Wrong Turn

Rating:
Summary: Dark and promising, but ultimately unsatisfying
Review: Wrong Turn starts of well and proved to be a promising prospect in the genre of "slasher" films that have seen a resurgance in the past 5 years But some corny make-up effects and an unsatisfying ending make it hard to let it stand out out as much more than a hackneyed, predictable romp through the woods. More sepcifically the West Virginia woods.
The story has a young medical student on his way to a job interview wherein he runs into some heavily backed up traffic that sends him seeking a detour in order to attempt to make his interview in time. After a few obvious signals and signs that clearly dictate that he should NOT go down the old Bear Mtn Rd as his choice of detour he finally gives in to one of the many cliches that eventually saturate this film. As he heads down the road he runs his vehicle into a stranded SUV in what could simply be described as a very unlikely accident. Now stranded in the middle of the woods with 5 other young adults we have the setting for the weirdness to commence.
The group splits up and 4 of the 6 move out to look for help and rescue of there derelict vehicles.After walking for a ways they come across a an old cabin. Upon inspection of the old cabin they find just about everything they don't want to find. Huge coils of barbed wire that was probably used to take out there vehicles on the old road, a boiling pot of a grotesque stew, plenty of old and apparently well used butchering objects, plenty of sets of car keys, sunglasses, and just about anything that one might take on a road trip. Of course, as they are in the cabin the original inhabitants role up in a pick up truck straight out of sanford and son. Then things get good...for a while anyways.
The previews for this film leave it very vague as to what it is the characters in this film are up against. We are just supposed to know they throw axes at trees, move the trees like T-REX when they walk through them...and, well..it takes place in the woods. Let it be said that what they are up against is three heavily inbred and disfigured hill billies....basically. As unlikely as it may sound this is actually one aspect of the film I enjoyed. Although completely rediculouse the film asks you to suspend your disbelief and it works...till we actually get a good look at them. The film features and "credits" the make-up effects to the Stan Wintson studios. For those of you not in the know Stan Wintson is basically the godfather of movie makeup effects. He is to movie makeup and creature effects what Michael Jordan is to basketball. Well...what he was to basketball before that whole Wizards fiasco. But I digress.
The make up effects are almost laughable.let me put it this way. I was a lot less scared once I got a good look at the "Zombie-necks". (Zombie+redneck=Zombie-neck)They look like a mix between the Orcs in Lord of the Rings and the bounty hunter in Raising Arizona. If you know these movies and these charecters to that which I am referring you will know I have got it dead on. I was eerily amused at how they would talk to eachother to communicate but you could never really tell what they were saying. It was almost undestandable but spookily uninterpretable. However as the movie goes on we start to see the different "personalities" of the Zombie-necks. One seems to be rather proficient with his bow and arrow, one seems to be quite handy with axes, and the other seems to be good at laughing like a complete moron. The kind of laugh someone would do if they were trying to immitate how someone who is crazy would laugh. Hearing that, along with watching him drag his feet through the tall grass in the woods in his completely obvious prosthetic make-up was enough to kill the illusion for me. Nevermind the fact that the Zombie-neck witht the bow and arrows looked plain stupid carrying his quills around strapped around his shoulders. Imagine Jason Voorhees imitating Robin Hood and tell me if that scares you.
From this point on the movie becomes a matter of time. We are expecting almost eveyone to die and the only real thing to look forward to is a gritty battle to the end with the zombie-necks. Unfortunately we don't really get that.
The film leaves itself open for an infinate ammount of sequals. Another huge cliche.

The film seems to have an identity crisis at some point. After being treated to very tense and creepy moments the movie suddenly loses its momentum. I was intrigued on the concept of the zombie-necks and almost wish more would have been learned about them. The acting is actually one of the best tings about the film. No one seems to over act and the reactions are right on in the creepier, dark moments.
This isn't a horrible film, by any means, and actually I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel. Perhaps more will be learned about the zombie-necks. But as it stands this movie falls somwhere between The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and I Know What You Did Last Summer. See it if you like this genre of films. You will be thinking about it for a few days. But you just may not be thinking very many great thinhgs about it.

Rating:
Summary: Texas Chainsaw Massacre Meets Hee-Haw
Review: One of characters (actor Desmond Harrington) tries to take a short cut thru a very isolated section of West Virginia after the highway is closed due to a wreck only to run into (literally) a group of campers who have also taken a wrong turn. All of these unfortunate people are hunted down by a group of cannibalistic hillbillies who have been mutated after generations of inbreeding.
(( SPOILER ))
The movie suffered from a serious lack of character development, as the lead characters are killed off before the viewers have a chance to bond with them. Actor Kevin Zegers' talent was basically wasted in the role of Evan, (he dies very early in the movie after almost no airtime.) Of the surviving cast members, only actor Desmond Harrington's character elicts any real sympathy.

Rating:
Summary: Intense, Brutal, Well-Acted Horror
Review: A first rate cast helps Wrong Turn rise above B-Movie standards as a group of young people find themselves stranded on a creepy West Virginia backroad, far from anyone who can help them from being picked off one by one by a group of cannibalistic rednecks. Desmond Harrington and Eliza Dushku (who grows more beautiful with every movie she makes as well as being a very talented actress) headline this taut horror suspense thriller. They have an instant chemistry that works throughout the film. Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under) turns in a good role along with Emmanuelle Chiriqui as a boyfriend-girlfriend team. Director Rob Schmidt keeps the action going and the rednecks are pretty scary looking. They know their woods like the backs of their hands and give the kids a run for their money, and manage to catch a few of them! This one will make you jump more than once, and as far as the new decade's line of horror movies go, this one ranks among the top. I also recommend "House of 1000 Corpses", "Soul Survivor" (with Eliza Dushku), "Wes Craven's They", and "Darkness Falls".

You might think "Deliverance" when you watch this one, but aside from woods and rednecks, the two are nothing alike. I believe this movie gets its roots from books such as "Off Season" and "Offspring" by Jack Ketchum, "The Woods Are Dark" and "Endless Night" by Richard Laymon, and "Creekers", "Family Tradition", "Ever Nat", "Bighead", and other such works by Edward Lee.

Rating:
Summary: "Honestly, the best horror film of its kind since SCREAM."
Review: After seeing this movie, I can't help but say "what [on Earth]was Fox thinking?" Don't take that the wrong way though, I'm wondering why they didn't have any faith in this movie and just decided to dump it into theaters without much promotion. Before the movie was released, the advanced buzz was bad, yet now I can't see why at all. The reviews actually aren't as terrible now that it's out. Audiences seem to be really enjoying it, and most horror/suspense fans either like/love it. I thought it looked like a good movie, but I wasn't expecting anything great. Then some early good reviews came out, and got me more excited for it. But even with that I never thought it would be as flat out excellent as it was. I'm really shocked, and very very pleased. The suspense is pretty much non-stop for the most part, and you should remain on the edge of your seat until the credits roll. You honestly never have the chance to be bored, and I found myself loving every minute of it. I kept wanting more and more, and couldn't wait to see what would happen next. I had a smile on my face throughout the movie, and I left with one too.

All of the performances were good. None of them were bad, none of them were great, but all of them were just as they needed to be for this kind of movie, and were all believable. Desmond Harrington (The Hole, My First Mister, Ghost Ship) gives a very solid performance, and after liking him in his previous movies, I can't say I was surprised. Eliza Dushku (Tv's Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Bring It On) was also really good, and I'd put her performance about on par with Harrington's. Both played cool, strong, take charge characters, and I found both believable and enjoyable. I'm not the biggest fan of Jeremy Sisto (HBO's Six Feet Under, May), but he really surprised me here, and played an altogether funny and likable guy. Emmanuelle Chriqui (100 Girls, On The Line) did what she had to do, and did it well. Lindy Booth (American Psycho 2) didn't have all that much to do, but she did deliver some funny lines. I was actually surprised not to see any of the over-the-top annoying characters that we usually see in teen horror films. Pretty much everyone involved here had me rooting for them. I never once thought "oh just kill them off already." Most of the time in horror movies like this, there's usually always at least one or two annoying characters that you wouldn't mind seeing bite the dust, but none of the characters here got under my skin like that.
Director Rob Schmidt did an excellent job, keeping it simple yet doing it in such a way that makes it seem great. I couldn't help but notice some of the very well done editing. Some cuts were just---so perfect. Academy Award winning character effects artist Stan Winston (Aliens, Jurassic Park, Terminator 2) also did a great job. The makeup effects on the "villains" was so realistic it was scary. I also have to give a hand to cinematographer John S. Bartley (The X-Files, Eight Legged Freaks). This film has some great shots and excellent scenery, it really felt like we were in the woods.

I was beginning to think I'd never see another truly great teen horror film again after Scream, that was until I made the "right turn" into this movie. As a horror fan, I couldn't help but fall in love. You just can't ask for much more in a horror film. Wrong Turn managed to get it right. It's just like the horror films of the 70's, although I think it's better than most of them, and it corrects some of the mistakes they made. It really makes me sad to know that a chopped up bore like Darkness Falls was released earlier this year and made more money than something that actually deserves it. Oh well, at least Wrong Turn is sure to be the one that gets remembered, and will easily have the bigger fanbase. While Darkness Falls will be the movie you warn people not to rent. For fans of horror and suspense, Wrong Turn is a MUST SEE. I just can't help but say "WOW, what a rush." On the way out of the theater it made me happy to hear people saying "I'm never going into the woods again." It actually had the opposite effect on me though, and now I really want to go camping. I didn't hear one bad comment, and I didn't notice anyone looking like they didn't like it. Most people seemed really excited, and just like me, had smiles on their faces.

Grade: 9/10 or A- or ****1/2 of *****

Rating:
Summary: Murderous imbreds
Review: "Wrong turn" is your average horror movie. Set in West Virginia it provides a lot of gore and blood as well as a lot of cleavage. It seems that the 2 points the movie wants to prove is the amount of blood and guts as well as the amount if cleavage shots. If you like gory movies you'll love this. I jumped in a few parts. Its your regular summer movie fun. Not the best movie if you come from WV since the redneck jokes of WV are a lot.

Rating:
Summary: SO SO SO SO GOOD!!!
Review: I walked into this movie thinking its going to be another slasher movie. Boy, was i wrong. I have never been on the edge of my seat for the entire movie. This film is soooo suspensful, and clever, and realistic. Go see it!! You will not be dissapointed. Its a really good, scary, suspensful movie!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Wrong Turn Is The Right Turn For A Good Scary Movie
Review: Jesse (Eliza Dushku) is touched when after her boyfriend dumps her, her friends plan a camping trip to help her get away from her problems. All is going well until they get a flat tire and a man named Chris (Desmond Harrington) smashes into their vehicle with his on accident. Making sure everyone is okay, Chris realizes that both of their vehicles are totaled and they're stuck in the middle of nowhere.

So Chris, Jessie and two of her friends, fiancés Scott and Carly (Jeremy Sisto and Emmanuelle Chriqui), decide to go searching for a phone, leaving behind two of their other friends to stay with the cars, Evan and Francine (Kevin Zegers and Lindy Booth).

This, of course, is their first mistake. I'm guessing these people didn't see Scream, because they would have known not to split up. However, that's what's great about Wrong Turn, even though it breaks the rules, it has a logical excuse to do so which makes the characters more human and ultimately makes the movie much more believable.

While searching for a phone and a place to use the bathroom, the four people stumble into what looks like an old abandoned home. Once inside they begin to see many grizzly things such as human body parts ripped, torn, cooking and half eaten. Jesse, Scott and Carly whom were more familiar with the area had always heard tales of three murderous, monstrous humans who were wild from years of inbreeding and they discovered the tales were true. As the foursome try to escape the home, the insane trio show up and the four are forced to stay hidden under a bed and in a closet and watch as the trio dismembers the friends they'd left behind.

To say anymore would be to give the film away and I think this is one horror movie that deserves to find a large audience. The movie turns into an all out war of survival and our four main characters try to find a way out of the woods before they become the killers' next victims.

I found this movie to be incredible on many levels. First of all, it's very rare when a movie like this finds a cast that can pull off their characters, but this movie has. Sisto and Chriqui especially shine as a couple head over heels in love and desperately trying to find their way home.

Dushku shows that she still has what it takes to find success on the big screen, but that maybe leading roles aren't for her. I'd say Chriqui is the star of this movie even though Dushku has the larger role.

Harrington, Zegers, Booth and the rest of the cast are really great as well, giving this movie a life of it's own. Many reviewers will compare this movie to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Jeepers Creepers, but I think this movie is good enough to stand on it's own. Sure there are minor plot holes and at times it does feel recycled, but that can be overlooked by this film's many achievements.

This is one of the goriest films I have ever seen. I thought Final Destination 2 was relentless, but I hadn't seen a thing until I saw this movie. It seems movie studios keep trying to one up each other, and I say keep it coming! The scares are sufficiently in tact. I was jumping out of my seat many times and the tension never let up. From a terrifying scene where the characters are stuck in a watch tower with the killers trying to get in, to the scene I mentioned earlier where the four watch their friend get dissected, this movie is the scariest movie you'll see all year long and is definitely the horror movie event of the summer.

Rating:
Summary: Hillbilly Mayhem!!
Review: If you like scary movies like I do, or at least cannibal-mutant-hillbilly movies, you'll probably enjoy "Wrong Turn". Sure it's formula as far as the plot goes, but how many cannibal-mutant-hillbilly movies do you get to see? If you just go for the ride, you'll have a blast.

After a chemical spill stops traffic on the highway, a guy decides to take an off road adventure around it which begins the "wrong turn" of the movie's title. He runs into a group of people who had the same idea and now they're stuck and lost in the woods. The mutated hillbillies that call that neck of the woods home are okay with that because they all eat humans and it's supper time

Believe it or not, the hillbillies are a very dangerous threat having hunted all their lives, although I'm sure it's hard to eat with so few teeth.

Rating:
Summary: Slightly Flawed, Yet Intense And Very Well Done
Review: At first it seemed as if I walked into the standard horror film, and risked the chance of it becoming another piece of garbage like the recent Darkness Falls or the even worse Wes Craven presents They. The opening of Wrong Turn is your basic slasher film opener, nothing too special so I was caught off guard, because Wrong Turn isn't your basic horror film, because pretty much every element works, and for the first time in a while I found myself on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. Although I do warn you, this film, is not for the ones with weak stomachs, its very gory and probably unsettling for even those who can usually handle gory situations. If it wasn't for this year's incredible House Of 1000 Corpses, Wrong Turn would have a definate shot on being 2003's best horror film, its sure better than any horror films I saw last year.

Rating:
Summary: Hillbilly Bloodbath
Review: Wow! This movie was a lot gorier than I had expected. I am surprised that they got someone like eliza dushku to do a movie like this. Rob Schmidt does a good job with a somewhat trite storyline...some kids get stranded in the middle of nowhere(in this case backwoods west virginia) where they are terrorized by sadistic killers. In this movie the killers are cannibalistic, inbred hillbillies who wreck people's cars, then eat them. the young cast does a much better job than most would expect. This is not another Scream or I know what you did last summer. This movie is a throwback to classic slasher flicks...last house on the left, the hills have eyes, texas cahinsaw massacre...but it is much more violent and the acting is better. Stan Winston's f/x department did a great job on the hillbillies and the gore. This movie doesn't give the viewer much time to learn anything about the characters. It starts off violent and keeps the pace up throughout the whole movie. The only drawback is that the viewer basically knows who is going to die and who isn't from the very beginning. There is also a good plot twist at the end(don't leave at the start of the previews. wait a minute)