hard to "top" this movie

Rating: 1/10 (11 January 2007)

Congratulations!
You are either a) a witness of this movie b) a person to be informed about it
ad) a): I am curious how you liked it?! Are you on of those who liked it? Or one of the couple of total dislikers? Well, opinions about this kind of film are impossible to judge.
ad) b): It is hard to find words for it. Let me tell you my first viewing experience: I went with my girlfriend to see it in the theaters. I guess, one could choose a more convenient flic to watch with your girl, maybe. But the interesting part was, we both fell asleep after an hour. From time to time I woke up by the actions scenes with its special gabba sound. And I never fall asleep in movies. It felt like having a disturbing nightmare with you realizing it is just a very strange surrounding. My girlfriend and I left the movie before the ending slightly amused about this surrealist trip. 1 year later I held the "The Hills have Eyes" in my hands in my local DVD store recalling the special movie experience in the theaters. The gabba music scenes finally got me interested in re-watching it. Maybe I had fallen asleep because of working too much? A second analysis should clearify my opinion....
My "objective" observations:

The nuclear testing areas have mostly been cleared in the USA. The rest is heavily guarded by military area (I've been there, no way to get in unless you like to be arrested by the military or shot) Sounds realistic that common people just walk in there... - The nuclear ignition grounds, like the ones the democrat walks into, may still exist. But the radioactive dust you inhale there would kill you within several days/hours (depending on the kind of nuclear bomb). Guess why the scientists/technicians wore suits and gas masks to explore the area that were obviously not even the ignition grounds. - The politically satirical parts with the gun raising republicans and the gun-hating democrat are attempts to bring some wits or laughs in the movie. Except from that, there is absolutely no (funny) message. - Brutality: Showing the gas station guy blasting his head of in detail, burning a man alive, raping a teenager by two guys, aiming a gun at a baby. I have seen many gory movies but this one really showed it all - in total detail. Some movie makers have the talent to present brutality either in "funny" way ("Braindead") or in a way that tells you brutality is not at all funny ("Platoon"). The first kind is a parody/satire, the second kind is criticism. But this movie fails for both categories. - Music/Sound is a necessary tool to stimulate a movie's atmosphere. Listen to the action sequences and you know what I mean. I think, this added perfectly to make the sadistic and gory scenes even more extreme. There seems no limit to this visual and acoustic slaughterhouse. - The storyline is so low, you can tell it in 2 Minutes. Typical logic of splatter movies with mutants without any logical explanations (it is the nature of this special horror genre) No explanations of the character's motivations, the scenery and the plot framework. Of course not, this movie only focuses on visual/acoustic experience: a movie expressing unexplainable homicide - and ONLY that.

One remarkable scene is the following: The giant mutant gets killed by the democrat sticking the American flag in his neck. This is the only scene that has symbolic character: The US have nailed these victims of nuclear testing. Apart from that, don't expect any further stylistic elements.
In terms of entertainment in its basic sense this movie has not totally failed: I have to admit that it did not at all bore me, there was a certain fascination how far a movie can go. At least it keeps you wondering how the intensity of physical violence can still be increased (Thought this would be impossible after having watched "The Thing")Maybe showing the raping scene in pornographic detail and killing the baby with a shot in the head could be worth another remake. The next increase can only be taking an axe yourself... In terms of "quality" of a movie (I don't mean high cost CGI effects or expensive cast) the films fails on all lines:

no imaginatory power - no real suspense - too high paced cutting - poor cinematography - poor acting - poor plot - senseless violence - stereotype choice of soundtrack

To sum up: Apart from the "meta-entertainment" of the brutality experience, "The Hills have Eyes" is the worst I have ever seen. It succeeded in topping another all-time-worst-movie (unfortunately forgot the title). The worst about it is, that some people really like it. Enjoy!