Greek Filmmaker Dennis Iliadis takes on the daunting task of remaking/recreating one of the most notorious exploitation horror films there is. Of course we are talking the Wes Craven film of the same name that shocked audiences back in ‘72 and was CUT and persecuted by censors and critics as it became a sought after classic for horror fans. Especially us trying to get a so-called Uncut version. I have to say they picked the right man for the job.

So as I sat in my seat clutching my popcorn and repeating “It’s Only a Movie”, It’s Only a Movie” with little to no expectations. It didn’t take long to realize that this isn’t half bad. In fact it’s really good. While it doesn’t quite pack the punch of the original, this stays very true to Craven’s version and sets the same harsh tone. This one is definately better than just about all in the ongoing remake trend. Right up there with the “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “The Hills Have Eyes” remakes.

With a good cast all around the first half sticks with the premise of the original as Mari Collingsworth, mom and dad go to their secluded lake house. Mari heads off to meet her friend Paige and they meet teenage Justin and go to his hotel to score some pot. Soon Krug and company shows up and the girls quickly figure out they are in a world of hurt. Next it’s off to the woods to be violated. While the second half concentrates more on the parents helping out rain soaked Krug and his nasty cohorts who show up looking for a place to stay, discovering the crime and what to do about it on a very stormy night with no vehicle.

A real good aspect and strong point is that this, like Rob Zombie’s excellent “The Devil’s Rejects” looks like a 70’s film for the most part. Sure their cell phones play a very small part, but besides that, it is beautifully shot with that exploitive look and feel. None of the annoying shaky cam or hyper editing as it kept my attention through out the 110 minute running time. Director Iliadis keeps things on the tense side with good thrills and a hefty amount of violence on the cruel side, that stays realistic, never getting over the top. Another welcome is this doesn’t come across as just another ‘torture porn’ flick. The filmmakers deliver a good solid horror thriller here. While I like that old Wes Craven Classick better, I look forward to seeing this one again on DVD.

Xtras: A nice little Sunday family get together defiantly worth the time spent. Over priced popcorn correctly formatted in a 16 x 9 bag, re-mastered in a buttery liquid with a booming 2.0 salted audio and English grubtitles.
3 notable Trailers: Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Bastards” looks like it will be a good show, “Orphan” is a interesting looking little adopted girl turns out to be evil in the tradition of “The Bad Seed” thriller and Sam Raimi’s return to the genre “Drag Me to Hell” looks like it could be promising. We can only hope.