Review of Straw Dogs (2011) by Lateef R — 20 Dec 2011

I have never been a fan of the original Dustin Hoffman/Sam Peckinpah "Straw Dogs" and was surprisingly intrigued by the trailer for this more American-ized remake when it first appeared. While the director of the 2011 version would like to have you believe this is an entirely different type of film that offers a different take on the themes that were being expressed back in 1971, you would probably have to disagree.

While the location has been changed from the English countrside to good ole' southern USA right smack in the center of the Bible belt, the story as it was still plays out pretty much the same way.

This updated version casts the charismatic James Marsden in the role of David Sumner, a screenwriter who moves back with his wife Amy (Kate Bosworth) to her small hometown. They are there to prepare her old family home for sale after her father has passed, but it is clear the minute they stop for lunch upon pulling into town that this isn't going to be an easy transition.

The first half of the film is slow moving and filled with stereotype after sereotype while eventually the tension reaches enough of a boiling point that the climax is actually a rather chilling affair.

With all the talent that has been gathered here (Alexander Skarsgard, James Woods, and an underused Walton Goggins show up in supporting roles) this could have been a much more intriguing look into the idea that our mild mannered, non-violent protagonist may actually be the bad guy in all of this.

Instead it is more of a conventional revenge tale that shows us how far a man will go when pushed just enough. A recipe for an engaging drama that is wasted on a complete lack of originality.