KBambrick

Remakes are a dime a dozen these days but when you go through your old DVD or video collection and you come across the 1978 original I Spit On Your Grave you cant help but think "not a chance they will remake this". But remake it they have and the storyline is a mirror image of the original but for some reason this new version doesn't seem to be as nasty as the original. The reasons for this might have to do with the fact that the actors can actually act, its shot in a cleaner, more professional manner and maybe most importantly of all : we are just not that shocked by anything anymore. With more and more films pushing the boundaries of violence and gore, this just doesn't offend as much as the original did in its day. Having said that its still a tough watch and anybody not familiar with the original and not a fan of this genre will find its extended torture and intimidation scenes very difficult to stomach, but with a title like I Spit On Your Grave this movie will only attract a certain type of viewer.

Having read some of the reviews of this movie on this site i was sceptical to say the least about settling down to watch this movie, but i am glad to say after a couple of minutes i knew i was in for a good movie. The main character (Arkin) is a little bit of a mystery at first but as the movie progresses he becomes more likable and holds the movie together well, as he needs to with so much screen time alone. The movie does take a similar line to other recent home invasion/torture thrillers, but also manages to be original at the same time. It has a definite claustrophobic feeling and will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. However this wont be everyones cup of tea. The violence is pretty extreme and is shown is all its glory(gory) but at the same time is original and inventive. Although it will draw comparisons to other horror/thriller franchises, on its own it deserves credit for being a fast paced, bloody and well directed movie.

Murder Set Pieces is regarded as a twisted, sick, ultra violent and sadistic movie and rightly so. The problem is the production, acting and lack of emotion make it look like the director was just trying to see how much he could get away with and forgot to include a good story line to go with it. Sure there are some genuinely disturbing scenes but all the performances seemed devoid of emotion or even interest (Tony Todd looking at you).Its hard to find any positive points to this movie. Sure it pulls no punches when it comes to graphic depiction of violence but is that really enough to satisfy a viewer (i hope not). To conclude if you feel inclined to watch a degrading, nasty movie this might be for you, however i seriously doubt you will enjoy it.