Surpasses the original with grace

Rating: 9/10 (11 March 2006)

I expected this film to be good, however, I did not expect what I got from it. The movie for the most part follows the original and only stops to give more depth to situations that arose in the first. It expands on a few inter character relationships between the Carters which only gives more validity to the circumstances of the situation.
Possible spoilers: The sequence that begins from when Big Bob arrives at the gas station to when the mutants retreat from the trailer may be the most Brutal I have seen in a horror film. Not because of the shocking events since they all took place in the first, but because of the imagery and good performances by the actors. The following minutes until Doug transforms are some of the most elegant emotional sequences I have seen in a horror film. This movie does not drag itself down trying to paint the differences between the Carters and Papa Jupe's clan, instead it leaves you with the fact that th clan is evil and it forces the remaining Carters in to a fierce battle for survival. WhileDOug takes a beating through the end of the film, you watch him struggle to keep on going, but Aja makes sure to always show you his motivation for getting up again. The only complaints I have are a few spots where the score is a bit too over-imposing and the lack of screen time for Jupiter. I liked the symbolism tied in with Big Brain and America's nuke tests, which seems too say that it's America's fault for the existence of the clan, but there is a final scene with an American flag that seems to redeem America. I f Aja continues this streak, I believe he may be able to combine the imagery and beauty of Argento with the cohesiveness of Carpenter and the shock value of early Craven. 8/10