Wes Craven’s second film as a director, The Hills Have Eyes, was
remade in 2006. Directed by Alexandre Aja, the remake uses the above-ground
atomic testing in the southwestern US desert as its main theme. The opening
scene is creepily effective as it shows a research team--all clad in protective
hazmat suits--being systematically picked off by unseen assailants as they try
to conduct tests in a former nuclear weapons test range. The old man at the gas
station (played here by Tom Bower) is also back, as the film introduces him
being vexed once more by Ruby--who we never actually see at first. The storyline
is extremely faithful to the original, while working out some of the bugs in
that film’s storyline--such as having the Hill people disable the family’s car
with a hidden spike strip that's buried in the sand, (instead of having the family
crash because papa got all hysterical over some low-flying fighter jets) thus making the Hill
people more proactive in their hunt for fresh meat.
The Hill people themselves are far more formidable here. Instead of being merely
inbred hillbillies, the new Hill folk are a pack of wild scavengers who are
severely mutated by the atomic testing that went on in their area (it’s
explained that they were originally miners who refused to leave their land,
taking cover in the mines while the explosions took place). They’re also far
more scary antagonists because director Aja smartly doesn’t show them right
away, instead keeping them in the shadows while he deftly builds up the
suspense--showing the same filmmaking skill that was on display in his previous
film, High Tension. And by keeping the POV strictly on the besieged family, Aja
makes the Hill people all the more threatening because they are so mysterious.
The acting is also far better overall here, with Ted Levine (Buffalo Bill in
Silence Of The Lambs) and Kathleen Quinnlan as the parents, and Emilie de Raven
(better known to TV fans as Claire on Lost) as Brenda, the younger daughter.
Veteran character actors Robert Joy and Billy Drago play Lizard and Papa
Jupiter, respectively, two of the less deformed Hill people.
Although it’s far better than the original, the new Hills Have Eyes still
isn’t a perfect film. Aja unfortunately is not above using some of the more
hoary horror movie clichés, particularly at the climax. And the film is so
faithful to the original, story-wise, that it offers nothing new for a fan of
the original movie. In short, if you’ve seen the original, then you’ve basically seen
this film as well. I reviewed the unrated version, which is slightly longer and
offers more gore for the buck (which is not recommended for the faint of heart).
The DVD has two commentaries, one with Aja and his art director/co-screenwriter
Gregory Levasseur and producer Marianne Maddalena. The other commentary features
producers Wes Craven and Peter Locke. There’s also a documentary, "Surviving The
Hills: The Making Of The Hills Have Eyes", production dairies, and a music
video. While not in the same league as Aja's marvelous High Tension, the new Hills Have Eyes is
still highly recommended as being the definitive version of this story. If
you’re in the mood for gut-wrenching horror and haven’t seen the original--then
by all means give this trip to the hills a whirl.
--SF