know the word summons thoughts of disgust and makes you want to avoid this flick at all costs, but bare with me here this is a good movie. Remakes do not have to be bad, sometimes a good story just needs to be told better, and that's exactly what this movie delivers.
This movie is about a family that gets to avenge the horrible acts that are put upon one of its members, the idea that you could show the person that hurt the one you love the degree of pain they caused you is awesome.
Now a story is only as good as it's story teller, and the means in which this message of revenge is portrayed is perfect. A young family "The Collingwoods" are visiting their summer home at a remote lake destination, in hopes of spending some quality time together, but unfortunately another family is passing through town - except this family is a group of sadistic serial killers that just so happen to cross path's with the Collingwood's daughter Mari (Sara Paxton). In fear of her disclosing their whereabouts to authorities, they brutally assault and rape her in a scene that's almost unbearable to watch, this sick family thinks they've killed Mari and leave her to wrought in the lake, but we know that she's not dead. Due to a car accident during the struggle, the assailants are forced to find refuge at a nearby house, well that house just so happens to be the very house of the girl they thought they just killed, this is where the movie gets into high gear. Mari's parents Emma and John, played wonderfully by Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn, welcome the strangers into there house after hearing their convincing stranded story, neither of them know the situation their in until the middle of the night when Mari crawls her way back home.
John, who is a doctor treats Mari's wounds with some stomach turning scenes while Emma realizes the group sleeping next door in their guest house, are the people responsible for their daughters current condition thanks to a clue left by the youngest member of the psycho family, Justin (Spencer Clark). What follows are some intense kill scenes by John and Emma, as they brutally avenge their daughters turmoil. There is a particularly brilliant scene involving a garbage disposal and a pick hammer. At times the gore borderlines torture porn, but this isn't Hostel, this feels different, it's justified. You want every horrible thing this couple is inflicting on these people to happen, because you know they deserve it.
The movie has some pacing issues with some awkward pauses after intense moments, but everything else just works, the acting is right on, the camera work is jumpy but not enough to make you dizzy, and the gore is at the perfect level. This is by no means a horror movie, I never felt scared, I just felt pumped for the ass kicking these people were about to give, and I felt like cheering after each brutal kill they committed upon these horrible people. As weird as it sounds this a hell of a feel good movie, its in a weird package but it delivers the same effect, you leave pumped and proud. Most psycho torture movies leave you feeling disgusted and on edge. It was nice to have something different and fresh, more movies need to be made like this, I think this is the direction the whole torture porn genre needs to be heading in, if your going to show over the top gross out gore, justify it, never should the audience have to question why they are subjecting themselves to what they are viewing.
The Last House on the Left is a prime example of a good story told right, I am biased in the fact that I have not seen the original, so this version may very well suck in comparison to the 1977 version, but on its own this is still a good movie and nothing can change that. I only had one real problem with it, and it was the end, it killed a bit of the films adrenaline and was a bit misplaced. but on the other hand it was ridiculously fun and had the audience cheering.
I recommend seeing this with a group of friends, and just enjoy the ride, you wont be disappointed.
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5
POSTED BY - PATRICK TOMASSO
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