The Hills Have Eyes (2006) (www.the-usher.com)

"Someone is watching us"

Heading to San Diego, the Carter family decide to head through the New Mexico desert on their way to the West Coast. Little did they know that the desert is home to a people that the US Government has forgotten about. This is the area where the military tested their nuclear bombs but the original settlers of the area refused to move. As the decades past the radiation has had an adverse effect on their DNA and mutation is rife. Now if anyone enters their desert, they will have their revenge.

Hollywood's fascination with remaking classic horror movies continues but can the 2006 version be any scarier that the 1977 original?

Remaking a Wes Craven movie might seem blasphemous to horror fans but when the maestro produces the movie you might not be as fearful as you might have been. The premise of mutated humans living in the radioactive New Mexico desert where the US military tested their nuclear weapons was an excuse for gore and the grotesque to run riot. As it was as 1977, the 2006 version does exactly the same but doesn't push the premise any further.

In 1977, the desert population wouldn't have known that the radiation was affecting them until it was too late. A whole generation would have been changed. The problem with new version is that it takes the story into the new millennium. The nuclear test stopped in 1963 meaning the people had spent over forty years in the radioactive desert, mutating into abominations of nature. It is the time period that makes you think that his is a little too far fetched. After two or three generations of mutants you would that the people would move away from the area or seek help. They have access to television so they most know that something is not right and that they can seek help but instead they turn to murder and cannibalism for no apparent reason.

The plot deficiencies aside, there is still much too enjoy here for fans of gory horror. The story might be slight but the blood flows like a torrent. With no real star names in the cast, it is open season and anyone can be slaughtered and when they are it is relentlessly bloody. For anyone that loves extremely gory, over the top and no holds barred killings with any implements that came to hand, you will really enjoy this. The killings are the highlights of the movie and they successfully build tension and horror as the film progresses.

As Hollywood's fascination with remaking horror classics continues as original ideas run dry, the new version of the 'The Hills have Eyes' might seem unnecessary but it is one of the better reimaginations. With gore a plenty and imaginative killings making up for the plot shortcomings, there are still people looking at you in those hills.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1, the movie is presented well.

BONUS FEATURES

Commentary by screenplay writer/director Alexandre Aja, screenplay writer/art director Gregory Levasseur and producer Marianne Maddalena
The people behind the remake of the classic 70s Wes Craven horror fest talk about putting their own stamp on this tale of gore and mutation. The trio reveal why they wanted to remake the film and the changes they made to the plot and set up of the movie. They also talk about the family dynamic and the fact that no one was safe from the mutant's killing spree. The crash and the level of blood and violence are also discussed as they reveal the secrets behind the film's production. This is a chatty commentary from people who are clearly invested in a film that they are proud of.

Commentary with producers Wes Craven and Peter Locke
The director and producer of the original 1977 movie return to talk about the 2006 remake. The pair highlights the differences between the two movies and what the new cast and crew brought to the film that makes it different from the original. They also talk about the advances in visual effects and the use of practical effects for the most part of the film's production by creating the mutants as make up effects and not CG. This is a good track to listen, especially for fans of the original and the remake, as this is a good way to connect the two.

Surviving the Hills: Making of the Hills have Eyes (50.24 mins)
Director Alexandre Aja, art director Gregory Levasseur, producers Wes Craven, Marianne Maddalena and Peter Locke, special effects makeup artist Greg Nicotero, visual effects supervisor Jamison Goei and stars Aaron Stanford, Kathleen Quinlan, Vinessa Shaw, Emilie de Ravin, Dan Byrd, Ted Levine, Michael Bailey Smith, Robert Joy and Billy Drago take you behind the scenes of the remake of 'The Hills Have Eyes'. Covering the Crash, the location, the gas station, the reality of the horror, the mutants, the trailer attack, the animals, the children and the visual effects of the film, the extended featurette covers most aspects of the films production and offers an insight into why the film was remade.

Music Video 'Leave the Broken Hearts' by the Finalists (3.36 mins)
Watch the promotional music video for the film that includes footage from 'The Hills have Eyes'

Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil Trailer (0.59 mins)
Watch a preview of the upcoming sequel

Inside Look
Previews of 'The Omen' and 'The Ringer'

Coming Soon
Previews of 'Stay', 'Silent Hill' and 'The Sentinel'

OVERALL

As with most of their releases, Fox have done a great job with the DVD release of 'The Hills have Eyes'. With an extended behind the scenes featurette and two good commentaries, fans of the film should be very pleased with this release.

DVD

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

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2006