Wrong Turn (2021) Blu-ray Review

THE MOVIE — 3/5

Plot Synopsis: Backwoods terror and nerve-jangling suspense meet when Jen (CHARLOTTE VEGA) and a group of friends — boyfriend Darius (ADAIN BRADLEY), Milla (EMMA DUMONT), Adam (DYLAN MCTEE), Gary (VARDAAN ARORA) and Luis (ADRIAN FAVELA) — set out to hike the Appalachian Trail. Despite warnings to stick to the trail, the hikers stray the course, and cross into land inhabited by The Foundation, a hidden community of mountain dwellers who use deadly means to protect their way of life. Suddenly under siege, Jen and her friends seem headed to the point of no return , unless Jen’s father (MATTHEW MODINE) can reach them in time.

Quick Hit Review: If there’s been one complaint about remakes or reboots, it’s that generally what is being remade or rebooted are properties that don’t need it. Wrong Turn, released in 2003, was a movie I didn’t care much for upon its initial release but have grown to like in the good-bad sort of way, however it is a franchise — that spawned no less the FIVE sequels — is one that I have zero issue being revisited. Thankfully instead of just being  rehash that have been done six times over the course of 15 years, it does tread new ground, albeit with a core of main characters that are mostly obnoxious and all around dumbasses save for Vega’s Jen, although her naivety was a bit annoying.

Wrong Turn, beyond the characters, does also suffer for pacing as it does have a 110-minute running time (and including credits as the story continues during the scroll), so it is a bit long for what it is (for comparison, the longest of the original series, Wrong Turn 2, was 97-minutes). So it does plod along somewhat, however I never really lost interest.

In regards to the acting, everyone was fine. Vega did well in the lead and has a few nice scenes and Matthew Modine shows his screen presence still resonates as he has throughout his career, in both the good and bad movies he’s been in. I also enjoyed Bill Sage as the (pretty much) cult leader while the other college-aged young adults were okay, even with their characters’ dumb-ass decision making.

The film was directed by Mike P. Nelson who previously helmed another horror film titled The Domestics (with Kate Bosworth and Tyler Hoechlin) and I’d say he does show some great creepy scenes, such as when a couple characters walk through a dark tunnel illuminated by a flashlight and come across prisoners whose eyes were burned out.

Nothing incredible but it is that rare remake that takes the original idea and does something different, so doesn’t come across as much of cash grab by comparison. I would say it’s worthy of a rental.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 3¼/5

This release comes with a matted slip cover and inside a redemption code for the Digital HD copy.

Audio Commentary — Director Mike P. Nelson sits down for this solo track providing info ranging from how the production came to be, working with the cast and other tid-bits.

Monsters Among Us: Making Wrong Turn (27:25) is a behind-the-scenes featurette that includes promotional stills and interviews by members of the cast and crew.

Wrong Turn Promotional Trailer (3:35) that was filmed while in production.

Deleted/Extended Scenes (7:09) — There are six scenes that were either cut down or removed for one reason or another, though I assume for pacing issues.

VIDEO – 4½/5

AUDIO – 4½/5

OVERALL – 3¼/5

Wrong Turn, although hardly perfect, had a few surprises, for one that it’s not merely a rehash of the 2003 original or its sequels and instead tries to be its own thing. The film could’ve been a little shorter and the characters a little less douchy or idiotic, but it’s still worth a rental.