Steven Monroe
I Spit On Your Grave

"I spit on your grave," some might remember, was a film that caused quite a stir around the late seventies, featuring explicit scenes of rape and violence against the protagonist; a cauldron of perversion that even included a mentally disabled person in the pack mentality. The film was censored for obvious reasons, but was later re-edited under different titles and even had a sequel. So why not add a remake today, taking advantage of a censorship that is certainly less stringent compared to back then?

To provide a plausible answer, we have this inclusive production of the original director, who, in my humble opinion, has provided an excellent reinterpretation of the film: first and foremost, the perspective is significantly shifted, perhaps even for commercial reasons, starting with the protagonist, who is younger and sexier, and clearly appears to be "asking for it" compared to the protagonist of the original film (which remains very brutal: it’s difficult to determine which is more so). In addition to this, there is also greater emphasis on the psychological aspect of the trauma she suffers, intensified by the premeditation expressed in the much greater lapse of time between the assault and what will be her revenge; ultimately transforming the latter into something undoubtedly much more brutal than the first version; it's also good for a few laughs for those who are already familiar with the horror genre, with a series of fairly improbable tortures both logistically and rationally (and obviously implausible in some aspects) borrowed from Saw the enigma, which emphasize the inner change stemming from the trauma suffered.

The real vile addition we find is that of the sheriff, who takes on an abhorrent connotation in a context that already reeks with hatred by the bucketload; towards women, but also towards the town, being a story set in the southern United States, where the culprits, with few valid options to pass the time other than listening to southern rock 'n' roll or clubbing freshly caught catfish, make the (un)pleasant acquaintance of a city girl seeking peace to write a book, slowly maturing the despicable idea; just as the sheriff (for the series "opportunity makes the thief") their acquaintance and friend will do, with a final intent of murder. After the first part, the film could have truly taken a much more interesting path than that of mere brutal revenge, using elements relating to the "crime" and antagonistic aspect (concealment of evidence, etc.), or psychological seduction as in the original film.

Overall, summing it up, the work itself will remain a big stupidity for most; a sleazy horror for others; and a well-done remake as far as I'm concerned, although not sufficient in terms of quality.