Aussie import, Erin, tags along with her failed professor boyfriend to his parent’s 35th anniversary.  While her anxiety should lie in meeting his large, intimidating family her nerves kick into overdrive as they’re all slaughtered by animal-mask wearing maniacs.

YOURE NEXT is the latest in a the increasingly popular home-invasion films.  From THE STRANGERS to SILENT HOUSE (?) this narrative is at risk of becoming the next subgenre next to the “found footage” field to be revised more times than a TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE film.  Whereas most films in the home-invasion field rely on quick, in your face shocks, YOURE NEXT was smart enough to add a sense of humor and 80’s nostalgia (I love being a kid born in the early 80’s!)

THE GOOD

Sharni “muthafuckin” Vinson!  (She’ll be referred to as Ms. Vinson from here on out.) As we walked out of this film, I told my partner that I want to be her when I grow up.  Forget the female-version of The Expendables.  YOURE NEXT packs much pro-female gusto to rival any G.L.O.W. reunion.  Other than Ms. Vinson, who came a long way from Step Up 3D,  the script had moments of tongue in cheek dialogue that gave this puppy more flow.  A scene early in the film discusses, or argues, the difference between real filmatic art and commercial art, delivered by two directors, Ti West and Joe Swanberg, who undoubtedly have had the same discussion over a couple of 12-packs. The deaths are also eye-popping.  Once the action starts, it never lets up.   The sense of dread and urgency is punctuated by the 80’s synthesizer soundtrack and gloomy shots of the neighborhood.  While this movie won’t make me not sleep tonight, it certainly got my adrenaline going in a way no movie has in years; probably since REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.   Typically speaking, the home-invasion genre ends on one of two notes: everybody dies and the killer roams free or everyone lives and it was all a joke.  YOU’RE NEXT offers a few twists that offer insight into the motivation of the murders which give the movie more validity.  The acting by the entire family and their douchey partners- Ms. Vinson aside- was also believable and engaging.  I honestly wanted two of the brothers to come to blows at the dinner table.

THE BAD

Not much.  Some of the minor, early-offed characters where never developed.  Once they died you realized they were just filler to get the movie going.  Also, if the ending is supposed to be a twist, I long figured it out before the reveal- just sayin’.

THE UGLY

In the last week I’ve seen SCARY MOVIE 5, BAD PARENTS and some TEXAS CHAINSAW ripoff (forgot the name).  I was so relieved to have finally seen a movie that didn’t make me want to slit my wrists.  While I did notice doses of humor, there wasn’t enough to call it a horror-comedy like some critics are saying.  YOURE NEXT is an excellent low-budget, non-pretentious horror flick that gets your blood pumping and makes you want to be Mr. Vinson when you grow up.

FOOD PAIRING

Ms. Vinson mentioned whiskey early in the movie.  So there.  Whiskey.

**** out of 4