Wrong Turn — Film Review
This land is their land
In 2003, director Rob Schmidt and writer Alan B. McElroy brought horror audiences the original Wrong Turn. Now, after five direct-to-video sequels, the original film is back in the spotlight thanks to a reboot courtesy of McElroy and director Mike P. Nelson. The 2021 version stars Charlotte Vega, Adain Bradley, Bill Sage, Emma Dumont, Matthew Modine, and many others.
Wrong Turn follows Jen Shaw (Vega) and her diverse group of trendy friends through a hiking trip along the Appalachian Trail. Although they’re young and still relatively inexperienced in life, Jen and company are college-educated people. However, they make a terrible impression on the locals, and it’s clear that they’ve drawn some negative attention to themselves that they’re bound to regret.
Despite having been warned not to stray from the trail while hiking, the group does precisely that in search of a Civil War fort rumored to be nearby. Before long, a series of eerie traps and pitfalls start putting a permanent end to the hikers one by one. The folks responsible are part of a mysterious community called the Foundation. They’ve called the Appalachians home for hundreds of years, and it’s clear they don’t like outsiders roaming around their woods. Now they’re out to protect their way of life at any cost.
The original Wrong Turn drew heavy inspiration from classics such as Deliverance and The Hills Have Eyes with protagonists that were violent cannibals. There was plenty of gore and a fair amount of suspense, but it was hardly an example of high cinema. The 2021 reboot attempts to elevate the storyline into territory made famous by artsy horror flicks with a “strangers in a strange land” theme like Midsommar instead. There’s more to the plot than a simple city folk versus mountain people conflict, and it manages to unfold in a way that satisfies gore lovers without coming across as cheap or gimmicky.
The sequels to the original Wrong Turn did little to expand on the world from the film. All five of them were entertaining enough but also predictable and mostly unnecessary — exactly why the 2021 installment is billed as a reboot. McElroy does a great job of updating the premise and adding to the original idea in a way that feels well worth exploring. Instead of merely exploiting the concept of the people in the mountains, the film works hard to give the Foundation depth and keep the audience intrigued.
There’s also still plenty here to satisfy fans who liked what the original Wrong Turn brought to the table. The deaths that do occur are grizzly and creative. There’s plenty of suspense and a reveal that’s rewarding without being completely predictable. The film could be a bit shorter, as it has a few dialogue sequences that drag unnecessarily. Still, the runtime is a minor drawback that doesn’t detract from the overall viewing experience.
The protagonists don’t have much depth, but that almost helps add to the idea of them as stereotypical hipsters. Many of the actors in Wrong Turn also turn in memorable performances, particularly Charlotte Vega as Jen and Matthew Modine as her father, Scott. Bill Sage and Daisy Head both shine in their small but essential parts, as well.
Overall, Wrong Turn likely isn’t going to make history as a new modern horror classic, but it’s undoubtedly fresh enough to join the ranks of the new crop of elevated sequels we see these days. Whether you enjoyed the original or not, the 2021 reboot of Wrong Turn is an enjoyable watch that will keep you entertained from beginning to end.
