Review by Adam Stephen Kelly
Stars Sarah Butler, Chad Lindberg, Daniel Franzese, Tracey Walter, Jeff Branson, Rodney Eastman, Andrew Howard, Saxon Sharbino, Mollie Milligan, Amber Dawn Landrum
Written by Stuart Morse
Certification UK 18 | US R
Runtime 106 minutes
Directed by Steven R Monroe
Rarely does a remake come along that blows your socks off. Hell, it's rare that a remake even slips them back off your heels, but I Spit on Your Grave actually spits on Day of the Woman, the 1978 Meir Zarchi cult classic. Yes, the original was later retitled I Spit on Your Grave in most territories. I'm a big fan of the first film and a sucker for a good revenge story, so it's pretty easy to see why the original is dear to me, but honestly, how bad can you screw up such a simple premise? It's the beauty of how grim and simple the '78 movie was that makes this rehash so effective. There is only a high concept to follow, no intricate plot points, just pure, bloody vengeance.
For those of you who are not aware of the original film (and I'm sure that probably applies to most, unfortunately), I Spit on Your Grave concerns a female author who retreats to a beautiful lakeside cabin in order to work on her latest novel. There, in the isolation of the woods, she attracts the attention of three gas station attendants who stalk her, before subjecting the writer to bullying, violence and a horrific gang rape. Left for dead, Jennifer Hills survives her nightmarish ordeal, but as a changed woman. One month after the near murderous assault, she returns to the town to extract her revenge.
The tonal shift as the film enters its second half is quite something. The brutal rape is long and gruelling to watch, but when Jennifer whips up a dish served cold, the movie suddenly goes all out on the cheer-o-meter as she picks off her attackers one by one in all kinds of extremely nasty, inventive ways. It's got some fantastic kills. The series of vengeful deaths is almost like a reward for enduring the first half of the film, and you immediately find yourself engaged in Hills' rampage. The bleakness switches to black humour and blood-splattering in a heartbeat.
While the film loses the aura of realism, grit and rawness of Zarchi's original, I Spit on Your Grave 2010 is actually a diamond in the rough – a movie that tops what it's remaking. I was pleasantly surprised at just how shockingly good this picture is. Not only is it better technically, it's also a far more enjoyable flick, and one that's a lot of fun – and I mean a lot of fun - when seen with a likeminded audience.
• I Spit on Your Grave at IMDb
• I Spit on Your Grave had its European premiere at the Film4 FrightFest. Check out our full coverage