Definitely Better than Original

Rating: 8/10 (12 March 2006)

Wes Craven is perhaps the most overrated horror director of all time next to George Romero. My girlfriend and I watched the original version about six months ago and here is what sucked about it: the acting, the script, the gore, the music, the cinematography and did I mention the acting. Aja, who has followed up his excellent horror film High Tension (albeit with a debatable bad ending) and improved upon the lifeless original in about every way possible. This film combines great elements of funny cheese, good acting, great makeup effects and jumpy scares with added back-story on these desert freaks to make the most rewarding experience I've seen in horror since, uh, well, High Tension.
Because Aja doesn't waste time here wallowing in the emotions of the characters, we really just have to react at a very ordinary family being terrorized by these mutants. No shot is wasted, and from the script to the music everything about this film is better than the original. I hope this starts a trend of directors improving upon all of Craven's crap films. Craven may have had some good ideas, but every one of his movies can be done and done better, and it's just been resoundingly proved.