Fantastic Fest ’11 Review: ‘YOU’RE NEXT’

One of the most buzzed about films of Fantastic Fest 2011 was the film You’re Next. The film was recently picked up by Lionsgate whom, from what I heard, cut down the two showings at the festival down to one as they plan on releasing the film in 2012. When I got into the auditorium, I had to sit on a fold out chair set up to accommodate more people in the auditorium. We were told that we would be the last screening of the film on US soil until 2012. This only hyped up the film. The reason why I’m including such a personal experience in this review is really to tell you that this film only had momentum building upwards until the movie started. I knew it would either elevate more or plunge down deep.

Crispian (AJ Bowen) and his girlfriend Erin (Sharni Vinson) head up to Crispian’s parents secluded home for a bit of a family gathering. When something goes awry during the family dinner, the attendees realize that they are under attack by masked murderers that have no intention of letting them leave alive.

While the film sounds pretty typical in your home invasion sub genre, I’m glad to inform you that this is not the case. You’re Next creatively blends horror and comedy so well that it is unlike any horror comedy ever made. I find it hard to even call it a horror comedy honestly. It’s definitely a pretty straight horror film, but there are funny lines, quips and moments that happen in the film thanks to the superb ensemble cast.

The stars of the film are Sharni Vinson and screenwriter Simon Barrett. Vinson is placed in a badass female heroine role that really elevates any other badass female heroine in other horror films. She’s strong, smart and does everything with a weird charm. Barrett has one of the smartest horror scripts/stories that has been put to screen in sometime. You’re Next was so needed in the subgenre of home invasion as it was getting old and stale. The comedic aspect of the film is what makes it feel very fresh.

Director Adam Wingard (A Horrible Way to Die, Pop Skull) handles the camera pretty well, but there are some scenes of action that seem to feel like they were filmed a little too close. However, this is a minor complaint to what I feel is a great film. It is the injection of fresh blood that the horror genre needs right now. Here is to hoping you (and myself for that matter) don’t have to wait too long to see it.