You’re Next – Film Review
In the UK you can’t get free postage on an Amazon purchase unless it’s £10 or over. I already had two DVDs in my basket but they only equated to £8 – I needed something else.
I saw You’re Next for a fair price in my favourite section – the horror section and that’s basically how I came to watch it – an add-on item so I could get free postage. Though finding out it was made by Adam Wingard who made the BRILLIANT The Guest (2014) (my review here) did give me high hopes.
You’re Next is a horror with a plot somewhat reminiscent of films seen before but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as it’s one that generally works pretty well. This particular story centres on a big family reunion in a beautiful (ISOLATED!) country house belonging to the Davison family. The Davison’s consists of two parents, four adult kids and all their partners. Everything is going as well as can be expected with some fun bickering and sibling rivalry until masked madmen storm the property and start trying to kill them.
That old chestnut. But guess what, things aren’t that simple. The killers aren’t counting on someone fighting back and they certainly aren’t counting on that person being cute little Erin, the new girlfriend of son Crispian (one of them is called Felix for fuck’s sake) who is a kick arse hard bitch and refuses to go down without a fight.
So is it any good?
Yes definitely an entertaining watch. I even enjoyed the first twenty minutes of setting up the movie, which – apart from a shocking opener scene YAY – was all about introducing the characters and relationship dynamics.
And obviously it’s nice to see a female lead in a horror film that has more to do than just take her bra off. Erin the Warrior was a cool chick and the only likable person in the whole film (to be frank).
I liked the vibe of the film which – though mainly fairly serious, had some great tongue-in-cheek moments and reminded me of the glourious, GLOURIOUS The Guest. Plus there were a few surprises at the end of the movie I admit I didn’t entirely see coming – which was cool. It was nice to have some revelations which I didn’t second guess.
My only negative really it that it is fairly forgettable. Don’t get me wrong, it was enjoyable but nothing I hadn’t really seen before. God I sound like a bitch. But I found the killers a bit irritating in their big old scary animal masks and I just wanted to say “oi who do you think you are buster” and bash them over the head with a blunt instrument. Maybe I’m an Erin in the making? Yeah right…if something like this happened please find me underneath the nearest blanket curled up in a ball.
I also expected more gore but that might be my inner freak coming out. There were some pretty gross scenes that made me wince a tiny, weeny bit but for an 18 rated film I don’t remember anything too outrageous. It felt more on the ‘thriller’ side of the horror/thriller spectrum. Having said that the razor wire was pretty icky.
Still, a good effort and an enjoyable film. I won’t be rushing too hard to watch it again but, especially when compared to many recent horrors, I felt the writers made an effort with the story and it was fun to watch. Go Erin! And you could do so better than that cock Crispian.
emmakwall (explains it all) 
Great review! I loved this one, great to see a strong female lead NOT doing totally stupid shit, as per usual. There’s also something really likeable about Sharni Vinson. Have you seen Bait? Not brilliant, but one of the better ‘shark’ films of recent years, and she’s good. She was in Patrick too, which as a bit crap, but again, she was good.
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Thanks so much Laura!!
And thank you for the recommendation of Bait – that sounds REALLY my cup of tea!!!! 🙂 🙂 I’ll watch it definitely!
I agree, I liked Sharni a lot! I’ll look up Patrick too 🙂
This was a very fun film and I look forward to watching it again!
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Yeah, I rented You’re Next through Lovefilm and then bought a copy because (for some reason) it got cheap really quickly.
Patrick was on Netshits, not sure if it’s still there. It’s not bad but not the best, although it also stars Charles Dance and Rachel Griffiths which is good.
I hope you like Bait. They kept showing it on Channel 5 or Pick or some random channel so I’m sure it’ll pop up again.
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Lol – Netshits
It’s funny, you say the same things as me because we both live in the UK!
Lovefilm, Channel 5 or Pick or some random channel – YES i know what you mean!! Haha 🙂
I think there’s a new channel starting soon that’s going to show Breaking Bad?
I wish i’d started watching Gotham on Channel 5 but I’ll have to wait for the DVD now.
Yes i picked up You’re Next really cheap too! It was only about £3 on Amazon.
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I watched the first few Gotham but it didn’t hold my interest. Game of Thrones is back though, so that’s good!
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I still haven’t watched Game of Thrones!!! Everyone tells me it’s amazing and I have the first series ready to go. Oh that’s a shame you didn’t enjoy Gotham too much! At least there’s lots of TV to choose between nowadays 🙂
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I meant to say that Patrick is a remake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jb0yab5GpU
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Thanks Laura! 🙂
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I think I enjoyed this film a lot more than you. I pretty much fell in love with the moment I saw the trailer. I think I get tired of women always being victims or a pair of tits in movies – it can be really tiring seeing men just liking women for their breasts. So yeah it was fucking cool to finally have a a female who was badass and takes no shit! I loved it so much I got an animal mask tattooed 😛 Haha! Nice review Emma! I’ve done lots of browning on your site today 😉
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You’ve been browning like mad!!! 🙂
Thanks so much!
Yeah I do agree certainly, Erin was kick arse and nice to see a woman who was strong and not just a pair of tits. That always grinds my gears as well. I did really enjoy the film, it didn’t really break any new ground as such but it was very enjoyable and fun!! I’ll have to watch it again soon I think!
Your tattoo sounds amazing!!!!! You should tweet it to the director, I bet he’d love it! 🙂
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Much browning 🙂
Yeah, I think as a woman, you kind of feel a bit dirty when no-one appreciates film women for anything other than boobs. Oh, yeah, it didn’t break any new ground, just such a fun one!
I’ll show you it one time! Actually that’s a good shout 🙂 I’ll do that! I tweeted my Guest review to Wingard and retweeted, which made my life!
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This definitely sounds like something I’d dig, I love a strong female character. This seems to stem from being brought up around so many inspiring women in my family.
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It was extremely enjoyable Vinster, I hope you do dig it, if you watch it 🙂
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I plan on watching it very soon and will report back with my views on it.
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yeah, dont think im gonna venture into this territory despite your great review! Not my cup o tea at all!
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Don’t blame you Rob, I know you don’t like your horrors!!
Thanks though 🙂 🙂
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🙂
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Really liked this film, glad you do to. The directors two for two with me 😀
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I did really enjoy it yes! Very entertaining 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it too Tim!
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Hi, glad you liked this film. I really enjoyed it. Erin was a great kick-ass lead. I liked the humour as well in this film. Great review.
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Thanks Lauren!!
I loved Erin 🙂 nice to see a kick arse female main character!!
I really enjoyed it!
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A lot of fun because it shows what one can do with an old premise. Good review.
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Thanks Dan O 🙂
Yes very true, I thought similarly. It’s an idea been done before, but shows how much fun it can still be! It works!
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I liked this film tooo! #Twins
Gotta love mumblegore..
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#twins
#powerrangers
#scoots
Yay! I’m glad we agree yet again 🙂
Is that supposed to sound like Dumbledore? Wikipedia for me!
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#TwinsDeVitoSchwarzenegger
#PinkPowerranger
I think it’s supposed to sound like mumblecore.
Research!
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Yes Sir! I am completing research at the moment. And I think it’s a terrible genre name and just makes me think of literal mumbling! Like when Sting sings.
Can I be DeVito at least?
🙂
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I think it’s a rubbish name, it sounds like a piss take. I love mumblecore.
Only if I can be Pink Power Ranger!
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Noooo you are Arnie! If the choice was Pink Power Ranger or Danny De Vito OBVIOUSLY I will be the Pink Power Ranger!!!
😦
You can be the blue one yeah? And the muscles from Brussels. That’s Jean Claude Van Dam isn’t it. I should probably delete all of this. But I won’t.
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I want to be Van Dam with his “Hard Target” mullet and recreate the scene where he kind of skateboards on a motor bike, shooting baddies. I’m also learning the dance from Kickboxer. You can be De Vito in the pink power ranger costume..
Evertone’s a winner baby, that’s the truth!
Please read this and delete it!
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That made me laugh so much!!!!! I’m not deleting it.
What a sexual image….Danny De Vito (ME!) squeezed into a PVC pink Power Ranger costume (at least one size fits all!) whilst Van Dam rocking a mullet (YOU!) is skateboarding on a motorbike?!!! I actually think you come out of it marginally better than me!! Even with a mullet!
And I haven’t even got started on “I’m also learning the dance from Kickboxer” once I stop laughing maybe I’ll be able to think of a witty retort!!!
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I guess we’re gonna have to do this then. How do we get ourselves into these messes? It’s like a Carry On film on mushrooms.
I do agree though, it is a top sexual image. Consider it in my wank bank.
Nah, I’m not even gonna delete that..
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Goodness knows, we just talk…….and this weird stuff happens!
Ha ha! Another laugh-out-loud moment. I’d be upset is if you
A. were joking
B. deleted your comment
C. were joking
You’re not joking are you?????? ARE YOU?!
Because the comment is going nowhere son.
I don’t know where the ‘son’ came from then, just felt the authoritative tone was necessary.
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I’m deadly serious, Missy! (I can get all bossy and stuff too) I’m totally going to picture you as Danny De Vito in a pink power ranger’s suit and me doing a mullety bike surf, and I’m gonna get off on it! So there!
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Just WHAT do you say to that! All of it!!! WHAT?!
Well you sound pretty excited so I’m hoping you won’t need tears or vomit this time!! Could make an ‘ordinary’ situation a bit ‘weird’ !!!
If you go quiet soon I’ll know what you’re doing anyway. Yeah that’s right………..Learning the dance in Kickboxer!!!!
So there right back! 🙂
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Nah, I’ll be having something to eat in a bit, but I won’t be “Kickboxer dancing” which I hope becomes our little code word for… well, you know. No, I’ll be planning this one out. I’ll nedd to build it up a bit, you know, you can’t rush these things. No bodily fluids needed. Well, not until afterwards anyway. Argh, I was doing well but now I’ve gone too far, and I’m banned from deleting stuff. Oh well.
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Great review Emma. While I enjoyed this, I wasn’t totally in love with it and didn’t get the hype.
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Thanks so much Zoe!!
Yes I feel exactly the same, I did really enjoy it. And I hope that comes across in the review because I did! But at the same time, it was a run-of-the mill story (in my opinion) and I’ve perhaps seen better.
I kind of think about films in terms of how much I want to see it again or how much I’d like to show other people. And with You’re Next I wasn’t too fussed to do either but it was still a lot of fun.
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