The Last House on the Left (2009) Movie Review
Written By: TJ
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Dennis Iliadis
Producers: Wes Craven, Sean Cunningham, Marriane Maddalena
Writers: Adam Alleca, Carl Ellsworth
Date Released: March 13, 2009
Cast:
Sara Paxton as Mari Collingwood
Monica Potter as Emma Collingwood
Tony Goldwyn as John Collingwood
Garret Dillahunt as Krug Stillo
Riki Lindhome as Sadie
Aaron Paul as Francis
Spencer Clark as Justin
Martha Maclsaac as Paige
Rating = 4/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton), is spending some time with her friend while she’s on a vacation when an escaped convict and his gang kidnap them and leave them to die. Debilitated, Mari makes her way back to their lakehouse. Meanwhile, the gang has no place to stay so they pretend to be stranded and the unknowing parents of Mari invite them in. When everyone is settled, the couple find Mari lying barely alive on their porch. After finding Mari’s necklace on the kitchen left by one of their strange guests, the couple instantly know who did this to their daughter, and they plan on getting a bloody revenge.
Gore Factor
First and foremost, The Last House on the Left (2009) does not include any ghosts or supernatural creatures. Rather, this film is fully packed with suspense and thrill of getting away from impending death to get you holding on to your breath. It involves a lot of bloody murders and sexual harassment that are surely not for children and the weak-hearted. Gorehounds, however, will definitely enjoy this film as it shows explicit contents such as a hand being grinded, a bullet straight to the eye, and a blown head providing a shower of carnage to the viewers. Other wince-inducing scenes include medical assistance to various characters’ wounds such as Francis’ broken nose and Mari’s gunshot. The actual presentation of these scenes are quite realistic that you would think how seamless they were executed.
The Grave Review
Despite the gore details provided above, this remake of The Last House on the Left is still halfway far from the 1972 original film of the same title. There were a few deleted scenes that I think were not included because of too much violence and sexual activities such as the two friends having sex with each other, castration, and intestines lying around.
The remake has backed off a bit of violence here, but what it is better at is its sense of reality. The lingering moment of torture and desperation from our characters is what pierces to the viewers’ emotions. The film won’t just give the characters quick and easy deaths but rather make you feel what they’re feeling when death is at the bridge of your nose. Director Dennis Iliadis explores the moral and psychological cost of violence while simultaneously depicting brutal terms imaginable.
It’s hard not to admire the film’s complexity, vision, and the enthusiasm to achieve what it had. It has a synchronized storyline, great setting, and there is no doubt with the actors’ talent to pull off what the scene demands, also giving credit to the script which unfolds real time.
There are a couple of scenes I can’t commend though. First on the list is that a microwave oven would not function if its door/covering is still open so the ending doesn’t make much of sense. And lastly is the thought that the revenge could’ve been better if the mother did not use most of her time standing and doing nothing. But all in all, I was satisfied by the idea that the situation has been reversed and now the perpetrators are the ones being tormented.
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives The Last House on the Left (2009) four graves out of five graves.
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