The hills have eyes - a review

I was never a big fan of horror/gore genre of movies, though I wouldnt mind watching it on a bleak day with nothing else on the landscape and I have seen quite a few of those. Of late I have been introduced to a variety of these movies - more on these subsequently.

I had read about the Wes Craven version of the same movie, but didnt get a chance or the inclination to see the same . One thing to be said of Alexandre Aja's version is the sleekness that has creapt into what were previously referred to as B-Grade slasher/horror/gore flicks. For the afficionados of these movies there are a few 'boo' moments thrown in initially, but the movie progresses from that to typical 'gore' territory. The director seems comfortable and able in handling this transition and overall the movie is a better venture to the genre.

The premise is kept very simple and doesnt meander too much into charcterisation and there is no plot exposition as such. A family gets stranded in the middle of the desert (mobile phones dont work -necessary plot device in all movies of this ilk ) and then the killings start. The suspense is about who gets killed and how and it doesnt take too long for that to begin either. The middle segment has some nice bit of suspense, but the final third part is very predictable, but will entertain those who came expecting this kind of fare.

Two things that stand out are the background story incorporated on the ill effects of casual testing of nuclear devices, which resulted in the genetic mutation of the miners, turning them and their future generation into cannibals, and, the second is that normal human beings are no better than these savages themselves - when the need arises.

Though this might not be a definitive entry into this genre of flicks, The Hills Have Eyes will definetly satisfy those who came expecting what they want to see. Overall there is a polish to this product that you dont (or at least I) normally associate with horror/gore movies.