Pretty good remake

Rating: 7/10 (9 March 2006)

I am something of a classic horror aficianodo and Wes Craven fan. I went into this film preparing to be disappointed and was pleasantly surprised. The film does a good job of being faithful to the original but adds some new aspects and updated special effects (but not too much to be over the top) to make the film good. I would still recommend the original, even though it is certainly dated in its special effects and limited by its shoe-string budget.
Make no doubt about it, the film is pretty intense, gory and brutal--definitely not for the faint of heart. It does, however, have its share of starts and I jumped a few times--which isn't easy to make me do.
Basically, the plot revolved around a typical middle class family which gets lost in the desert and is attacked by a feral family that lives in the hills. By the end, however, you are supposed to be asking yourself who the real savages are. In this respect, the re-makers stay true to the original film. In this version, however, we find out more about the feral family and why they are the way they are.
The film does a very good job at creating suspense and using subtle effects (sounds, music) to generate fear without necessarily utilizing typical gore. But if you like gore, you won't be disappionted either--lots of pickaxes through heads.
If you are into horror, I recommend.