You’re Next (2013)

written by Simon Barrett

directed by Adam Wingard

Anyone who wants to make an effective, suspenseful slasher film should watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and Halloween (1978). Otherwise, you’re kinda wasting your time. You’re Next is a home-invasion thriller that, while well produced, falls prey to the usual trappings of the genre, including a bunch of people making bad decisions which result in their deaths (run out the front door when there’s a bunch of crossbow-wielding killers outside, why don’t you?). Then there’s the creeps themselves, who use the blood from their victims to paint the words “You’re Next” on the walls – how they have the time to do this or why they’d even go through the trouble is never explained. Despite an attempt at dysfunctional-family comedy and a (sort of) surprise twist halfway through, You’re Next is just one more lazy horror pic. Good death by blender in the head, though.

Rating: **

Carlos I. Cuevas