Seeking an idyllic retreat to aid their exam revision, college pals Alex (Maïwenn Le Besco) and Marie (Cécile de France) roll up at Alex’s parents’ house. But another visitor arrives that night – and this one’s uninvited. He drives a truck, his overalls are covered in blood and he’s wielding a ruddy great razor...
Outmotoring the likes of Wrong Turn, Cabin Fever and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, French helmer Alexandre Aja sure knows how to wring sweat from celluloid. First off, he grounds everything in reality, assembling naturalistic performances, authentic dialogue and grubby visuals. Then he uses the soundtrack to play a thrash-metal solo on your strung-out nerves, dislodging viewers’ fillings with scratchy static and grumbling bass.
Most of all, Aja’s an expert at hosing blood across walls, the dark stuff shooting arrows to suddenly puncture the ballooning tension. No wonder he’s signed up to remake The Hills Have Eyes.
