'The Last House on the Left (2009)' is an Effective Horror Remake

tw: sexual violence

It’s not a stretch to say that Wes Craven’s highly controversial The Last House on the Left (1972) is a film that causes varied reactions amongst horror fans. It’s exploitative and rests in the same camp as I Spit on Your Grave as far as I’m concerned. The complete and utter suffering that’s inflicted upon the teenage girls Mari (Sandra Peabody) and Phyllis (Lucy Grantham) in The Last House on the Left doesn’t end, either. Not until they both die horrifically after enduring sexual violence. And then the rest of the film is about Mari’s parents getting revenge.

The original succeeds as far as being uncomfortable and disturbing goes. Not to mention the way neither of the girls get to survive. However, there’s lack of cohesiveness and the tonal shifts are jarring. There are stupid cops that aren’t necessary, for instance. The same can’t be said for The Last House on the Left remake, and I’m going so far as to say it’s better than the original. Vocalizing such thoughts often gets a finger wagging. But I’m not here to have a discussion surrounding original vs remakes. Instead, I’m digging into the meat of The Last House on the Left (2009).

The Last House on the Left (2009) follows Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton), whose day out with her friend turns deadly when she comes across some criminals. After being kidnapped and raped, she’s left for dead in the lake. When the criminals seek shelter at Mari’s family vacation home, her parents find out what happened to her and seek their own brand of revenge.

The film kicks off with violence that proves the type of film you’re dealing with. Instead of introducing us to Mari and her family, we immediately meet the criminals that’ll inflict violence upon her. When Krug (Garret Dillahunt) is saved by his brother Francis (Aaron Paul) and girlfriend Sadie (Riki Lindhome) before he can be transported, it’s obvious what they’re capable of. The unhinged nature of the family is on full display, and it’s contrasted with Mari’s family life, which is complicated but loving.

Director Dennis Iliadis sprinkles in moments in the beginning that play into the events of the film. Moments like Mari being a competitive swimmer, Mari’s father being a doctor, the scenes where Mari’s body is the focus like her silhouette in the shower and her getting dressed. Bodies go hand in hand with the concept of brutality. The violence that can be inflicted upon bodies is endless. And for Mari, as a young woman, there’s no shortage of horrific things that can and will happen to her.

Before Mari’s day turns hellish, she’s enjoying her time with her family, who is still dealing with the loss of her brother. It’s obvious they’re trying very hard to retain some normalcy on their vacation together. Therefore, when Mari goes out to meet her longtime friend, Paige (Martha McIssac), her parents don’t object too much. Which ends up being a mistake when everything is taken into account. Especially when Paige’s workplace is going to be visited by the only innocent member of Krug’s family.

As soon as Mari and her friend Paige are abducted by their new friend Justin (Spencer Treat Clark)’s family, it’s a descent into hell for them. Their suffering and hopelessness feels never-ending, and the atmosphere is so disturbing and uncomfortable. Both of the girls try their best to survive and escape, but every effort is thwarted and Paige nearly finding rescue is stopped. Situations like these don’t always go over well, and the film illustrates that without apology.

In the woods, Paige is mortally stabbed and left to bleed out while Mari helplessly watches and is raped by Krug, who delights in destroying her spirit. The rape scene is excruciatingly real and might be too triggering for some survivors to watch. It’s not a scene that’s meant to titillate its audience, it’s meant to horrify because of its brutality. Even after what Mari’s body endures, she still manages to run away and put her swimming ability to important use.

One of the biggest differences in this remake is the fact that Mari survives being shot. It’s a moment that’s much needed in what is a gritty horror film. While there’s a slight suspension of disbelief, it doesn’t impact the film negatively. Instead, her being allowed to survive and crawl back to the house in a storm, is enough motivation for her parents to take their revenge. It speaks to what parents might do if their child has been harmed like that, and what drives people to gruesome acts of violence.

It’s safe to say that the fugitives get what’s coming to them and there’s no lack of brutality in the acts that take place. Since the story isn’t a “good for her” story and is about the parents taking revenge, it puts Mari out of commission for the back half of the film. And in a different film, Mari would be the one to take her revenge. But this is a remake of The Last House on the Left, not I Spit on Your Grave (the remake for that is intense with the violence as well).

The violence that’s inflicted upon the fugitives’ bodies is all symbolic (intentional or not) of the roles they played in what happened to Mari. Krug’s brother Francis (Aaron Paul) has his hands mangled by the garbage disposal and is stabbed in the head with a hammer, Sadie (Riki Lindhome) is half naked when she’s shot in the eye, and Krug has his head exploded by a jury-rigged microwave (his death is the least satisfying).

Everyone’s death plays into how they contributed to the violence that occurred in the woods. Francis used his hands to stab Paige and keep Junior from helping Mari. Sadie watched everything unfold in the woods and did nothing to stop it. And Krug having his head exploded might just be for shock, but there’s certainly things to read into the explosion of a rapist’s mind.

The Last House on the Left isn’t for people who can’t handle violence, and it’s certainly not for the faint of heart. The original is an exploitation horror film that isn’t a film for just anybody, either. While the remake isn’t a film to just throw on for casual horror watchers, it’s effective and is one of the best horror remakes of the 2000s.

I’m not personally afraid to say that I love this movie. Despite its controversial nature in terms of its content. It’s a remake that manages to do better than its predecessor and ages better in the grand scheme. At the end of the day it’s a very bloody and violent remake that serves as an effective rape and revenge horror film.

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