The Hills Have Eyes

Posted by Brian C. Gibson (brian@filmschoolrejects.com) on June 20, 2006

Don’t you just hate it when your cross country vacation is ruined by nuclear fallout mutated cannibals? How often is it that a remake tops the original? Furthermore, how often is it that a horror remake tops the original? When’s the last time the Buffalo Bills won a Superbowl? While you ponder the answer to those mysteries, let The Hills Have Eyes show you that some films don’t age well and a tune up can do some good.

When an all-American family decides to drive cross country from Cleveland to San Diego, they expected an adventure…hey anything is better than Cleveland. When Big Bob (Ted Levine), an ex detective, and his family arrive to a gas station in the New Mexico desert things turn for the worst. The misleading gas station attendant directs Big Bob to a shortcut. What he doesn’t tell Big Bob is that the shortcut only leads to the end of the road for the family.

When Doug (Aaron Stanford) finds himself near the closest thing to hell on earth, he must make a decision on whether to let things happen or to make them happen. Forced to step up and make a daring rescue, Doug must face something more horrific than anyone should ever have to lay eyes on.

It is really not that often that a remake film can top the original, but in this caseConsider the facts when looking at the project even before filming commenced. Wes Craven, the writer/director of the orginal The Hills Have Eyes, gave his blessing by handing the movie rights and the director’s chair over to Alexandre Aja. Aja has firmly planted his feet into the horror genre and is already being called the new master of horror. While horror is somewhat of a dying genre, Aja is the best hope the film industry has for appeasing the large horror audience. Aja took Craven’s original script and tried to create something new and original. He succeeded with the utterly creepy fallout town, something that Craven never had enough resources or the vision that could give this film the proper ambiance.

For you movie fans out there, does anyone recognize Doug? At first, I couldn’t exactly put my finger on where I recognized the gruff bearded lead man from. Out of nowhere, the light bulb that floats above my head clicked on and I realized that Doug was Aaron Stanford (better known for his role as Pyro in the blockbuster X-Men series). Who woulda thought that good boy gone bad Pyro would land himself a legit lead role. Stanford’s character transformed through the movie as any real man would when he is faced with nuclear fallout cannibal mutants. The acting was well done, and Emilie de Ravin (climbing the charts after her role in Brick) lit up the screen with her assets as well as her shriek-filled performance.

The DVD transfer is something that only a horror film could really take advantage of. The whispers in the night found a nice home in my rear speakers, and the shotgun blasts and sudden jolts pounded my subwoofer slightly louder than my heartbeat. The video quality really impressed me during the nighttime scenes, where in darkness DVD transfers usually fail. The DVD provides a “making of” feature that actually is worth watching. Listening to Aja and Craven speak about the production was enlightening and inspiring to hear. When a director seems genuinely pumped about a film, it usually shows in their work.

The Upside:
Ever seen the original? Don’t need to, becase this remake is far better.
The Downside:
Still waiting for a truely scary film
On the Side:
The photos of mutations that play during the opening credits are not of atomic mutation, but birth defects caused by the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam.

Breaking Down the DVD:
The Film: C+
The Delivery: B
The Extras: C+
Final Grade: C+

DVD Stats:
Release Date: June 20, 2006
Starring: Aaron Stanford, Ted Levine, Kathleen Quinlan, Emilie de Ravin
Directed by: Alexandre Aja
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound Mix: English (Dolby Digital 5.1) Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.1 Surround)
MPAA: Unrated
Run Time: 101 min.

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