Joe Lynch
Wrong Turn 2 - Dead End

For fans of horror, the "Wrong Turn" "saga" has been a true revival of the '80s B movie slasher. Those crudely directed films, with mostly unknown actors and an almost non-existent plot. The first chapter, despite some obvious limitations (also due to the incredible stasis of the genre), nevertheless turned out to be a little horror/gore gem, further enhanced by that beautiful woman that is Eliza Dushku.

Intrigued by yet another story of the "forest cannibals," I approached "Wrong Turn 2 - Dead End," directed in 2007 by Joe Lynch. The plot is naturally non-existent, with characters invited to participate in a survival reality show in the forests of West Virginia. They will find that survival is indeed something that will touch them closely...

From a film of this kind, one doesn't expect much in terms of narrative/stylistic/photographic aspects but rather waits for the stunning twist, the "mangling" event, some scene worthy of true horror. In this respect, "Wrong Turn 2" is a true gem: from the beginning (enjoy it) to the end, we have an hour and a half of various massacres that might make someone frown, with truly borderline sequences. A crescendo of entrails and blood absolutely remarkable considering the very low budget. Special mention goes to brothers Bill and Maureen Terezakis for the makeup, thanks to excellent work, while the "actor" most deserving of mention is Henry Rollins, playing a marine with a decidedly aggressive attitude.

On the purely entertainment level, the film holds up fairly well, while for everything else, the banalities are far too many to be tolerated. This is not what counts in a good slasher, but something more under the "characters" voice, or under the development of the plot, is always expected. Especially unconvincing is the choice of the reality show, truly pathetic in its presentation, almost irritating for the viewer to have to watch the long "game" sequence.

For the rest, Wrong Turn 2 is a film that will appeal to fans of the genre even if the shortcomings are there and quite evident. For those who don't "chew" the genre, it's better to stay away, especially for sequences that might be too challenging for the uninitiated.

Rating 2 and a half.