How this one became a cult classic I'll never know. After years of hearing the hype, I was a little shocked when I saw it.
But not in the least bit scared. We'll cut Craven some slack as the movie was clearly done on the cheap, with minimal resources. Say, for example, decent actors.
The "bad-guys," supposed to be vicious predators and psychopaths escaped from jail, are about as scary as one of the novelty gangs in THE WARRIORS.
Which might be forgivable if they could act half as well as anyone in that lousy movie! The rest of THE LAST HOUSE cast are wooden and awkward.
While the idea of the film is unsettling in the abstract, the execution is dreadful. The script is unconvincing and more than a little silly.
There are awful gaps in logic in the story. The events could, in theory, take place -- there are none of the supernatural hijinks that are so commonplace in other horror films --yet this one still requires almost total suspension of disbelief!
The only thing that saves LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT from being a complete washout are a few deft touches; unsettling electronic music overtures and a handful of arty, evocative camera shots that settle over the inevitable carnage.
Otherwise this is an average cheap-o slasher flick. Save your time and money unless you are a devotee of the "genre."
But not in the least bit scared. We'll cut Craven some slack as the movie was clearly done on the cheap, with minimal resources. Say, for example, decent actors.
The "bad-guys," supposed to be vicious predators and psychopaths escaped from jail, are about as scary as one of the novelty gangs in THE WARRIORS.
Which might be forgivable if they could act half as well as anyone in that lousy movie! The rest of THE LAST HOUSE cast are wooden and awkward.
While the idea of the film is unsettling in the abstract, the execution is dreadful. The script is unconvincing and more than a little silly.
There are awful gaps in logic in the story. The events could, in theory, take place -- there are none of the supernatural hijinks that are so commonplace in other horror films --yet this one still requires almost total suspension of disbelief!
The only thing that saves LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT from being a complete washout are a few deft touches; unsettling electronic music overtures and a handful of arty, evocative camera shots that settle over the inevitable carnage.
Otherwise this is an average cheap-o slasher flick. Save your time and money unless you are a devotee of the "genre."