No mercy!

Rating: 8/10 (20 April 2006)

The Carter family is on a vacation heading to California, but on the way there they stop off at gas station in the New Mexico desert. The old guy who works there tells them of a short cut they could take to get to their destination quicker. So on that advice, they take the detour and suddenly moments into the trip the tyres blow out and they have a serve crash. This was no accident and the family find out it's a nuclear test sight and soon enough they encounter a band of rampaging cannibalistic, mutants (caused by nuclear testing) who live amongst the mountains. These brutes taunt their hapless victims and leave behind such bloody macabre. So, the few survivors, group up after the ambush and try to stay alive as there isn't a hope in hell anyone is going to come to their aid in this wasteland.
I was waiting in growing appreciation to see this flick and I finally got the chance when I made my way to the opening screening at my local cinema. And I gotta say, I wasn't disappointed at all. Far from it. For me it's on par with Wes Craven's original film. I enjoyed Craven's film, but I'm not a massive fan. So I went in their with an open mind (like you should always do) and I liked it. Simple as that. I always thought there was room for improvement and while, director Alexandre Aja's version ups the ante. I just couldn't pick which was one better. Both have certain advantages and disadvantages over each other. But if you enjoyed the original you'll most likely get something out of Aja's take.
Producer Wes Craven decided to get director Alexandre Aja's to craft out a remake of his beloved cult film. This is Alexandre Aja's second feature, who debuted with "High Tension (2003)". This top grade remake (the best in a long time) is an impressing and immensely well done, bone rattling experience that Aja has tapped into. The premise sticks pretty close the original's plot outline with little changes and details making their way into the script and background story. The most noticeable of the lot has to be the expansion on the mutants back story involving miners and radiation testing, but also notable is their lack of dialogue and personality structure. The aim here seems more like creating a monstrous aspect that focuses on the deformities and sheer aggression to belt out terror than just the bizarre nature of the ones' in the original who seemed more human and in control of their actions. I did miss the iconic performance of Michael Berryman, though.
The social commentary seemed much more stronger here with the gripes against the governments' nuclear testing. The images we see prove that. While, the transformation subtext behind one character is to show a geeky pacifist resort to his primal instincts prove that when we come to shove we are no better than the ones who evoke such horror. We can't hide behind our shells because when it comes down to survival our true nature takes hold as you look out for yourself and loves one at any given consequence. What the film had going for it was that you can't help but go through what the family does. You feel every painstakingly, brutal and discomforting second of it that folks suffer through. Director Aja knows how to extract such a gruelling, intensity that just reaches boiling point when the unbearably, punishing attacks occur with its extremely vivid and brutal violence. It would be totally offensive and hard going for the uninitiated, but the nihilistic violence is a essential part of the story's moral justification. Aja has guts and he heightens these fierce attacks with such morbidity and generates an unsettling air with some very effective jumps. Even before the mayhem occurs he adds in some cheap thrills that still have the impact to startle before it hits breaking point.
The atmosphere is thick, but not as raw and claustrophobic like Craven's was. This is mostly due to the budget being definitely better here. While the remake might seemed more polished around the edges, it didn't lose any effect in alienating the audience in this desert-less wasteland. Even the fast cutting didn't bother me too much, which I usually can't stand. The films looks magnificent with the eerie details and erratic camera-work that gives it a real rush. While, the opening half hour and interludes between the grilling attacks are rather tolerable. I was surprise as I thought maybe it would lose its way within these parts but the performances and a above-average script kept me glued. There were four performances that stood out and they would have to be Aaron Stanford as Doug, Dan Byrd as Bobby, Emilie de Ravin as Brenda and Robert Joy as one of the mutants, Lizard. The family here might be your typical nucleus, but they were a likable bunch at least. The mutants make-up was tip-top and they definitely looked the part when they broke into these jolting tussles. But what made the film for me had to be the stingingly, pulsating score, which shook you about at every possible opportunity by lampooning you at every single side.
There's no denying, the film is repellently, in-your-face but it successfully terrifies when it tightens the screw. The violence towards the end might lose that sense of realism that eventuated throughout most of the film, but the maniac actions of it is not too distracting from the overall feel.
A faithful venture into the old school genre of horror where the splatter is unflinching, themes underline the story and the air is very grim.