Unrated Cut Review

Rating: 5/10 (2 July 2007)

While traveling in a trailer to California through the New Mexico Desert, a family is misled to a shortcut going to nowhere by the owner of an isolated gas station and wrecks the car in a rock. Along the night and on the next day, they are attacked by a group of deformed cannibals, fruit of the atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by USA from 1945 to 1962 in that spot. Absolutely trapped by the psychotics, they have to fight to survive.
I didn't want to watch this movie. The reason is because the critics said it sucks and it was nasty but I watched it and it was better than I thought it was but that's not saying much. Let me start with saying this: It was predictable, well, at least for me. I did not know why I knew what was going to happen (with an exceptional last 15 minutes).
This movie is slow. Nothing happens in the first forty minutes or so which is kind of boring, if you ask me. When it does get moving, there are many horror clichés, throughout the film. The characters are doing stupid things to get themselves killed. Then this movie frustrates people because of these clichés. Then it turns mean spirited, killing people for their entertainment, but that's only a segment of the film.
The only "good" part in the film was actually the unpredictable last fifteen minutes. Finally, the characters do smart things and fight back, like a revenge flick. But so and so, there has to be an open sequel, which of course leads to The Hills Have Eyes II. I wonder if that film can have more clichés.
I actually liked the whole performances by the whole family. They were realistic and surprisingly sympathetic when they are getting hurt. I was actually surprised there is an emotional core in the film. Not many horror films have that, these days. The character development is also good. Other good things I'll note are the creature designs and the cinematography.
Horror fans will probably like this for the buckets of gore and violence. Some, like me, will not like it for the dumb characters and the clichés. It's not a scary film. It's better than what you think it is but isn't that good of a horror film.