A re-make that works!

Rating: 9/10 (8 February 2004)

I don't like remakes at all, but the original of this film hasn't aged well and it almost put me off seeing Mr Carpenters version. I'm glad I did as this particular re-make is an extremely taut and exciting film which far out strips the (rather boring) original. As you can expect from Mr Carpenter there is the usual measure of gore but in this instance at least it never feels gratuitus and heightens the tension. The characters work in the film too - sure we know they're going to get picked off one by one, it is a horror film after all, but they appear more than the usual slasher fodder. A good film, very intelligent and probably my favourite John Carpenter film