Review: You’re Next (2011)

Directed by: Adam Wingard | 90 minutes | comedy, horror, thriller | Actors: Sharni Vinson, Nicholas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, AJ Bowen, Joe Swanberg, Margaret Laney, Amy Seimetz, Ti West, Rob Moran, Barbara Crampton, L.C. Holt, Simon Barrett, Lane Hughes, Larry Fessenden, Calvin Reeder

“You’re Next” dates back to 2011 and was released in theaters in 2013. The film ran for a few weeks and then came off the radar again. A somewhat strange turn of events, but Adam Wingard is not your average director. After having achieved success as a cult filmmaker – including his underground hit “Pop Skull” – he is now trying to force a breakthrough in Hollywood. “You’re Next” is a creditable effort and this exciting slasher deserves a large audience.

“You’re Next” revolves around the Davison family. What was supposed to be a pleasant reunion quickly degenerates into bickering. Old pain comes to the surface and it soon becomes clear that it is not going to be a fun night. However, it can get worse. The family quarrel soon subsides when it appears that the house is under siege by masked men. These villains do everything they can to kill the family.

The so-called “home invasion” genre is back in the spotlight thanks to the success of the recently released “The Purge”. What could be more scary than being attacked in a place where you feel most at home, namely your own home? Wingard uses the location very well. The large stately mansion that forms the setting for this horror thriller looks more like a prison than a safe place. Once the villains are inside, you don’t know where they are hiding. The house is very large. Running outside just like that is not an option either because everything is closely monitored. That produces exciting scenes.

“You’re Next” is quite effective. Wingard portrays the characters quite quickly and quite nicely. They are characters – sensitive brother, bully, fragile mother, disinterested girlfriend – but you soon know what kind of meat you have in the tub. Wingard also manages to sketch an uncomfortable atmosphere in a short time due to the disrupted family ties. When the attack on the house then begins, the atmosphere only becomes gloomy. The murders are portrayed quite explicitly, but nowhere look really realistic. Don’t expect “Saw” like “gore”. The cast is solid acting, but don’t expect an Oscar-worthy performance.