Thoughts: The Hills Have Eyes - http://www.mmcafe.com/ Forums
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shin ramberk 243th Post
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"Thoughts: The Hills Have Eyes" , posted Wed 15 Mar 17:11
Has anyone seen this movie? I saw it earlier tonight. I don't watch a lot of horror/slasher movies because I get scared way to easily and because I dislike excessive gore and violence. But I was in the mood to watch something scary and gory so I went out and watched it.
I actually enjoyed the movie. Now, again, I don't watch a lot of horror movies so I don't have much to compare it to. Most horror movies seem to be full of comic-bookish slasher villains. The bad guys in this movie were not the most complex or even unique characters in any horror movie I've seen but they were interesting enough. They terrified me because they weren't your typical 'evil-unrelenting slasher' villains. They only had one clear motivation, but they sometimes were thoughtful about getting what they wanted (like real people). A few times they were stupid but this is a slasher movie.
I did not get attached to the heroes but I liked them enough. The slasher scenes were good cause they were gruesome and horrible and not just shock value deaths.
Overall, I think this movie will not really impress horror movie fanatics. I think it's a good horror movie because the villains act rationally and the violence is actually terrifying (instead of shocking). It's fast paced. I don't get the feeling its breaking new ground in the horror genre or even saying something new or relevant but its does its job for me. A good example of a good scary movie!
There is a whole moral story to the origin of the bad guys. But I didn't think much of it because it's not saying anything hasn't been said so many times in the past.
"Re(1):Thoughts: The Hills Have Eyes" , posted Thu 16 Mar 02:04
While I find the co-opting of 1970's horror movies for modern, mainstream audiences interesting I haven't seen this current remake. The original was playing around with the theme of domestic America being destroyed by an outside force that possibly symbolizes internal rot or perhaps were a personification of the harsh reality of life but in this instance it didn't click for me. The silly caveman outfits the hillbillies wore didn't help. Since I haven't seen the remake I am curious about how the movie plays out when compared to the original:
Spoiler (Highlight to view) - Did the hero of the movie still turn out to be the family dog? In the original the dog kicked so much ass that the whole thing began to feel like the most deranged Rin Tin Tin movie ever made.
End of Spoiler
shin ramberk 245th Post
Frequent Customer
"Re(2):Thoughts: The Hills Have Eyes" , posted Thu 16 Mar 06:21
In regards to your question Ishmael...
Spoiler (Highlight to view) - Yes, the dog did do quite a bit but not so much so that it ruined the story. It was not a 'super' dog.
End of Spoiler
In regards to your other comments about the villains in the first movie. The second movie probably has a different origin for them. For that origin, read my spoiler.
Spoiler (Highlight to view) - The bad guys in this movie are genetic mutants from an abandoned mining town in Arizona. The US had committed nuclear tests in the desert and had told the miners to leave but they stayed, got radiated and had these mutant children. One of the mutant offspring blames society for their state and that their murdering spree of lost travelers is justified because of what the government/society did to them.
I don't sympathize with these villains at all. Yeah, they were radiated and nuclear weapons are 'bad' but I already knew these things coming into the movie. It doesn't really tell me anything new or reflect current events.
End of Spoiler
I'm curious about seeing the original because I've heard it was better and was more "deep". But your description doesn't seem very encouraging. This remake doesn't have any 'message'. There is a small one but it's almost there to just give the villains an origin.
If it does have a 'message' its to show that even "liberal" Americans are just as savage as "right wing/conservative" Americans. This was produced/directed by a French director. I didn't really care for this message either. If your being chased and attacked by killer mutants, then yes, I'd become a little blood thirsty when defending myself.
"Re(3):Thoughts: The Hills Have Eyes" , posted Thu 16 Mar 06:33 Spoiler (Highlight to view) - I loved the whole symbolism when one fo the characters impales one of the mutants with an American flag. Very good, Very Cheesy.
My favorite character was the dog because it seemed to be the only one with common sense throughout the whole movie.
"Re(1):Thoughts: The Hills Have Eyes" , posted Fri 17 Mar 09:20
quote: What did you guys think of the movie?
The retards/mutants looked great. It was definitely more gory than the original. But it's still a needless remake. The original was one of Wes Cravens best movies. I'd rather see new, original horror movies than remakes. I saw the uncut version of Devil's Rejects a few days before I saw the Hills remake and enjoyed Rejects a lot more. Even though I hated House of a 1000 Corpses and could care less about Rob Zombie or his music.
Go see the original Hills Have Eyes. It's much better. Plus it has a really cool scene where one of the retards has an interesting philosophical coversation with a dead human head.
"Thoughts: The Hills Have Eyes" , posted Wed 15 Mar 17:11
