The worst comments I see with regards to this movie come from both sides of the remake debate. Some argue that it should never have been remade because they are fans of the original. Other argue that it shouldn't be remade because of the concept.
If the concept offends you, pick up your opinions, there's the door - now leave! Don't turn around, just go! I've had enough of the 'it's bad because it's a rape movie' bull. If it's not your cup of tea, so be it! I probably feel as strongly against 'Sex & The City' but you don't see me shooting those fans down because of taste!
Okay, am I good to continue now?
So you're either a fan of the original, new to this movie, or just interested.
Good!
If you're a fan of the original, then I honestly can't tell if you'll like this movie. I HATED the original. I felt it had a very good premise that was poorly executed and in the end just came across as offensive (by the way, I'm female). I thought the concept was good but the manner in which the protagonist went about her revenge was stupid! If a woman has been raped, the very last thing she'd ever be comfortable doing is stripping off in front of the very men who raped her, no matter what her end objective may be! At this point the original made me angry. There's only so much believability I'm willing to sacrifice when I watch a movie - and I'd had enough.
So when I heard this movie was being remade, I was actually quite intrigued. Again, I believed the premise was a good one and I was hoping a new writer and director could do it justice.
They sure did, and some!
The rape scene is brutal and it is hard to watch. However, at the same time, it's not as bad as some make it out to be. I felt it was a perfect balance. It showed enough, without going too far that I felt too uncomfortable to watch any more. There's enough there to shock you and have you empathize with Jennifer when she starts her revenge. It is definitely not as bad as 'Irreversible', a movie I, and many others in the same movie theater, ended up walking out of. When I saw this movie, no one walked out!
I also felt that this movie was never titillating. Nudity is actually kept to a minimum and the only time we see Jennifer completely naked is following her rape where she is in an almost catatonic state, just trying to get away. You'd have to be the sickest of the sick to see anything but the character's fear, humiliation and determination in this scene.
I found the portrayal of the characters to be much more believable this time and the mentally challenged character, Matthew was a million times better than the original. They ditched the dorky glasses (no missing lenses in this film at least) and decided to get someone who could actually act instead! Matthew is played with such childish vulnerability that you find yourself conflicted. He does rape Jennifer, but it was peer pressure and afterwards he feels so guilty that he's effectively torturing himself without Jennifer's help...but, he STILL raped her! It's a tough one!
A great addition to this film is the sheriff. At risk of spoiling the movie, I'll leave it at that but his involvement in this new version was a fantastic move.
When Jennifer's revenge comes into play, you could find yourself often wondering if she's going too far. I never found myself empathizing with the rapists (other than Matthew, to a degree) but I often just wanted her to get it over with already. That enough was enough. It was nice to see such extremes on both sides, to see what people are really capable of. What do the rapists REALLY deserve? How far would YOU go? No one could possibly know unless directly in Jennifer's shoes, so even if you find yourself questioning the extreme nature of her actions, you'll find yourself equally stepping back and thinking - well this is her party, who am I to question how extreme she should be?
The best feature of this movie, though, is that it's a smart movie! There's some nice symbolism in there and it's quite clever the way it plays out. What makes it even better, though, is that you don't have to get any of this to 'get' the movie. It was like an added bonus! In the same way adults watch 'The Simpsons' and get the adult humor, the children who don't get those jokes don't dislike the show any less - they just don't get the whole picture. I don't want to spoil the movie so I won't go into details but the final death was sheer genius. The reversal of roles determining who's the one pulling the strings now! Loved it!
When you hear the work that went into this independent movie and the amount of pride the people involved have in the outcome, it's only fair that you at least give it a chance. I think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised. The reviews on here are not reminiscent of the reviews out there on the internet, where there's a lot of well placed praise for this movie. Amongst its target audience and horror fans, this movie delivers.
Unfortunately it had a limited release, it didn't even show in the movie theaters where I live (I was lucky enough to visit LA during its run there) but I'm looking forward to the DVD release so my friends can finally see it! I Spit on Your Grave
With the resurgence of exploitation films, we've really brought some unpleasantly vicious movies into the mainstream. Some are good, some are not--just like any genre--but what is fascinating to me is how commonplace they now seem. When I was growing up, pictures like the original "I Spit On Your Grave," "Faces of Death" and "Last House on the Left" were considered vile films and they had to be discovered. A largely underground, low budget, and independent film community had to support these controversial, malicious films. In many ways, they represented a rebellion against conventional entertainment. However, by today's standards these films, while certainly grim, are relatively subdued compared to the graphic torture, violence and gore that delight audiences at the local mall.
Designed to provoke audiences, one thing is certain--few people will be ambivalent about the new incarnation of "I Spit On Your Grave." I know people who think it's terrific AND I know people who think that it is repellant. Just the latest example of the growing market I like to refer to as "torture cinema," ISOYG will have very few viewers straddling the middle ground. While the original film played to the time it was released--there was almost a female empowerment message in the retribution scenario--this new version eschews a specific societal context. Much more gore oriented than its predecessor, it feels distinctly less real. That is either good or bad depending on your vantage point. The amateurish quality of the original lends it a gritty realism that actually works in the film's favor. Combined with Camille Keaton's surprisingly effective performance, the film had the flavor of something that could actually happen. The new version is decidedly more elaborate and the revenge conceptions are more over-the-top. The enjoyment value, thus, is determined by whether graphic brutality qualifies as entertainment for you.
I haven't said much about the film's plot. I think most people know what happens. A young woman is sexually assaulted by a group of men, brutalized, and left for dead. She reemerges with vengeance on her mind--and the men will rue the day they met her. Sarah Butler as the victim in question has some nice moments, but exists largely to service the plot. For me, she lacked the genuineness of Keaton. The men are slightly more developed in this new vision. While barely more than caricatures in either film, they have more shading here--and the mentally challenged character is conceptualized more fully in this edition. The film remains unrepentantly bleak and disturbing and pushes buttons for the sake of pushing buttons. There is no grand meaning to be had--but, quite frankly, I don't think that's why anyone would be watching in the first place.
Mind you, I'm not claiming either version of "I Spit On Your Grave" is a great movie. I do, however, believe that the original was more relevant in relationship to its time period. But this new film is made with technical prowess and visual flair (however unpleasant). Some may claim these films as a feminist treatise, and some as vile female degradation. In truth, they are actually a bit of both--but I don't think that they necessarily merit a serious philosophical discussion. Either way, this film was meant to assault your senses--and that it does! On it's own merits, it succeeds at what it set out to do. If you like gore, you may well like this. If you don't, by all means, stay far far away! KGHarris, 2/11. - Remake - Exploitation - I Spit On Your Grave - Horror'
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