Fans of slasher flicks have had to put up with a whole lot of dreck for almost the entirety of the genre. We’re probably treated not all that much better than the victims in the films we love so much when you consider just how terrible so many of these movies are (and this is coming from a guy who shouts from the rooftops his love for The Asylum). It’s through this lens that we must look to realize how much of a triumph You’re Next is.
As a film, You’re Next is quite good, with acting, writing, direction and cinematography that would be at home at any indie film festival. It could probably come away from a few of them with some major awards (and it has). But as a slasher movie, it takes on a whole new level of acclaim. This is easily the most impressively well-handled slasher film in ages. I’m having a hard time thinking of one this tightly paced and expertly plotted.
And when I say tightly paced and expertly plotted I mean it. Everything that happens in this film moves the story forward in some way. There are no throwaway lines. Nothing is there because it looks cool. If it doesn’t affect the story or tell you something about the characters, it didn’t make on-screen.
You’re Next sees (minor spoiler) Final Girl Erin (Sharni Vinson) and her boyfriend Crispian (AJ Bowen) off to celebrate his parents’ anniversary at their very large 2nd home. It’ll be the first time the whole family will be together in years. Also, it seems, the last when a trio of killers in masks that are sure to be popular sellers at Halloween stores this year start hunting the family one by one. They did not, however, expect Erin to be the most badass Final Girl to grace screens in years.
Seriously, Erin will fuck your shit up.
It’s good that Erin’s so tough, since You’re Next features some severely gruesome kills and director Adam Wingard really knows how to ratchet up the tension. This movie will have you on the edge of your seat and it will scare the hell out of you.
I had a blast.
I give it 9 CREEPY-ASS ANIMAL MASKS out of 10
