Maltin's wrong

Rating: 7/10 (23 October 2000)

Maltin is completely wrong when he says the effects in this '82 remake of the '51 classic overwhelm the suspense here. The effects are without question fabulously gruesome but they add to, not detract from, the suspense. The creepy "what's going to happen next?" mood of the film - set at the beginning by the enigmatic appearance of the dog hunted by the crazed Norwegian - is never curtailed by the gory proceedings. The film works itself slowly and inevitably towards its grimly dark conclusion. This is simply one the best of its genre, for my money (and I see my opinion is shared by most of the commenters here).