You're Next Review

Rated R (Strong Bloody Violence, Language and Some Sexuality/Nudity)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 34 Minutes

Cast-

Sharni Vinson-Erin

Rob Moran-Paul Davison

Barbara Crampton-Aubrey Davison

A.J. Bowen-Crispian Davison

Joe Swanberg-Drake Davison

Sarah Myers-Kelly

Amy Seimetz-Aimee Davison

Ti West-Tariq

Nicholas Tucci-Felix Davison

Wendy Glenn-Zee

L.C. Holt-Lamb Mask

Simon Barrett-Tiger Mask

Lane Hughes-Fox Mask

Kate Lyn Sheil-Talia

Directed by Adam Wingard

And you thought you were having a bad day...

Note: Screened on Thursday, August 8, 2013 at AMC Loews 34th Street 14.

You would expect a film that's been sitting on the shelf for close to two years to be terrible given the fact that it's being dumped into theaters on the second-to-last weekend of August during the infamous 'dog days of summer.' However, there have been rare occasions where this wasn't the case, such as last April's surprise hit "The Cabin in the Woods." Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival back in September 2011, director Adam Wingard's low-budget home-invasion thriller "You're Next" reportedly left the audience cheering on its feet and even set off a furious bidding war amongst a number of studios, which included Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment, Paramount, The Weinstein Company, FilmDistrict, and CBS Films. It eventually came down to just Lionsgate and Paramount, with the former acquiring the picture for $1 to $2 million but then the film disappeared off the radar after another well-received screening at Austin's Fantastic Fest that same month. Apparently, its release was put on-hold due to Summit's merger with Lionsgate last year, which created a scheduling nightmare as the studio suddenly found its hands full of films. Well, "You're Next" has finally arrived in theaters but was it worth the long wait? The answer is a resounding 'YES!' as Wingard has skillfully crafted a horror film that not only feels fresh but also proudly earns the distinction of being a crowd-pleaser thanks to its gleeful blend of on-screen mayhem and dark comedy.

To celebrate their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary, Paul (Rob Moran) and Aubrey Davison (Barbara Crampton) head out to their country house out in the middle of nowhere, hoping to have a quiet dinner with their four grown children. Arriving for the festivities are Crispian (A.J. Bowen) and his graduate student girlfriend Erin (Sharni Vinson), Drake (Joe Swanberg) and his wife Kelly (Sarah Myers), and couples Aimee (Amy Seimetz) and Tariq (Ti West), and Felix (Nicholas Tucci) and Zee (Wendy Glenn). Although it's apparent that relations among the Davison siblings are strained, Erin makes a sincere effort to endear herself to the family. However, things quickly take a turn for the worse when the Davisons descend into petty bickering at the dinner table. They are rudely interrupted when three figures (L.C. Holt, Simon Barrett, and Lane Hughes) wearing animal masks launch a violent surprise attack on the premises. With the body count piling up, Erin springs into action with her survivalist upbringing as the mysterious killers find themselves meeting their match.

At first glance, "You're Next" looks like another throwaway home-invasion thriller and while Wingard doesn't stray too far from the subgenre's roots, he does tweak the formula just enough to keep even the most jaded viewer guessing until the very end. The film opens with a chilling prologue where an older gentleman (Larry Fessenden) is having sex with a much younger woman (Kate Lyn Sheil). He 'finishes' rather quickly and goes to take a shower, leaving the (unsatisfied) girl to roam around the house alone. She pops in the Dwight Twilley Band's Looking for the Magic on the stereo and it's at this point where the sh*t starts hitting the fan, culminating in a really clever reveal of the film's title by having it smeared in blood on the bedroom windows. The choice of music here (which is played on a loop throughout) also increases the creep factor, its jaunty tunes standing in stark contrast to the bloodshed that will follow. We're then introduced to the Davisons and its here that "You're Next" takes a completely unexpected detour into dysfunctional family territory. There's an underlying tension amongst them, which explodes into a shouting match when Drake smugly provokes Crispian at the dinner table. Wingard gleefully plays up their frivolous arguments for laughs, until one of the guests notices something at the window and is subsequently killed with a crossbow bolt to the head. The film almost descends into a farce, with Drake getting wounded in the shoulder and most of the women screaming hysterically but Wingard keeps a tight rein, preventing the film from spiraling into a parody of itself with several brutal and creative deaths, one of which is caused by running into a thin wire that slashes one character's neck, spraying blood everywhere like a broken fountain. For the hardcore horror fan, this is the kind of stuff we live for.

As the masked goons quickly descend upon the Davison's home, the film satisfyingly turns the tables on them, with Sharni Vinson's Erin fighting back and refusing to let herself become just another a victim. What follows is an immensely entertaining cat-and-mouse game as the masked assailants find themselves genuinely taken aback that there is someone among the family who's not as helpless as they appear to be. Wingard brilliantly uses the confined space of the house for maximum effect while the John Carpenter-inspired synth score lends the picture a sense of tension that builds to a crescendo over the film's 94-minute running time. The violence is disturbing but they're presented in a darkly comic manner, which actually makes it even more disturbing because now we're laughing at someone getting their face repeatedly smashed by a meat tenderizer. There are also several standout kills, including one involving a blender that will have audiences talking long after they've left the theater. However, as good as the film is, the script (written by Barrett) does make a few concessions in regards to the motives of the masked killers. At first, we don't know why they're going after this innocent family and that sense of unknown heightens the scare factor because it initially comes across as some kind of random sick game. Once it's revealed why they're doing this, you can't help but feel somewhat underwhelmed since it's so…obvious. The final twist is rather predictable as well yet Wingard plays it off so well that you won't even mind that you weren't the least bit surprised at the outcome.

The cast won't be familiar to casual viewers but this is a good thing because it will allow audiences to buy into the illusion that these are 'real' people. The standout is without a doubt Sharni Vinson as survivalist Erin. It's a breakthrough performance, with Vinson carrying the entire second half in a role that's physically demanding and requires her to display a sense of emotional vulnerability at the same time. What's great is that the film never makes the mistake of presenting her as invincible. Despite her innumerable skills, she still has to struggle tooth and nail in order to stay alive, and we struggle along with her. The rest of the supporting cast may not measure up to Vinson but they manage to put in some good work, especially Joe Swanberg's (a major figure in the mumblecore movement) smarmy turn as Drake, who is comically struck with a crossbow bolt in the shoulder during the killers' initial attack. A.J. Bowen lends Crispian a sense of earnestness yet also subtly laces the character with shifty ambitions. Amy Seimetz handles Aimee's insecurities by hiding it under a bouncy exterior while Rob Moran's low-key performance as family patriarch Paul is perfectly contrasted with Barbara Crampton's (from the 1985 cult hit "Re-Animator") anguished histrionics. Ti West and Nicholas Tucci are somewhat bland, although the latter is paired with a seductive Wendy Glenn.

Finally released on August 23, 2013 after its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival two years ago, "You're Next" has received largely positive reviews with 79% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics hailed it as an 'energetic and effective mix of brutal gore and pitch black humor [that] will please horror buffs and beyond.' Unfortunately, the film doesn't look like it's going to be the breakout hit that Lionsgate is hoping for as it has only earned $2.9 million since Friday. Given the relative dearth of good horror films, I highly urge people to go check this one out, although I suggest seeing it as a matinee in the morning in order to avoid having inconsiderate moviegoers ruining the experience. The audience at the advance screening was one of the worst I've ever had to sit through and I don't want you guys suffering the same fate. "You're Next" doesn't reinvent the wheel as far as home-invasion thrillers go but Wingard's handling of the film, from its gore-filled set-pieces to the surprisingly funny black humor, is so well-executed that you can't help but leave the theater with a smile on your face.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

"Grab anything you can use as a weapon."