Straw Dogs

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

Sam Peckinpah's original film is one of the great classics in my opinion. I don't know why it would need a remake but one just came out anyway.

Rod Lurie is obviously a big fan of the original and there are plenty of nods to it along the way but it seems to be missing a few of the fundamental things that made the whole endeavour work.

It is a very well made film technically. The cast all do great jobs too, but as much as I love James Marsden, I don't think he suits this role. Despite going against Alexander Skarsgård who towers over him, or an almost unrecognisable James Woods who is just brilliant, I find it had to think of Marsden as a weak bookish dweeb. The original film works so well because of how much you fear for Dustin Hoffman's safety going up against these guys but Marsden seems like he can handle himself, that fear isn't there.

Everything is dumbed down, spelled out, explicit references to subtext are made. Some of the subtly remains but when so much of the original film lives in that moral grey area, which is what made it so controversial in the first place, and you take that away, you're left with a pretty standard revenge flick.

I really like all the people in this, I just wish they were working on something with a little bit more bite. Still the climax is quite enjoyable.