Review of The Hills Have Eyes (2006) by Carl M — 02 Feb 2013

Nearly thirty years after Wes Craven's shocking original, THE HILLS still HAVE EYES thanks to the 2006 remake from HIGH TENSION director Alexandre Aja. For modern audiences that have been raised on blood and gore, THE HILLS HAVE EYES is a worthy update that adds a whole new dimension of radioactive terror to the classic tale. The Carters are making their way out to California on the back roads of New Mexico, when a freak blowout leaves them stranded in the desert. While they are unable to find anyone in their search for help, someone sure finds them, and they enter a deadly struggle for survival with a wild pack of mutant cannibals! Aja knows what works, taking the most terrifying moments from the original and exploiting them with even more shocking sexuality and explosive violence. In a time when the MPAA controls had caused most other artists to self-censor their work, Aja stands strong and pushes the limits of acceptability on screen. The Moroccan locations that double for New Mexico are devastatingly beautiful and foreboding at the same time, making The Hills one of the most frightening characters in the movie. Although Michael Bailey Smith and Robert Joy are both very good as the two lead villains, they are unlikely to be remembered as much as Michael Berryman and Lance Gordon in their iconic roles. The Carters are excellently cast as well. Ted Levine takes over as Big Bob, the grumbling head of the family, and Dan Byrd puts in a great performance as young Bobby Carter. The anti-nuclear sentiment, on the other hand, is a bit irrelevant at this point, but it does not distract from the plot. With more killer make-up and bloody effects by the KNB group, THE HILLS HAVE EYES serves as a strong remake to the 1977 cult classic.

-Carl Manes.

I Like Horror Movies.