Sayonara Cinema

THE HILLS HAVE EYES (2006) A family is crossing the desert in a truck and camper trailer on their way to California. Soon after being advised to take a back road, their vehicle has what appears to be a tire blow out, and the family becomes stuck in the middle of nowhere. While at first their trouble seem to be just getting a tow truck, they soon are attacked by the “locals”, a tribe of mutants transformed by radiation. The family is quickly whittled down to a few survivors, and while one heads into the hills to retrieve his kidnapped baby, the other two establish a fortification and attempt to turn the tide on their attackers.

In the recent onslaught of cinematic remakes, this ranks just behind 2004’s DAWN OF THE DEAD. This effort comes courtesy of Alexandre Aja, the man behind France’s wicked HAUTE TENSION. Here, Aja and company take Craven’s original idea and treat it with the upmost respect. Only tiny tweaks are made to the story, and with the expansion into the “mutant town”, the terror is exponentially multiplied. Aja’s very realistic and gruesome gore is back as well, and the mutant make-up is simply inspiring (while at the same time horrifying) to look at. Aja continues to bring the no-holds-barred style of 70’s shock cinema into a new century to a new audience, and we are all the better for it. This is no Michael Bay produced shlock for a quick buck (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remake, I’m looking at you), this is true love and devotion.

I was skeptical going in to this film, as I am for any remake, and this one comes damn close to being trumping the original.  Kudos to me for calling the final shot of the movie.