Search - I Spit on Your Grave on DVD

Chad B. (abrnt1) from CABERY, IL
Reviewed on 5/27/2011...

First off I want to give this version credit for fixing a mistake made during the promotion of the original. The trailer for the original stated that she got her revenge of 5 men when in fact there were 4. A minor point, but one that's bothered me for years.

It's impossible to discuss the remake without mentioning the original so please bear with me for a moment. I Spit On Your Grave aka Day Of The Woman is one of the films that causes debate whenever it's mentioned (other movies with a tendency to do so include Thriller: A Cruel Picture, Ilsa: She-Wolf of the SS & Bloodsucking Freaks). It's the type of film that isn't afraid to offend and shock. The rape sequece lasts over 20 minutes in the original and is some of the most hardest to watch footage around. It's an effective film that's very misunderstood. Most people have the mistaken impression that it's an exploitation movie. The fact that the director came upon the aftermath of a rape and wanted to make a statement about how horrible it was is a fact most don't know. It can be argued that the film goes too far, but in a very real way that was the point.

The remake does a decent job overall. The changes made all make sense. The slow character plays a more active part in the assault. The torture/revenge sequences suit the characters actions & personalities. There's some problems, but overall the film works. This is not a film for everyone and I stress that children need to be kept away from it by all means.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Steven H. (sehamilton) from BIRMINGHAM, AL
Reviewed on 2/24/2011...

Bear with me a moment: As a junior in high school I was allowed to enroll in a senior composition course. One day the teacher asked if anyone had seen A Clockwork Orange. (My father saw all the newest, cutting-edge films and would often see them a second time taking me with him.) I was the only student who had. She asked what I thought of it. When I stated I liked it, especially the plot twists, she proceeded to relate how sick and twisted the film was and how it literally forced her to the restroom where she was physically ill. I learned a life lesson that day . . .

And that was to be careful about using words such as "like", "enjoy", "love", etc., when it comes to films that contain brutality, especially against women. That being said, this remake of the 1978 movie of the same name was fair. I gave it three stars, not because I "liked" it but because it is average fare for today's horror movie enthusiast. The only thing better in this version is that each rapist's demise is directly connected to the particular brand of torture he forced upon the main character.

All-in-all I believe this film inferior to the original. The original was a genuine effort (successful, in my opinion) to force the viewer to face the incomprehensible uglines and evil of brutality against women. There was absolutely nothing titillating or erotic about the protracted abuse/rape of the woman. Perhaps due to the graininess of the film, it appeared realistic rather than staged, making it all the more difficult to sit through.

The remake has a polished feel to it that seems to undercut the horror Jennifer Hill experiences. It did not engage me at a deep emotional level, evoking the feelings of horror, disgust and pity the original did. Watching the original was a harrowing experience, as if I had been present as a witness to the nightmare. The remake simply gave the impression I was watching a film. It never conjured up the intensity of its predecessor.

I will say the sheriff, a character not in the original, is one of the nastiest individuals encountered in film.

Can I say I "liked" or "enjoyed" this film? No. How anyone can is beyond me. I'm thankful I'm not that desensitized and pray I never become so. This is an average movie attempting to shock for the purpose of entertainment. The original 1978 film sought to shock in an attempt to inform. For that reason, I recommend the original over this torture-porn remake.

3 of 5 member(s) found this review helpful.