Utterly fantastic

Rating: 9/10 (8 March 2009)

I love Wes Craven's original 1977 Hills Have Eyes. Although it's extremely dated today, it was great and very impressive for it's time. It doesn't hold up as well today as it did back then, but it's still a wonderfully creepy and enjoyable movie. In my opinion, it's Wes Craven's best work next to Nightmare On Elm Street (Scream is somewhat overrated). I've seen many similar films of that era which have scared me out of my wits and spooked me out for nights on end. I was excited and had high hopes when I went to see this remake. Aja's previous film High Tension impressed me, and I had a sense that this would impress me even more.
I should've seen it coming, as I was uncomfortable and uneasy from the opening credits and things just got worse from there. Yet that's really good, because there's one thing that I believe every film needs to accomplish: it needs to make you feel something. This film does that, and much more. It makes you feel uncomfortable, uneasy, emotional, scared, shocked, surprised, disgusted, and horrified. In other words it delivers in abundance.
As I said, this film had me chilled from the opening scenes, and actually by that I mean the titles. There's this great trick of flashing images and piano wire kind of music which makes you jump out of your seat. That little audio clip is also used throughout the film at certain parts to unnerve you again; it's very clever and very effective.
Having witnessed some extreme violence and the total annihilation of a small group of people, you then meet the main characters of the film, stopping by a gas station in the middle of the desert, setting off on their journey. You already know they're close to danger, and as they're sent on their way you know they're heading straight towards it. A couple more clever touches are added here, knowing the family are headed towards danger you are introduced to a baby and a pregnant young mother in the group, and you feel the worry and terror rise. You know they are headed for trouble, and you begin to wonder what horrors face them. In fact, you sympathize so much for the family that you just don't want it to happen or even see it. I was literally almost in tears when *SPOILER* Doug was comforting his slowly dying mother in law. This is saying a lot, because little to no horror films in the past few years have gotten to me so much on an emotional. Kudos to the excellent cast, you guys succeeded in pulling it off.
It does a great job with the suspense and fear, at some points it builds it to the point where it's almost unbearable. Aja is already messing with your head, and he knows just how to do it to perfection. Something else he does well is film some great shots. Some of the opening scenes with his tracking camera shots are superb and really give exposition without words. It looks great, the style throughout gives a feel of remoteness and a little seventies feel to it much like the original film without going too overboard. Many of the shots and camera movements through the film are really effective in heightening the fear and anticipation, particularly when he actually doesn't let anything happen. When you traditionally expect something, he stretches the scene, or doesn't deliver, and then he'll catch you off guard. Sure, there are one or two traditional Hollywood scares (perhaps to make the studio happy) but these are early on and very VERY few. About one or two. This whole style was the most effective in the first night attack and also in the later scenes in the town. There's a ton of surprises in the film; who gets killed, who doesn't, and how and when. Once the suspense goes, we arrive at the real horror. Horror in the form I remember, when I saw the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the first time.
Talking of the horror aspect, the special effects are amazing and make for some unbelievably horrific scenes. The whole premise could have easily turned cheesy and unbelievable, yet it doesn't. It never feels that way. Aja actually makes you believe the unbelievable. No wonder this film holds its own!
The mindblowing direction, along with the stellar performances, well written screenplay, and great execution makes for a completely satisfying film. It really gets to you and makes you feel a big range of emotions, even after leaving the cinema. It's not only one of the best horror remakes ever made, it's also in general one of the best horror movies this decade!