I guess they didn’t tell the producer and director of Wrong Turn that an official remake of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre would be gracing the screens in October of 2003. This movie borrows very heavily from the horror classic in terms of the setup, the killers, and the level of gore. Now that being said, this is an above average horror film with excellent makeup and special effects delivered by one of Hollywood’s greatest – Stan Winston, and a good performance by Buffy and Angel regular Eliza Dushku (although it is kind of weird seeing her scream and run away from villains that would be considered lightweights in the Buffy and Angel universe).

The film follows the ill-fated decision by the main characters to drive on a seldom used dirt road to avoid a lengthy delay on the interstate. Once they discover that a barbed wire trap laid in the middle of the deserted road has incapacitated their cars, four of the group of six leave the vehicles to find help. Well, you don’t have to think too hard to guess what happens next – our two remaining young people are the first to encounter the chromosomally challenged inbred hillbilly cannibal killers. Enter the first of many Hollywood horror clichés that are used in this film. The second cliché happens upon the viewer quickly thereafter as our remaining four young people come across the dilapidated home of the aforementioned chromosomally challenged inbred hillbilly cannibal killers. They first investigate the shack only to find a collection of various items that have been left by the previous victims of the inbred family, and upon further searching then find the remains of the victims on plates, in jars, and of course in the refrigerator. As this grisly find is made, the hillbilly three return home for an early lunch, while our heroes scramble to hide and not become dessert. Of course they are discovered as they make their escape (cliché #3) and spend the rest of the movie being chased, culminating in a showdown back at hillbilly central.