Could have been brilliant but ends up as a slither- above-average horror

Rating: 7/10 (19 March 2006)

I watched the original Wes Craven film a couple of nights before this remake and was overall disappointed. I won't go into a review but I have to say that it was clumsily but together and overall not scary or gory as it has been raved about so often.
After several trailers, I was very much looking forward to this film, expecting plenty of frights and buckets of gore. The start of the film is predictable, a couple of people getting killed to establish to establish what the rest of the film is like. OK, so it's done well, and has a sinister and gory effect...but what does it accomplish that the audience doesn't already know? What would have been better is a proper and decent introduction to the family travelling through the desert.
The film's pace, as well as introduction is also questionable, it seems to leap forwards at times but only to grind to an immediate halt...whether this is to try and force feed us some character driven moments. The film only really picks up pace when it seems the director is most comfortable, towards the climax.
If you like your scares and gore, look no further. I can honestly say the film does have its jumpy moments and is indeed full of gore and some unpleasant moments...but these are far and few between. Between the moments of horror and gore, you really want certain members of the family to just get on with it and die...which shouldn't happen if the director wants his / her audience to sympathise with the characters.
In conclusion, the film was worth-while experience...and whereas it fails to identify itself as a leading horror film, it certainly keeps itself above the likes of; "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2004) and "The Ring 2"....but if you want in my eyes what is the BETTER Wes Craven re-make...then look to "Wrong Turn " (2003)...which although technically isn't a remake, serves as a better reminder of the earlier Craven work than this film does.