You’re Next (2011) Review

I sometimes sit in my doctor’s surgery waiting for them to say “You’re Next” but it never seems to happen. It’s funny then that a film has come out with a title that I so often wish to hear.

After being very excited about watching You're Next DVD cover LionsgateYou’re Next my anticipation began to fade and something soon gave me a feeling that in fact I could be majorly disappointed with this film. It was delayed for 2 years before it was released. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Usually the latter.

Our story begins with Crispian, who brings his girlfriend Erin to the family retreat to celebrate his mother and father’s wedding anniversary. The get together is brought to an abrupt halt when a gang of mysterious killers, disguised in animal masks, wage an all-out assault on the family’s secluded home. Using a series of traps, axes, crossbows and machetes the family are slaughtered one by one. Nowhere is safe. However, neither the attackers or their victims have counted on Erin having the killer instinct to fight back.

Sounds really exciting doesn’t it? Makes you want to hide behind the sofa and pop up every 5 or 10 minute,s peeking through the gaps in your fingers?
And I had high hopes for You’re Next and really thought it would be an amazing thrill ride which would have me on the edge of my seat fuelled by a high octane cocktail of fear and anticipation.

You're next movie horror 2011

Sadly though, I experienced none of the above and came away quite disappointed, feeling as though someone had set me alight and then thrown a bucket of cold water over me straight after, resulting in what can only be called the ‘non-event of the year’.

The first thing to point out is this films similarity to The Strangers. There are 3 masked antagonists, and the cast are isolated from the rest of humanity.
Easy targets I say. Mugs you say.
As for the traps, axes, crossbows and machetes, we’ve seen them all before and quite frankly it does tend to grate on you after a while and by the end I found myself shouting “Come on, some originality here!” at the television.

As for the family themselves, they appear to be a bunch of rich spoiled brats with no care for each other or anyone else. I felt no love between any of the siblings and even the parents didn’t seem to care about their children. This made it hard for me to care about them either.

You're next movie sharni vinson ti west

As for the traps that were set, I found it excruciating that one cast member was killed by one such trap and then said trap was left to allow the same thing to happen to someone else. Really dumb or what? Any rational person would instantly destroy the trap so it didn’t harm anyone else, but our cast who appear to be quite irrational, just leave it hanging about, ready to inflict more pain on someone else.

I wracked my brains trying to find something good to say about You’re Next, but the only positive feeling that I had while watching the film was when the credits came up at the end.

Even the ending lacked ‘shocks’ and I am praying that no sequel is made as I really don’t feel anyone should have to witness another film of this standard again. Harsh but true.
As for delaying the film for 2 years, I don’t know why they delayed it, as it certainly hasn’t benefited what in all honesty is a predictable story line with no drama, fear or potential.

If I have one word of advice for those considering watching it, it would be: AVOID!

Movie Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

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2 Comments

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  • That is a pity,actually thought Adam Wingard’s “Your Next!” was a great bit of Grindhouse cinema,ok Simon Barrett’s screenplay isn’t going to win any oscars but it did have pretty decent twist & as for that Erin,man.. she is one hell of a tough chick.

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  • I thought the movie was awesome. I guess people just don’t like these kind of movies that much. Not really a similarity to The Strangers. The Strangers is a couple going on a honeymoon and attacked in home evasion by strangers. You’re Next is a home evasion but family against other part of the family to get money. So really they are different except for the home evasion part.

    I know I saw both of them and really like You’re Next over The Strangers. Not because of gore because they both had great gore. Just The Strangers was slower pace than You’re Next. You’re Next was more interesting in finding out who the attackers were and you find out, where The Strangers we are still clueless on who the strangers killers were.

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