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shane117
Reviews
The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
Horrific.
Hollywood is hardly lacking in remakes of 70s cult horror flicks, Wes Craven bringing many of them to us through what seems to be a real desire to genuinely frighten a hardened contemporary audience. The Hills Have Eyes brings us more 'lambs to the slaughter' in what may be one of the most gruesome remakes in years.
The films plot more or less abides the pre-set rules of it's predecessor; average American family complete with the 'Big Bob' (Levine) father figure and his teenage children are stranded in a desert, seemingly alone. Of course, they aren't alone. After one of the family's beloved pets goes missing, a twisted (and ultimately shallow) plot begins to unravel involving terror, shock and (of course) disgust.
Being a shocker film, The Hills Have Eyes relies heavily on what is clearly a good eye for horror direction; which results in scenes of quiet, wait-it-out torture, and others of genuine, intense terror. One scene in particular, which lasts for perhaps ten minutes maximum (yet feels like an hour) is incredibly uncomfortable to watch, and although the characters involved are never properly established (as is a common trait of horror flicks), audiences will find themselves holding their breath, mouths agape throughout. Musically, the film excels in places, as screeching strings conjure images of sharpness and agony, further enhancing the tense nature of the films more horrific scenes.
The Hills Have Eyes is, rather than a horror flick, a gruesome shocker. And although it may not really reach it's audience on a deeper level of communication through a meaningful and complex plot, the drama and genuinely horrific scenes portrayed at the films darkest moments certainly make its audience feel something. Even if it is nausea.
Highway (2002)
Simple and Touching
So here we are, 1994. A particularly grim time in the eyes of most Americans. This film and its emphasis on the 'Grunge Scene' seem at first, heavily asserted; at its core however, Highway is a much more personal buddy film which formidably tackles much more 'people' issues rather than issues concerning society.
One cannot ignore the talent displayed in acting so dramatically suited to this film and its setting. Blair does her role justice, her 'shrouded past' is aptly suited to her almost faceless, masked characteristics. McGinley likewise takes on his wacky, very eccentric role well. It is the chemistry between Jared Leto and Jake Gyllenhaal however that gives this film a serious purpose. You know when you were 16 and your best friend hooked up with that girl you'd been talking to for months on end after he'd talked to her very briefly? That friend is Jared Leto, who's 'God of ****' is exactly what it says on the tin (the lucky bastard). Gyllenhaal then is Letos Watson to his Holmes or perhaps his Robin to his Batman. Gay undertones aside, Gyllenhalls spacey 'Pilot' bounces off of Letos Jack wonderfully, creating genuinely likable and different characters.
As for the film as a work, directing is up to scratch, Cox has done a fine job in capturing the 90s grunge movement (if such bland circumstances are in fact possible to capture)and really shines where humour in the film is presented with a basic 'if it's funny, the camera will be all over the bloody shot' theory. Flashbacks are seamlessly weaved in to the plot in order to create depth to Jack and Pilot whilst the sheer scale of the boys' adventure is never really enforced, possibly appropriately.
Highway succeeds in presenting us with a touching if slightly unoriginal best friend/jealousy tale, the acting shines through in this as we are constantly reminded (often through Gyllenhaal's pondering) that these characters have absolutely no idea what they are doing. It fails however in really asserting the whole grunge theme it is supposed to portray, visually it does this, but in content Cobain's death is a minor occurrence as is the rest of the world outside of a friendship. Deliberate or not, this message is presented in an upbeat and beautifully acted out way.
7/10