Review of Straw Dogs (2011) by Armand D — 19 Feb 2012
Kind of a "so what" film ... I can see why I missed it earlier. This is a remake of a film from the 70's that wasn't necessary but it happened. As is, it is rather predictable and unmemorable except for a scene involving a bear trap.
A young Hollywood actress (Kate Bosworth - Superman Returns, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton) returns home to her small backwoods Mississippi hometown with her writer husband (James Marsden - Enchanted, X-Men) and they encounter the uneducated, intolerant hicks she tried to escape from years ago.
The film wants to make a few statements (it makes fun of church, ho-hum ...) but doesn't fully succeed. The film expects its audience to know more than it does (is that an Of Mice and Men reference or a plot hole?!?) because it doesn't show the viewer everything I believe is necessary to make the film work.
The escalating violence makes for a tense showdown; but WHY is this occuring and WHY has it been allowed to reach THIS level? While it makes an allusion to this or that ... nothing is definite and with Straw Dogs and this locale I think more information would be welcomed unless this is a film about nothing more than ignorant redneck stereotypes.
It's straw ...
This review of Straw Dogs (2011) was written by Armand D on 19 Feb 2012.
Straw Dogs has generally received mixed reviews.
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