Movie Review by Nigel A. Messenger
Starring: Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeremy Sisto, Lindy Booth
Director: Rob Schmidt
I’ll tell you right now that WRONG TURN is going to be written off by most people as just another slasher horror picture which is wrong because WRONG TURN is the best of the slasher horror type genre and it will make you leap out of your seat… a lot!
The story premise is basic – Chris (Desmond Harrington) tries to bypass a traffic jam by taking an alternative route down an isolated road through the deep forest in West Virginia. It’s a wrong turn in more ways than one when due to a momentary lack of concentration he hits another car blocking the road which has been in an accident of its own. This car’s passengers are two couples and one single girl, Jessie (Eliza Dushku) and they quickly discover that their accident was due to barbed wire lying on the road. A stupid prank, right? – wrong, they soon realise it was a trap.
One couple Evan (Kevin Zegers) and Francine (Lindy Booth) stay with the cars while the other couple Carly (Emmanuelle Chriqui) and Scott (Jeremy Sisto) go off on foot with Jessie and Chris to find help.
After finding a cabin full of plenty of evidence that its owners hunt and eat the kind of animals we know as… humans, our intrepid bunch quickly realise they are in mortal danger, but the danger is about to walk through the front door and they can’t get out of the back door.
WRONG TURN is DELIVERANCE meets JASON meets THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE with the inbred locals looking like they’ve just walked out of Sunnydale’s hellmouth in BUFFY. You know that one by one our heroes numbers will be depleted but the movie is put together so well that knowing what to expect won’t spoil your enjoyment or stop you from being on the edge of your seat for 90% of the movie.
BUFFY and ANGEL fans (that’s me included by the way) will be pleased to know that Eliza Dushku looks as good as ever and doesn’t step out of her Faith character as she inflicts harm onto her attackers even if it’s not with a slayers strength.
Yes, all the girls are hot, the killers are gruesome and yes that’s a cliché but so what when the acting’s good, the director can make a rock jump just by looking at it and the movie’s as much fun as this.
One warning: if you are of a nervous disposition don’t watch WRONG TURN and I really mean that. Otherwise WRONG TURN is an excellent slice of horror and a hell of a lot of fun.
