For the
sake of not having to write the same intro a million
different ways throughout the rest of time, just know that
this column avoids the overly long and sometimes dull
process of full film reviews and instead opts to break
things down based on what I thought going in, what happened
while I was there and what I learned at the end of it all.
Thanks for reading!
The
Breakdown - Straw Dogs
The Impression:
Straw Dogs is not only the greatest home invasion
film of all time, but also a top 15 favorite film of all
time for yours truly. The idea that the man who brought us
... Tin Cup has decided to take Sam Peckinpah’s
masterpiece and remake it is completely and totally
unnecessary, if not totally uninspiring.
The Reality:
I came in to this film trying to like it. I thought about
watching the Peckinpah-Hoffman original to prime myself for
the film, but knew that exposing myself to its genius would
only thrust me in to a position of comparison. I wanted to
see the new Straw Dogs as a film unto itself.
Admittedly I spent most of the film comparing, trying to
find similarities and differences between the films, looking
to see if the more grotesque aspects of the first film (and
jesus there are some rough patches) would cross the gap in
to the new film. I really wanted to like this film. James
Marsden is an admirable choice for the dorky, uptight David
Somner and surprisingly Kate Bosworth works as his movie
star wife, both of whom are dragged in to a terrible
psychological battle with a psychopathic group of locals.
Lurie does a good job of building tension, especially within
the relationship, and unlike most remakes, the choices the
characters make are built on solid emotional storytelling.
Somner is a total coward who lashes out at his wife, and
knowingly or not, pushes his wealth in to the faces of those
around him. He’s, frankly, a prick in sheep’s clothing and
the constant torture he faces at the hand of Charlie's (Alex
Skarsgard) group of redneck thugs tears at him. I enjoyed,
not loved, the build-up of the film, and creepy scenes were
suitably creepy, but, and I never say this about remakes,
the emotional build-up was almost too much. There’s only a
certain period of time where we can watch the various
characters torqued towards explosion before that explosion
should happen and Lurie lets the fuse burn a little long.
When the violent home invasion finally happens, it’s short
and not sweet enough. I found myself invested in the
characters and annoyed that the final twenty minutes rushed
by, with these characters dropping within minutes of each
other. The film’s main fault is it’s need to explain.
Hollywood can’t have amorality without deep reasons and all
of the flaws of every character or explained wholeheartedly.
I missed the unexplained hatred that lived at the heart of
Peckinpah’s English bumpkins. Everything has a reason in
Straw Dogs 2011 and with that the film misses the point:
Peckinpah was trying to tell us that evil lives in all of us
and lives there without reason.
The Lesson:
Remake shittier movies.
- Noah Sanders
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