The MONTH of HORROR - Day 2: You're Next

Adam Wingard, and Simon Barrett. These guys. I like these guys.

It's not that this writer-director duo are revolutionizing horror or anything, nothing like that at all but they are a couple fresh voices within a genre that could use a swift kick in the ass these days. 'You're Next' isn't anything you haven't seen before, from a story perspective, at least however Wingard, and Barrett breathe enough new life into a tired concept to give it a real pulse once again.

The concept is one that's been used many, many times within the horror genre--the home invasion. What's different about the turn of events here though is that instead of some ubiquitous rich, waspy yuppies befallen by stock homicidal maniacs trying to get in, this flick offers up the idea of "what if one of the characters under threat was a psychopathic survivalist?". That's right, not just some damsel in distress who through dumb luck ends up making it to the end but instead a tough-as-nails chick who turns the tables, knows exactly what she's doing, and systematically begins violently picking the invaders off. The hunted becomes the hunter--gotta love that!

Australian Sharni Vinson plays Erin, who starts off the movie as just the typical girlfriend coming to meet her boyfriend's parents, and entire family for the first time out at their beautiful home in the country. You don't need to know why this family comes under attack, plot points for later on but once the blood starts flowing, and the bodies pile up, Erin springs into action. At times, this basically becomes a gruesome, adult version of 'Home Alone', as various traps are engineered to deal out horrific, and messy carnage; this girl knows what's up!

I'm surprised this didn't become a bigger hit upon release, it was in theatres but it never quite caught on which is a shame because this is a fun as hell movie. Not only that but it boasts one of the coolest female characters that has ever been in a horror flick, one that doesn't take crap, and dishes it out twice as severely as what's dealt her way. Seek this one out if it hasn't popped up on your radar yet, it's just an all-around great time.