I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (REMAKE)

DIRECTED BY: STEVEN R. MONROE

STARRING: SARAH BUTLER, JEFF BRANSON, DANIEL FRANZESE, RODNEY EASTMAN, CHAD LUNBERG, TRACEY WALTER AND ANDREW HOWARD.

RUNNING TIME: 103 MINUTES

I have to admit that, despite being a horror fan, I have never seen the original I Spit On Your Grave. I own a copy but I've not, as yet, ever felt the urge to watch it.

I think it might have something to do with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I can remember hearing all the hype about the original TCM over the years and then seeing the film and being very disappointed by what I saw.

I had the same reaction with The Exorcist... years of hype and then a rather poor melodrama that happened to have a kid sticking a crucifix up her vagina. I know this will go against popular opinion but I found both films incredibly underwhelming.

In fact (and here comes the stone throwing) I actually preferred the remake of TCM. Hate me if you will but its my opinion and I'm allowed to have it.

Anyway, I seem to be going off track here a little. I'm meant to be reviewing a film, not moaning about passed viewings.

I want to start off on the right foot by saying I liked this film. Its not perfect but its damn near close. It made me feel uncomfortable and, by the end I felt satisfied with the conclusion. I can't ask for much more than that...

Can I?

Well, as most of you will already know, ISOYG is about a woman who is terrorised and then raped by a group of men. She is left for dead and then comes back to get her revenge on those who defiled her.

Its a simple and effective premise and Steven R. Monroe does a fine job of lining it all up but I felt he dwelt too long on the terrorising side of the story. The initial set up and introduction of characters is done quickly and efficiently but once the guys turn up I felt the pace drop a notch... not much but a everything slowed down.

I'm not sure if this meant to intensify the dread but, for me it had the opposite effect. It is still an unpleasant set of scenes to watch but by the time the terrorising becomes the rape I felt a little desensitised and the climax of the first act then lost its full impact.

During this terrorising and rape I must make special mention of the Sheriff (played by Andrew Howard)... What a nasty piece of work... It is the introduction and performance of this character alone that adds the kick back into that first act. As he spits on his hand, reaches down and announces “I'm an ass man” you just know he's a cunt.

The second act is pretty much perfect in every way. Its not too long and it begins to rebuild the tension and adds to the stress between the characters as the Sheriff takes control and tries to return his life to normality.

And then we come to the third and final act of the movie and this is where things turn from uncomfortable to downright entertaining. The act of revenge is sweet and as our victim turns the tables it just gets better and better, culminating in the best scene of the movie...

My only problem with the final act is actually caused by my complaint of the first act. By drawing out the rape far too long we are left with a final act that seems a little too constrained. I felt that the games played between Jennifer Hills and the Sheriff could have had more screen time and really built on the tension and showcased more of Howard's ability to portray the mental downfall of the Sheriff mirrored against Jennifer's growing strength. This would have only bettered that final scene.

Regardless of any negatives I Spit is still a very well made, written and incredibly well acted slice of unwholesome nastiness and it should be on any horror fan's DVD shelf.