Film Review: The Last House on the Left (2009)

REMAKES of classic movies – especially those in the horror genre – often come under heavy criticism from cinema-going purists across the globe.
None more so than this year's remake of classic 'video nasty' The Last House on the Left, with many fans of the belief that a modernisation of the movie shouldn't even have been suggested to begin with, let alone actually made.
Personally, as a strong supporter of the horror remake, I was firmly in the 'pro' camp and excited to hear the cult classic would be given a new lease of life in 2009.
If I had any doubts at all about the necessity of remakes in the movie universe, those doubts were well and truly allayed after I'd finished watching the Last House on the Left's 21st century shake-up.
Far from desecrating the legacy of Wes Craven's original, this remake almost complements it – and is even co-produced by the legendary director himself – taking the brutality of its 1972 parent movie a giant leap further than viewers could have ever imagined.
The film begins with the Collingwood family – parents Emma and John, and daughter Mari – heading out on vacation to their lake house.
Mari drives into town to spend time with her friend Paige, and the two are subsequently invited to smoke cannabis with teenager Justin, who is passing through town.
The trio are interrupted by the return of Justin's father Krug, his uncle Francis and Krug's girlfriend Sadie, who are on the run from the police.
Deciding it is too risky to allow the girls to leave, the gang kidnap them and attempt to leave town, but a struggle between the antagonists and their victims ensues and the contingent find themselves in the woods.
From here, the brutality is unspeakable – especially on a family-friendly blog such as this – but incredibly compelling nonetheless, as the viewer is confronted with harsh issues including sexual assault, the struggle for power and the quest for revenge.
The cast is relatively low-key, but the performances are first class; while director Dennis Iliadis must be commended for the superb and relentless sense of dread throughout the flick.
The Last House on the Left is by far the best horror remake I've seen to date, and should go some way towards silencing the critics, although I'm sure the most die-hard detractors will find something to hate. There's just no pleasing some people!