Welcome back everyone to Day 19 of our journey of 31 on 31 for Halloween. Tonight, we are going to be showing some love and discussing the film You're Next. (BEWARE THERE WILL BE A SPOILER) It's a film that definitely is one that caught me off guard when it was released. It is just so good. So much so that when had the chance, I highly recommended it to my Grandma.
Now with my Grandma, she's the one that introduced me to the original Hitchcock classic - Psycho. We also used to watch Scream, Halloween and any other horror movies that we could find whenever I visited her. There was also a videotape she had called Creepy Classics. It was a compilation of scenes from horror films and trailers. The best part was that it was hosted by none other than Vincent Price. So, it wasn't outside the realm and throwing her wholeheartedly into the deep end with the recommendation. Safe to say though, she loved it.
You're Next is definitely a film that's a bit special. It had a bit of a time being released. I remember that it had been shot and then was going to be released but then was delayed. For me at that point in my life, I had heard about it and was keeping an eye out on it. So there was a bit of an expectation that was beginning to form.
Safe to say, it fully delivered on its promise. It is a total ride of a film. At first, the opening sets up to be in the vein of The Strangers and the home invasion genre. That opening is a bit creepy and has a lot of tension to it. The way that Looking for the Magic is utilized in the opening scene also feels a bit much like an homage to The Strangers. Again, it immediately gives off the feeling that this will be a typical home invasion film.
All of the actors and actresses deliver incredible performances. One of the big highlights for the film is Sharni Vinson as Erin. She's our heroine in the film. She's also our entry as an audience to gain insight and access to Crispian (AJ Bowen)'s family. And boy what a family Crispian's family is. It's honestly a very realistic take on a family. Looking back at it now, the way they all interact with each other - it reminds me of the family from Knives Out. Barbara Crampton also made her big return in this film. At that point, it had been thought that she had retired from acting. But with Simon Barrett and Adam Wingard, she came back because the script was so so good. Her role as the mother of the family is so good. I found myself just totally at a loss with where her character ends up because of her fantastic performance. And man, I'm glad that she came back. If you haven't checked it out yet, go check out Jakob's Wife - she kills it in that film.
When the three masked killers make their presence known, they do it in style. There is just so much tension in the film that left me wondering where things would go next. I tried to just guess where it could go, but I would be left with something coming out of left field to shatter my expectation. I would also try and figure out where the killers would be coming from next. The masks are also so distinct that helps make the film so memorable. The most iconic one being the Wolf mask.
Now there's a twist in the film. When it is revealed that this was all a set up and that Crispian hired the killers. I was floored. It caught me off guard and out of left field. By this point, AJ Bowen had been a very nice guy. He appeared to be very loving of his girlfriend, Erin. He does his best to be there for her. But after that reveal, it changed how the film is upon rewatch. And holy crap. Bowen's performance is so deep as can see the glimmer of darkness in his eyes towards his family members. And ultimately with Erin. He wanted to be free and have money. So why not kill two birds with one stone? He just wasn't counting on Erin being a complete badass that can hold her own against the hired thugs.
Then there's the ending for the film. The film was such a journey with Erin being taken through the ringer. It feels a little in the vein of Die Hard. Honestly, adding on to that - You're Next is Die Hard by way of The Strangers. And the punch of the ending just left me speechless.
You're Next is an incredible film. Its one that should be seen. If you haven't go check it out, it's pretty available film to stream or to buy. I think it's available to stream on Hulu or Tubi.
Also happy ten years You're Next.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook and Twitter.
No comments:
Post a Comment