Review of I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by Col S — 16 Aug 2011

A hidden gem to be sure. Most of what comes out of Anchor Bay doesn't peak my interest after seeing the films trailer. This is the exception. Though I was unaware that this was a remake, who cares? I don't see how that in anyway hinders this film at all.

The premise is simple but not simply told. The tale is told like a Stephan King novel about a woman's revenge on her attackers. The film doesn't go right into the violence. The film starts out by introducing us to a woman that audiences will immediately start to like.

She's sweet and kind and while writing her novel takes time to enjoy the pleasures of her surroundings at the cabin. Who doesn't want to do that? Then she is thrown into hell. The director does an amazing job of bringing the audience into mind of Jennifer Hills as the rednecks drag out her torture, and rape to almost 40 minutes of the film.

When the time comes for Jennifer Hills to exact her revenge the idea is for the audience to want to watch these basterds die. Mission accomplished. The first hour of the film I was all sympathy. The second hour of the film I was all smiles.

By the end I realized that this is not so much a cautionary tale as it is me sitting in the audience at the ancient Roman coliseum looking forward to seeing five rapists getting fed to the lions. The transformation of Jennifer Hills is executed brilliantly.

Her broken and naked form stumbling drunk on suffering and blank from shock is a better "birth of woodland psychopath" scene then anything that's come before it (yes, I'm looking at you Jason Voorhees) What makes it so brilliant is that she could be anybody.

Someone you know. Someone I know. If that doesn't scare the ever-loving piss out of ya, nothing will. The only star lost represents a couple plot holes left once the credits roll... just watch it you'll see.

.. yourself.