The 2003 horror film Wrong Turn may just be the definitive horror film about terror in the woods. This Eliza Dushku vehicle features CGI eye FX, cannibals and inbred hillbillies; a’la The Hills Have Eyes 1 & 2.
Money maker
Spawning no less than 7 films in the franchise; the last being a remake, Wrong Turn is pure gold. This inbred hillbilly money maker may have served up watered down versions of its original, but it works.
It is the Dushku original that we want to look at today. In 2003 Dushku was on the rise. She had Buffy, Angel and Tru Calling under her belt. *Dollhouse was on the horizon, and this fascinating TV show ended her time under Joss Whedon’s tutelage,*
Starring in No Particular order
Jeremy Sisto as Scott.
Emmanuelle Chriqui as Carly.
Desmond Harrington as Chris Fynn.
Lindy Booth as Francine.
Julian Richings as Three Finger.
Kevin Zegers as Evan.
Eliza Dushku as Jessie Burlingame.
The Story
Chris Fynn is heading to an all important job interview. He is running late. A traffic pile-up results in him taking a short cut through the mountains. There he runs into, literally, Burlingame and her friends. Together they will all meet Three Finger and the rest of his horrific family.
It works
Director Rob Schmidt takes Wrong Turn, written by Alan B. McElroy and turns it into a classic instant cult favorite. *McElroy’s vicious tale of terror in the backwoods has been milked for all it is worth. A number of weak sister sequels have followed. Sadly, they have all watered down the original intent of the film.*
Stan Winston Studios manages to simultaneously frighten and nauseate the viewer. A clear case of lightning in a bottle here gives us a “Mary Poppins” film. *Practically perfect in every way.*
At the film’s start Chris slams into Jessie’s already stranded vehicle. He then teams up with the existing group to walk out of the woods.
Evan and Francine opt to stay behind. They pilfer Chris’s now disabled car and resume their playtime. These two; Zegers and Booth, show us why casting is so important. They fit like hand and glove as the two fun loving free spirits.
Sisto and Chriqui also work so well together it is uncanny.
The power
The power of this film is that the casting is nigh on perfect. The actors sell their characters well enough that we actually care when they start to die. This is helped by a script that allows us to feel for them all. They are touching, funny and resourceful.
We want them to get out alive. It hurts us when they are taken out one by one. It is very impressive that a “teen” horror film works so well on that level.
The audience is behind them. Wrong Turn is also helped by the grotesque inbred creatures that are hunting our heroes. They are dimly viewed terrors that rely upon sound and suspense. It is like we are in those woods with these young people.
FX
The FX are top-notch. Speaking of FX, specifically VFX, Wrong Turn is the first film to use a certain type of CGI. This is done to brilliant effect in the area of the pupils. When one of the group is killed on a tree CG was used to show them dilating. According to the “making of” featurette on the DVD, this film was the first to use CGI in this way.
The Verdict
Wrong Turn is a gut wrenching 5 star ride. It gives us the right mix of terror and humour. Boogeymen who scare the heck out of you and a cast to root for. This can be streamed on Amazon Prime, right now. Check out the trailer below, it is almost as scary as the movie.
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