The Last House on the Left (2009)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Dennis Iliadis

Writers (WGA):

Adam Alleca (screenplay) and
Carl Ellsworth (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 March 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

If bad people hurt someone you love, how far would you go to hurt them back?

Plot:

After kidnapping and brutally assaulting two young women, a gang led by a prison escapee unknowingly finds refuge at a vacation home belonging the parents of one of the victims -- a mother and father who devise an increasingly gruesome series of revenge tactics.

Plot Keywords:

Kidnapping | Revenge | Prison Escapee | Burnt Head | Bare Chested Male

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Tony Goldwyn	...	John Collingwood
Monica Potter	...	Emma Collingwood
Garret Dillahunt	...	Krug
Aaron Paul	...	Francis
Spencer Treat Clark	...	Justin
Riki Lindhome	...	Sadie
Martha MacIsaac	...	Paige
Sara Paxton	...	Mari Collingwood
Michael Bowen	...	Morton
Joshua Cox	...	Giles (as Josh Cox)
Usha Khan	...	Maid

MPAA:

Rated R for sadistic brutal violence including a rape and disturbing images, language, nudity and some drug use.

Runtime:

110 min | 114 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #44897) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | UK:18 | South Korea:18 | Ireland:18 | Finland:K-18 | Netherlands:16 | France:-16 | Germany:18 (nf) | Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Mexico:C | Australia:R | Norway:18 | New Zealand:R18

Filming Locations:

Cape Town, South Africa

Company:

Rogue Pictures

Trivia:

Star Tony Goldwyn was at first reluctant about appearing in the film because of its violent content. Goldwyn changed his mind however after viewing director Dennis Iliadis's earlier film Hardcore (2004).

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Usually microwave ovens don't work while the door is open, as depicted at the end of this movie, however earlier on in the film it is stated that the microwave is broken.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Morton: [telling joke to Giles] So the next week, he's even hornier. And this time, he's got twenty bucks instead of ten. He goes back to the whorehouse, he slaps down the twenty, and tells the madam he needs to get off, but he ain't going to screw no goddamn chicken this time. She says it still ain't much, but she can help. She tells him to go to the room at the top of the stairs. This time there's just a bunch of guys jerking off, but one of the jerk off guys assures him "oh hey, it's cool, it's cool" and he waves him over to this whole toilet they're all looking through...
Krug: Oh, can we stop please? I really gotta take a piss.
Morton: Fuck you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Southland: Mozambique (#1.2)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Dirge

Good remake that kept it's cruel nature

As a fan of the original 1972 version, I wasn't expecting a lot, but at the same time, with Wes being brought in as a producer, I felt it had to live up to some expectations.

What I got was a fun yet torturous movie that had the audience with it the whole time. They were gasping, hollering, sighing, saddened, and later clapping, laughing and woo'ing. It really takes you for a ride from the first moment and only lets up briefly, only to take you back down again.

While the original scores higher for "shock factor," this one still has plenty of gore and story. I'm not going to give anything away because I'm sure most of you know the story by the trailers, but overall this is an intense film that you won't forget anytime soon. If you know what happens, you'll be happy when the second half of the film picks up. If you have no idea, try to enjoy the ride as I'm sure you'll leave satisfied.

A few people in my theater left before it ended, so if you feel sick or faintful, just keep repeating to yourself: it's only a movie, it's only a movie, it's only a movie...