A refreshing and clever take on the home-invasion sub-genre of horror, Adam Wingard’s ‘You’re Next’ has been given an excellent new release from the good folk at Second Sight. Crisply restored in 4K, the brutal bloodletting of this family reunion gone very wrong has never looked better. A fierce and funny slasher, packed with special features and heaps of gore, ‘You’re Next’ should definitely be the next addition to your home media collection.
We’ve all seen countless dramas and comedies over the years about dysfunctional wealthy families coming together for a celebration, and all it ending in some form of chaos. What makes ‘You’re Next’ so much fun is that Wingard takes this seemingly formulaic exterior and then invigorates it with the addition of crossbows and machetes. It’s a winning combination. ‘Succession’ definitely missed a trick.
Paul and Aubrey Davison (Rob Moran and horror icon Barbara Crampton) are gathering their flock at their rural vacation home to celebrate their wedding anniversary. During the family dinner on the first night, as tensions are inevitably rising, the boyfriend of one of the siblings notices something outside. He goes to the window, and suddenly a crossbow bolt smashes through the glass and straight into his head. Thus begins the Davison family massacre at the hands of terrifying masked assailants.
Rich with brutal violence and a dark, knowing humour, the film moves at a relentless pace. The kills are grisly and grimly funny, with Wingard managing to strike the right tonal balance. Central to the film’s success however is its subversion of the traditional horror dynamics. Where the genre often renders its characters helpless against the onslaught of faceless killers, ‘You're Next’ introduces Erin (Sharni Vinson), a protagonist who turns the tables on her attackers with startling ferocity.
The girlfriend of one of the Davison children, her backstory is slowly revealed throughout the film, but her uncanny resourcefulness in combatting the invaders transforms the film from a standard survival horror into a gripping reversal of roles. This shift reconfigures the power dynamics typically at play in such films, offering a fresh and empowering take on the “final girl” trope.
Wingard ekes every last cent out of the budget, with a smart visual style, largely dependent on handheld cameras and natural lighting which intensifies the claustrophobia and paranoia. The grainy aesthetic inevitably gives ‘You’re Next’ a retro feel, which is further leaned into with the synth-heavy 80s slasher score. It’s a great example of a film celebrating the genre without slipping into pastiche. The dude who took a crossbow bolt to the head should have been taking notes.
This excellent release comes with an audio commentary with director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett. There’s a second commentary track that also has the director and writer, but with the added bonus of Sharni Vinson and Barbara Crampton. There are brand new interviews with the cast and crew, a video essay by critic Tim Coleman, a behind the scenes documentary, and animated storyboards. The limited edition version also comes with a rigid slipcase, collectible art cards, and a 120-page with new essays on the film.
Cast: Sharni Vinson, A.J. Bowen, Joe Swanberg, Barbara Crampton, Amy Seimetz, Nicholas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, Rob Moran, Ti West Director: Adam Wingard Writer: Simon Barrett Released By: Second Sight Films Certificate: 18 Duration: 94 mins Release Date: 19 August 2024
