By Laurie Coker
Rating: A+
Breaking all my owns rules when picking favorites, like Cabin in the Woods did last year, by all accounts I should hate You’re Next, but even with its gratuitous bloodletting, insane amounts of violence and campy storyline, it engaged me from start to finish and I didn’t even cover my eyes – not once. I saw this film at midnight and sat wide-eyed as the events unfolded, hardly blinking and wide-awake. It’s complete madness and masterful mayhem, and star Sharni Vinson makes a viciously wild romp!
When the Davidson family gathers in a remote home in the woods to celebrate their parent’s 35th wedding anniversary, they become victims of what first appears to be a home invasion, but things are not always what they seem. Ax-wielding madmen, weird masks, a creepy setting and strange happenings make for some interesting scares, but almost as interesting are the shenanigans going on within the family – clandestine affairs, passionate sexual encounters and endless sibling bickering.
Little feels unique at first about You’re Next, but Vinson (half action hero, half trophy girlfriend) makes every moment, every death and every bit of blood worth the ride. From the hilarious family bickering to cases of “Oh my god, don’t do that!” the audience is wholly invested and engaged. Gasps, laughter and OMG moments abound and boy, it is fantastically fun! Humor and crafty filmmaking make things feel fresh and when buckets of blood are the order of the day, laughter sets it apart.
On a scale of one to ten for ways of killing, since You’re Next begins with axes and ends with blenders, it clearly sits at an eleven. Ironically, most of the murdering comes at the hand of a surprising and interesting heroine and not the black clad bad guys who invade the home. Directed with confidence by horror specialist Adam Wingard and on sheer entertainment value, You’re Next earns an A from me.