Horrific.

Rating: 6/10 (14 July 2011)

Hollywood is hardly lacking in remakes of 70s cult horror flicks, Wes Craven bringing many of them to us through what seems to be a real desire to genuinely frighten a hardened contemporary audience. The Hills Have Eyes brings us more 'lambs to the slaughter' in what may be one of the most gruesome remakes in years.
The films plot more or less abides the pre-set rules of it's predecessor; average American family complete with the 'Big Bob' (Levine) father figure and his teenage children are stranded in a desert, seemingly alone. Of course, they aren't alone. After one of the family's beloved pets goes missing, a twisted (and ultimately shallow) plot begins to unravel involving terror, shock and (of course) disgust.
Being a shocker film, The Hills Have Eyes relies heavily on what is clearly a good eye for horror direction; which results in scenes of quiet, wait-it-out torture, and others of genuine, intense terror. One scene in particular, which lasts for perhaps ten minutes maximum (yet feels like an hour) is incredibly uncomfortable to watch, and although the characters involved are never properly established (as is a common trait of horror flicks), audiences will find themselves holding their breath, mouths agape throughout. Musically, the film excels in places, as screeching strings conjure images of sharpness and agony, further enhancing the tense nature of the films more horrific scenes.
The Hills Have Eyes is, rather than a horror flick, a gruesome shocker. And although it may not really reach it's audience on a deeper level of communication through a meaningful and complex plot, the drama and genuinely horrific scenes portrayed at the films darkest moments certainly make its audience feel something. Even if it is nausea.