WRONG TURN 4: BLOODY BEGINNINGS (2011)

(Directed by Declan O'Brien)

"It might not be very good, but it is bloody!"- Signed by MartialHorror.

Plot: A group of party teens go snowmobiling and find themselves trapped in an abandoned insane asylum where mutant-cannibals devour trespassers.

Review:

I'm a sucker for horror movies that are set on a cold, snowy location. From good movies (“The Thing”) to bad movies (Erm, “The Thing” premake), it's hard for me to hate a movie with a location like that. Would about the snow fascinates me? The cold, chilling (no pun intended) atmosphere mixed in with a mysterious sense of foreboding just appeals to me. Then of course you have the ample opportunities for gorgeous cinematography, which helps too. I'll watch any horror film with that kind of location, regardless of its quality. “Wrong Turn 4” caught my attention when I saw the poster, and it showed a cannibal leaving bloody tracks in the snow. I became so excited to see it, I even endured the much reviled “Wrong Turn 3”! Yet my expectations remained low. After all, O'Brien was directing it (he did the last one), and early reviews were more negative than not...But it took place in the snow dammit! I'm a junkie for snowy horror! So how was it? I thought it was decent for what it was, but the script is even more baffling than usual. It's baffling because it mixes in genuine intelligence with...utter stupidity. But I guess that's okay because I saw people get brutalized, murdered and eaten, so that was nice of the filmmakers. 

The film opens in a mental institution where we are introduced to the three cannibals from the first two films, albeit younger versions of them. You see, “Wrong Turn 4” is a prequel and this is about their origins. They break out and take over the asylum, killing all of the doctors and staff. This scene is both disturbing and retarded, perhaps setting the tone for the film. Some of the kills are fairly unsettling, but the annoying antics of the inmates mixed in with the arty music sort of ruined that mood (although I am a sucker for classical music). Anyway, cut to many years later and we meet a bunch of disposable teens whose names I can't even remember. They intend to go visit a friends cabin, but get lost and find the asylum. They decide to stay the night but find themselves trapped by the cannibals, who want to eat them. SUCKS FOR THEM!

Let me begin by saying that Declan O'Brien did a much better job directing this movie than he did on “Wrong Turn 3”. Whereas previously the direction was just bland, this time O'Brien works harder to build suspense, tension and atmosphere. While the exterior locations are underused, they do provide some nice shots. The inside scenes have some creative lighting, and by creative I mean there's green lighting. Other times though it's as if the director forgot to light the scene at all. But when the film gets going, I found myself on the edge of my seat. It's also helped that the film has a tone that reeks of nihilism. One subplot that I found to be rather effective was one girls attempts to reach help by braving the hard weather. Something about the few shots of that were likely the most unsettling scenes in the movie. There is less CGI gore this time around and the kills are pretty nasty. This movie was not always easy to watch. So as a slasher film, I felt the movie succeeded. It provided good gore, and the directing wasn't bad at all. Sometimes it was even good!

The film also has some pretty creative ideas and flashes of intelligence. One character tries to save a girl from being hanged with barbwire and the camera is set up right under them so its covered in blood. Watching the character then slip around and freak out was pretty startling as well. But my favorite scene in the whole movie is when the characters get organized and fight back. This isn't your typical 'last remaining 2 characters counter attack' type of sequence. I'm talking the bulk of the characters plan ahead and kick ass. It was awesome to see three mutant cannibals being chased around by a bunch of pissed off chicks with knives. In fact, while the characters start off grating, as the movie goes on they slowly evolve into people I didn't want to see die badly. They won me over with the counter attack and there's even a nice, moving scene where they try to comfort each other that follows. Then the movie goes and FUCKS IT UP!

 

I'm not going to spoil it, but a character decides to do something and it was pretty much the most retarded thing ever. Then it's as if every decision they make is the wrong one. Earlier in the film, some of the decisions felt disturbingly real. I did like how some of the guys suggested they fight back, as I believe people would at least consider it in reality. I liked how shallow characters would make efforts to risk their lives so they could save their friends. I even liked how everyone votes awkwardly as to whether they should go save someone who IS BEING EATEN ALIVE. That shit, intelligent or not, is something I consider to be at least somewhat believable. But half way through the movie, characters become dumb slasher fodder because the movie calls for it. That is the laziest kind of writing and while it might not sink a slasher film, it certainly will keep it from being any spectacular. 

But despite the flashes of brilliance, make no mistake. “Wrong Turn 4” is a dumb slasher film from beginning to end. It's a victim to all the cliches and conventions of the genre and while the filmmakers do try to be a little unconventional with how everything goes down, they can't cover the gaping plot holes. For one, what happened to the rest of the mental patients? Wouldn't the authorities come and capture everyone? Maybe that happened, but wouldn't the asylum be torn down as a safety hazard once it was closed? How are the cannibals able to get a hold of power tools, vegetables, etc? Why did they leave this location and go to the location in “Wrong Turn”? Finally, it never answers the question of why the authorities have failed to notice an assload of people presumably vanishing in the area. This question isn't quite as distracting as it is in “Wrong Turn 3”, where cops are attacked. But I still wondered about it. So it's a pretty dumb movie that might seem dumber because of its more intelligent moments, because it makes the stupidity seem more...well, stupid. But luckily, us splatter fans tend to be much more forgiving of the genres problems as long as it serves a nice dish of gore and sex.

I did like “Wrong Turn 4”, but I know and understand what it is. Yes, it's stupid, absurd and nonsensical. Yes, the characters could be annoying. Yes, the acting was pretty amateurish. Yes, the dialogue is even worse, but has an aura of self importance about it. Yes, it is a pretty bad movie. But it also has a lot of sick and twisted death scenes that mostly are done with practical effects. It has a few creative and interesting moments. The director even manages to get some suspense and atmosphere out of the proceedings. As a slasher fan, I am more interested in its failures or successes as a slasher film. But if I don't include the rest of the stuff (writing, acting, etc), then I'm not really reviewing it. It's not as good as “Wrong Turn” or “Wrong Turn 2”, but it might be in their class and certainly is better than “Wrong Turn 3”. But if you are not a fan of the slasher genre, then you're barking up the wrong franchise.

Violence: Rated R worthy. Pretty hardcore. And Practical!

Nudity: There's sex, both heterosexual and lesbian, but oddly I don't remember any explicit nudity...

Overall: Watch “Wrong Turn 4” if you're into the series like I am. It's a stellar splatter film, but is neither the best nor the worst of them.

 

2.5/4 Stars