YOU’RE NEXT (2011)

4 stars

Second Sight. Limited Edition 4kUHD/Blu ray plus Standard Edition. 19th August.

The great opener for YOU’RE NEXT sets its stall early – a young girl goes downstairs after sex, as she thinks she heard something. Checking the patio doors, she puts on some music and fixes a drink. Her partner (genre filmmaker Larry Fessenden) comes out of the shower, dripping wet. Daubed on the window in blood is “You’re Next”. As he realises his girl is dead he is whacked by a masked killer with machete… now that’s how to get your attention!

Paul (Rob Moran) and Aubrey (fan fave Barbara Crampton) are at their remote – and huge – house in the country to celebrate their wedding anniversary with their children. Oddly, when they arrive there the front door is open… putting that aside they prepare for their guests to arrive. Their kids and other halves start to turn up – Felix (Nicholas Tucci) and his girlfriend Zee (Wendy Glenn), Drake (Joe Swanberg) and his wife Kelly (Sarah Myers), Aimee (Amy Seimitz) and Tariq (Ti West), Crispian (A.J. Bowen) and Erin (Sharni Vinson).

They haven’t been together for some time and old tensions between them soon emerge as they sit down for a meal – that is until the whole situation is turned on its head when Tariq is shot squarely in the head with an arrow from a crossbow. They are under attack from an unknown assailant or assailants…

Who is outside? Or are they already in the house? What these attackers hadn’t reckoned with however was Erin – who can clearly look after herself…

Skilfully and stylishly directed by Adam Wingard – who has gone on to direct big budgeters like the recent GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE – this is a brilliantly taut and intense home invasion horror complete with some gob smacking deaths which are often brutal and shocking, with much blood spilled along the way and leading to a brilliant ending.

Scriptwriter Simon Barrett has worked extensively with Wingard, including V/H/S (2012), THE GUEST (2014), BLAIR WITCH (2016) and the latest GODZILLA monster fest.

Apart from Barbara Crampton, whose credits include RE-ANIMATOR (1985) and FROM BEYOND (1986) among many others, several of the cast have genre titles to their names. Nicholas Tucci, THE RANGER (2018), Wendy Glenn, 666: THE PROPHECY (2011), Joe Swanberg, V/H/S (2012) and THE SACRAMENT (2013), Amy Seimitz, ALIEN: COVENANT (2017) and several episodes of STRANGER THINGS, A.J. Bowen, HATCHET II (2010) and THE GUEST (2104), Sharni Vinson, BAIT(2012) and PATRICK (2013) and not forgetting a certain Ti West, who is better known for his directing than his acting – especially the recent X, PEARL and MAXXXINE.

The film looks amazing in this new 4K restoration which was approved by Wingard.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

4 stars

New audio commentary with Director Adam Wingard and Writer Simon Barrett

Audio commentary with Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett, Sharni Vinson and Barbara Crampton

Children of the 80s: A new interview with Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett (60 mins): In which they talk about the script which was originally intended as an anthology – and they touch on THE STRANGERS (2008), which incidentally is also coming out from Second Sight, ILS (THEM – 2006) and INSIDE (2006). Donald Cammell’s WHITE OF THE EYE (1987). Trying to make it fun. Casting people like Crampton. Shooting the film etc in a comprehensive talk by the duo.

The Most of Us: A new interview with Producers Keith Calder and Jess Wu Calder (23 mins)

Script as a Blueprint: A new interview with Actor AJ Bowen (27 mins)

Down in the Basement: A new interview with Actor Joe Swanberg (16 mins)

Be Funny and Die: A new interview with Actor Amy Seimetz (14 mins)

Falling into Place: A new interview with Production Designer Tom Hammock (15 mins)

Slashers Don’t Die: Tim Coleman on You’re Next. Video essay (12 mins)

Who’s Next? The Making of You’re Next. Newly made but drawing from footage interviews from when the film was produced (19 mins)

Animated Storyboards (5 mins)

Limited Edition also gets a rigid slipcase with new artwork by Nick Charge; 120-page book with new essays by Martyn Conterio, Andrew Graves, Kurt Halfyard, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Shelagh Rowan-Legg and Heather Wixson; 6 collectors’ art cards