07/19/06 The Hills Have Eyes

The Hills Have Eyes (2006), directed by Alexandre Aja

watched solo; DVD rental (Blockbuster) @ home

Considering that this is a remake of one of the creepiest movies of all-time, and in the 30 some odd years since the original films have only become more violent, gory, and graphically polluted...of course this intense horror film was going to be a solo viewing venture (Leslie wouldn't have the stomach, and I can't blame her). Furthermore, having never seen Wes Craven's classic original, I can only make commentary on this grotesque contemporary version brought to us by new Grim Reaper auteur Alexandre Aja ("High Tension"). First off, let me start by saying that this is quite possibly the most disturbing thing you could ever imagine for a family vacation...and I'm not talking just Chevy Chase & National Lampoon mishaps. This is a road trip mistake of epic proportions by a seemingly sedentary suburban red-blooded American family. What they decide to do is gather up three generations of family, throw in a quarrelling father/son-in-law relationship, towing a camper, through the desert towards California in the dead of summer. Upon first gas stop, trying to make good time is brilliant dad Big Bob (who also is the guy that plays a police captain in TV show "Monk," so you would think that he'd know better), who takes the advice of a shady gas station attendant to take an unmarked detour through the desert hills. Bloody brilliant. Guess what happens...yup, car breaks down and with family stranded they decide to break up to look for help while leaving the stereotypical vulnerable females and youngsters at the desolate campsite. Even more genius. What the unsuspecting family doesn't realize is that there is a clan of mutated sub-humans (descended from the aftermath of U.S. Government testing of nuclear weapons in the 1950's) dwelling in the hills and looking for fresh meat to prey upon. Oh yeah, it's not just coyotes and vultures you need be wary of in the hills of New Mexico. Not only are theses mutated people ravenous killers, but they take sadistic pleasure in the torture of their victims as their brand of retribution for what society has done to them. Now caught in the freaks' trap, the family must band together with their fears and fight a hopeless battle against this impending evil. Let's just say it gets pretty gruesome...not so much sudden shocks of fear, as long drawn-out acts of disturbing violence. That's where my problem comes with films like this. I understand that it is almost a study of will for humanity in the face of complete evil, as well as a horror genre styling to bombard with gruesome massacre...which are both addressed vividly in the movie. However, you cannot say that you enjoy watching such things being played out (at least not I, you freak), so there lies this conundrum of to what level you can appreciate the film for entertainment value. Again, having not seen the 70's original, I feel like that one must be a bit more understated and low-budget...which may have accomplished the same foreboding mood, with less of the gory details. Whatever, I still believe this film to be successful at scaring the crap out of people (both inside and out of your head), and making me never ever want to take any unmarked backroads in the desert with my family vulnerable to the psyhopaths of the world. I would hope that I'd never be stupid enough to do that anyway...never trust the shady gas station attendants.

3 out of 5 stars