Wrong Turn – Blu-ray Review

The Film:

After the very disappointing 1990s for horror, in the early 2000s, horror seemed to be getting back to the much loved roots from the 1970s. Everything was considered a throwback to that time. Some worked, some failed, but if any one of those felt just right, it was Rob Schmidt’s Wrong Turn. Produced by the late great Stan Winston, the aesthetic of the film felt like a unearthed 1970s drive-in film, and even though the film isn’t much more than an inbred kissing cousin to The Hills Have Eyes and Deliverance, it was nonetheless a blast.

The film is just gritty. It starts off with some typical opening murders, and then the credit sequence tells all the back story we need to know about the film’s cannibals. The FX team did such a great job of handling the inbred aspects on the cannibals, so much that prior to the film’s opening, the West Virginian people (and I remember some governor or state representative) were worried that the film would hurt the state’s tourism. Common sense would tell one self that West Virginians aren’t backwood inbred cannibals, but hey, talk about publicity!

Cannibalism is one of the most taboo crimes in human history, but it’s also a great thematic devise. Is there anything more terrifying than inbred cannibals that want to eat you? It’s one of the most primordial deep rooted ideas or urges, and the film really runs with it. It’s the film’s device, and it’s a simple hook, but luckily, we get some solid performances, and decently written characters, along with the gore. Eliza Dushku is delicious, and sorry for that sickening bad pun, but she is. If anything, she’s doing what we all thought Sarah Michelle Gellar would be doing: good films, proving she’s a good actress. Dushku has excelled not only in this, which was at the time, more of a career stepping stone, but look at her in Dollhouse. She’s the poster girl, and it’s her film. She would later re-team with Rob Schmidt for Alphabet Killer (here), so they have a solid relationship and it started here.

Wrong Turn is a bloody romp through the woods. Three-Finger is a crazy villain, a monster that will linger long with you. The film, sadly, didn’t do much at the box office, as Fox chose an early summer date back then in 2003, and it would later be a hit through word-of-mouth and DVD. I remember the screening I attended, where the theater was only packed with about 30 people, but we all sat together. Usually, people will choose to sit away from other people, but this time, we all were scared, so I guess sitting closer to strangers helped with the feeling of terror. I fondly remember after the bonus scene when the credits started, a few women jumped and screamed, quickly leaving the theater. That’s a successful horror film.

**Bonus points for anyone who can find my little write up in Fangoria magazine on Wrong Turn, something I did long before I was a film critic.**

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: Sadly, I was pretty underwhelmed by the transfer. It was soft and undefined. Faces have a overly clean look to them, thanks to some digitally removed grain, and this all leaves one dissatisfied with the pic quality. It’s a fine line from if the Blu is better than the DVD. The audio is way better with a solid DTS track. While not the most bombastic track, it’s a nice overall sounding assault.

Commentary: Schmidt is joined with Eliza and (a where is he now) Desmond Harrington. It’s a fun track, that fans of the talent will want to check out for the breezy atmosphere, but don’t expect a thorough step-by-step talk on the film’s production.

All of the extras are ported over from the DVD and are in standard definition.

Making of Wrong Turn: Pure EPK; nothing to it sadly.

Eliza Dushku-Babe in the Woods: Schmidt and Eliza talk about her character, but it’s still fluff.

Fresh Meat-The Wounds of Wrong Turn: This piece has Schmidt talking about the kills and Winston about the how-to’s. Not thorough, but not EPK, either.

Stan Winston featurette: This has Winston talking about his career and his producing role now. It’s a shame that Fox didn’t want to create a new piece, since Stan has since passed, but fans will dig this.

Deleted Scenes and the Trailer round out the extras.

Conclusion: A great throwback horror flick, with great FX and Eliza. The Blu-ray is a bit of a disappointment though, but fans might want to give it a chance.

The Film: Rating:

The Blu-ray: Rating: