You're Next had a rather inspired ad campaign. It took posters from other films being released at the same time or slightly before it, and altered them slightly so that one of the film's killers could be half-seen, almost like a reflection of someone standing behind anyone who happened to be looking at the poster (this was particularly effective because these posters were mainly put up in places like bus stops, where the plexiglass frames tend to give half-reflections generally). It was a deeply creepy effect.
The Davisons are a rich yet estranged family, and are coming together for a reunion to celebrate their parents' wedding anniversary at their isolated holiday retreat. These celebrations - and overwhelming amounts of bitching at each other - are interrupted however, when a group of strangers wearing animal masks and wielding crossbows and axes attack out of nowhere (and if their attack had been preceeded by someone blowing out a hurricane lamp and intoning "We're here," I wouldn't have been in the least bit surprised, because seriously, look at the unintentional similarities). Unfortunately for these attackers though, the girlfriend of one of the brothers turns out to be rather better at surviving and fighting back than they had planned on...
You're Next is a mumblegore film - a horror film characterised by a low budget, amateur actors and naturalistic dialogue. It takes some inspiration and influence from the Dogme 95 movement, among others, but doesn't have nearly as strict a set of "rules" as Dogme 95 (or Lars von Trier). It is also directed by Adam Wingard, who also directed the linking segments ("Tape 56") of V/H/S and the segment "Phase I Clinical Trials" in V/H/S/2, so his horror pedigree is already quite well-known (although You're Next was actually made before V/H/S, but not released until after that film's release). Additionally, fellow V/H/S directors Ti West and Joe Swanberg also have roles in the film.
You're Next is also a lot of fun. We've all watched (many) home invasional and/or slasher movies where we've thought to ourselves (or even yelled at the screen in frustration depending on our level of inebriation) that the protagonists should be doing x or y, or that we'd be doing so much better if we were there. Well here protagonist Erin does those things, and a few more things that we might not have thought of. She arms herself and the survivors. She knows better than to split up or try to run for help alone. She sets booby traps for the killers. And most importantly, she's prepared to do whatever she has to do to survive, and it's a joy to behold. Truly, she is a final girl among final girls..
As for the rest of the film - the antagonists are suitably punchable without going too far into "cartoon villainy" territory (some of them even have emotions and everything!) and the dialogue and characterisation of the family deserve a special mention, if only for the siblings who carry on an argument while one of them has a crossbow bolt sticking out of his shoulder). They definitely got the balance between "natural" dialogue and "boring" dialogue right.
All that said, it's also not without its flaws. Some of the film's kills are a little too obviously telegraphed, and the plot twist(s) can be seen coming a mile away. In that area at least, it's certainly nothing too original or inspired in this genre. But it's still light-years ahead of other recent home invasion horrors (The Purge, I'm looking at you), and its sheer amounts of energy, black humour and ferociousness make it a very enjoyable film.
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