Movie Review: “The Last House on the Left”
Franck Tabouring
Seen on: March 17, 2009
The players: Director: Dennis Iliadis, Writers: Carl Ellsworth, Adam Alleca, Cast: Garret Dillahunt, Martha MacIsaac, Riki Lindhome, Tony Goldwyn, Monica Potter, Sara Paxton
Facts of interest: Remake of Wes Craven's 1972 version of the same title.
The plot: After a teenage girl is brutally raped, her parents seek revenge when the attackers show up at their door seeking shelter.
Our thoughts: “The Last House on the Left” is not exactly an intriguing horror thriller, but then again, it’s also not as bad as I expected, and that’s definitely a good thing. Dennis Iliadis’ remake of Wes Craven’s 1972 flick doesn’t really bring anything new to the genre, but it’s efficient enough to serve as a decent afternoon diversion if you’re into a bunch of brutal, big-screen killings.
For Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton), the vacation trip to her parents’ lake house turns into her worst nightmare when she’s kidnapped and raped by a group of sociopaths. Left for dead, Mari manages to find her way back home, only to find out her attackers have sought shelter with her parents. When the latter uncover the truth behind what really happened, all they can think about is bloody revenge.
Unfortunately, it’s not until Mari’s parents start to flip out that “House on the Left” picks up speed and finally transforms into a halfway decent thriller. The first half of the movie just drags on forever, spending way too much time setting up the central story, including an overlong, rather disgusting rape sequence in the middle of the woods.
Once all the talking is over and the freaks finally arrive at Mari’s home, the plot slightly increases as her parents (Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn) launch into a bloody retaliation against those who hurt their daughter. Suspense remains scarce and much of what you see falls victim to predictability, but the film at least succeeds in delivering a somewhat intense depiction of vengeful ultra-violence.
Although highly implausible, the strong degree of brutality in “House on the Left” may indeed appeal to fans of the genre. On the other hand, the movie doesn’t offer much besides a couple of nasty killings, and the battle between Mari’s parents and the sick criminals is short-lived. I haven’t seen Craven’s flick and can’t compare the two films, but I admit Iliadis’ take just didn’t knock me off my seat.
Tony Goldwyn delivers a notably strong performance as Mari’s father, and so does Monica Potter in the role of the mom, although I admit I had some trouble connecting with her character in the beginning. The rest of the cast doesn’t really stand out, and the awkward behaviors of the film’s bad guys are often laughable and barely threatening.
Freaky quote: “I wanna hear you beg for your life." – Tony Goldwyn
The final word: Iliadis’ direction and the film’s editing and cinematography certainly give “The Last House on the Left” a certain edge, but the weak storytelling and a slow-moving first act cause a lot of damage to the end result. I wouldn’t go as far as saying this remake totally stinks, but I’ve seen better, for sure.
Article by Franck Tabouring
Reader Comments (2)
You might want to check your plot description. Mary isn't killed in the movie. Her parents seek revenge, but only for her being attacked. Oh and that "rather disgusting" rape sequence was actually very disgusting.
"The plot: After a teenage girl is brutally murdered, her parents seek revenge when the attackers show up at their door seeking shelter."
Thanks for pointing it out. It's fixed.