Director: Joe Lynch
Year: 2007
Country: Germany/USA/Canada
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Slasher
Plot:
While out in the Virginia woods, a group filming the pilot for a survivalist reality TV show runs across a group of deformed inbred cannibals intent on killing and eating them all, forcing them into a real-life race for survival against the vicious killers to get out of the woods alive.
Review:
This was an awesome, brutal, hyper-gory, and entertaining slasher effort that was much more enjoyable than expected and wasn't at all expected. One of the best elements here with this one is the outline of the proposed reality show they're attempting to film is quite fun and original and would've been quite a hit. The apocalyptic scenario is worn through really well here, and since they're given quite a lengthy introduction it makes for a solid layout and gives this a really enjoyable setup to lead into the action once they get going into the woods. The opening roadside ambush on the detour trail, the first encounters with the crew being seen over the game's video monitors, and the great attack on the host along the treeline before getting abducted by the group get this going nicely along into some great chase scenes here.
There's the chilling escape from their house where after watching them give birth on the table they have to run off into the woods which leads to some great chasing, a truly enjoyable ambush down by the river where a bikini-clad contestant is alerted to their presence by the blaring game contraptions and causing them to come roaring out of the jungle hacking away with the knife leading to a gruesome, bloody kill and the rather fun and thrilling scene where the host escapes and battles with the lone member left at the campground which features some solid action throughout as well as getting to up the brutality angle.
That brutality angle is furthered in the final half where they're finally aware that something going on in the woods around them, the last set of traps in the forest as they get hunted rather viciously setting the stage for the great finale in the abandoned plant. The setting is great, but once the family arrives there's plenty to like as the non-stop tormenting of the family forcing them into rather brutal attacks to stop them gives this some really over-the-top moments that give this a lot to really like. Alongside the graphic and brutal gory kills, there's also a lot to really like here with the family as their demented nature, gruesome looks, and hilarious social structure make for some intimidating and imposing villains.
These here give this a lot to really like, except for one sequence here most will spot easily. This is the lame and protracted dinner sequence in the finale which is a shot-for-shot lift of such a classic scene from another horror effort and even manages to crib the same mannerisms and mocking tone while doing so, an activity that flies in the Face of their established behavior only to showcase this homage which lowers it significantly. An early kill scene featured here is also worth mentioning for the CGI needed to showcase it is so distracting that there's nothing about it that works. Beyond that, there's nothing really wrong with this one.
Overview: ****/5
An immensely enjoyable and entertaining slasher follow-up, this one manages to offer up quite a lot of enjoyable aspects to be a solid sequel to the original which is more of a personal preference for what's better. Those who appreciate the original, are fans of this style of slasher fare, or want to carry on with the franchise will have a lot to like while most others won't have a lot to enjoy here.
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