I wasn't overly impressed

Rating: 4/10 (7 September 2010)

To begin with I will say that this movie had some good things going for it. The acting was good, the special effects were good, the story was decent, it was suitably graphic... It could have been a great movie, and in many ways was... If it weren't for a VERY big issue I had with this movie, I'd have given it an 8.
However, as a horror fanatic, I can't say the gory bits were anything over the top shocking. They weren't anything I haven't seen before in other gorror films. I don't get why everyone seems to rave about the level of graphicness in this movie.
In particular though, I simply could not believe how utterly moronic the family were. It constantly ruined my suspension of disbelief. No one can be as stupid as they were, and if people as a rule are, then I hold no hope for the human race.
***SPOILERS***
I mean come on. "well ye take thut there dirt road to the left, and it migh save ye a couple hurs". Helllooooo! Ever hear of highway robbery? There is a reason that term exists, and the old coot giving fake directions is one of the oldest tricks in the book.
BAM!!! A four tire blowout! What are the odds? Must be a funny coincidence. o.O NOT!
Then Dad finally gets a clue at the gas station, and wastes bullets firing at empty air. Then tries the clunker without checking if it has gas. Then gets back in without checking the back seat.
Next we have the genius brother in law wandering down the dirt road to "Gawrsh a dead end Mickey! Hyuck. Wonder how that got there?" Full of abandoned cars no less. He still has no clue. Are these people mentally challenged?
Jump ahead to the trailer scene. How can these people be so oblivious that they don't see there is someone in the trailer raping the daughter? Yes, dad is on fire. Does everyone's peripheral vision shut down in a crisis?
Etc, etc, etc... I could go on and on, but I'll skip to the last part. The "climax". Who didn't see that coming from ten miles away? Oh, yeah, the idiot brother in law when he left the mutant for dead instead of throwing him off the stupid cliff.
***END SPOILERS***
This movie just plain abounded with absolute utter brainlessness in the characters. It did not cause me tension, or dread, it caused me to bang my head in frustration with their sheer stupidity. The only one with half a brain was the kid, and only half of one.
It isn't suspense when you are that far ahead of the characters. Particularly when they shouldn't be so far behind you. Its frustration and disbelief anyone could be that stupid. If you can swallow that kind of idiocy, and are either terrified of gorror, or amused by it, this film might be for you. I suppose it's the perfect gorror film, because it is the epitome of one, but if you are sick to death of the usual horror clichés like "let's split up", and "run away and hide when the killer is vulnerable" type crap, do yourself a favor and skip this one, it's drowning in it.