Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings – DVD Review

The Film:

Our three favorite inbred cannibals One-Eye, Three Finger and Saw-Tooth are back or should I say just getting started in this prequel to the 2003 original. I am a fan of this franchise and accepting this film for what it is: great villains with really gory kill scenes, plus some of the stupidest teens in film history equals genius.

The film opens at Glenville Sanatorium, West Virginia in 1974 where the Hillaker brothers are incarcerated.  We meet Dr. Ryan who tells how the boys got their names and a little back story on the family leading to show how they are the smartest patients in the hospital (utilizing a hair clip to escape from their cell). I would have liked to learn the whole back story on the boys starting with their home life, their parents, their first kill and what led up to them getting incarcerated to begin with but that’s not what we are shown here. However the first 10 minutes of this film is brilliant, it’s filled with pure chaos, torture and gore (with a great score)… then we meet the cast.

Fast forward to 2003 at Weston University, West Virginia and right off the bat we see two couples getting it on in the same room (one being girl on girl) with lots of boobies, you know it’s going to be a blood bath. The whole group meets up and heads out on snowmobiles to a cabin that they have been to 100 times but make a Wrong Turn, get lost and choose to seek shelter from the storm inside The Glenville Sanatorium. Once inside they find they have no cell service and plan to stay the night. While exploring, they find some booze, smoke some weed and have sex but, they are unknowingly being stalked. Stupid choices and even stupider characters are what lead up to some of the most gruesome kill scenes I’ve seen in a while (fondue anyone??). Their friend is missing, all their belongings are gone and they decide to split up into 2 groups. With decisions like that I can’t wait for them all to get it! And this movie does not disappoint in that department.  This one is my second favorite out of the franchise with the original leading the way (do part’s 2 and 3 even count now?).

If you are looking for a couple of laughs, a sexy cast, original kill scenes with a ton of blood and gore (and who isn’t) Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings is for you.  I just hope they make a prequel to this prequel showing how it all really started.

The DVD:

There are more special features on this movie than I expected- given it’s straight to DVD/Blu-ray release. I have to say I enjoyed them more than the actual film.

• Commentary by Declan O’Brien: This writer and director knows these characters (the boys) and you know he is really passionate about the genre which is refreshing because listening to him (he is really funny and witty) you get the feel that he didn’t just choose to make these films for the money he really, really enjoys them. I wish I would’ve watched the commentary before I watched the feature.
• Director’s Die-arys: A couple of home videos Declan O’Brien shot set (the freezing cold set). The funniest part is when he mistakes which film he is working on “And that is the first death of Wrong Turn 3, or Wrong Turn 4, which one am I on now?”
• Making Another Wrong Turn: This is my favorite feature by far. A real behind the scenes doc showing us how they had to wrap in just 19 very cold days, a bird’s eye view on the very talented makeup and F/X team showing more of my favorite kill scene. And a hint of a part 5. Well done.
• Lifestyles of the Sick and Infamous: We learn the movie was filmed at Brandon Mental Health Centre, a real abandoned mental institution complete with antique medical tools. Declan O’Brien let us know that based on exploring the creepy asylum the scenes were re-written according to a newfound room.
• Wrong Turn 4 Music Video Featuring The Blackout City Kids: A decent song with a bunch of clips from the movie.
• Deleted Scenes: A handful of pointless scenes that were cut for a reason. Only one stands out for me and that is from my favorite kill scene flesh fondue.

The Film: Rating:

The DVD: Rating:

Paul Iserino

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