‘You’re Next’ Effectively Combines Brutality and Dark Comedy

Dinner is already a risky proposition for the average family, since the threat of verbal warfare constantly looms on the horizon. However this peril pales in comparison to the dangers presented in Adam Wingard’s horror film You’re Next. Once the clan sits down for supper in Wingard’s home invasion movie, they are thrown into a terrifying fight for survival against homicidal intruders. The family’s horrifying struggle makes normal squabbles seem insignificant, because of this gory flick’s unbridled intensity.

You’re Next re-teams Wingard with writer Simon Barrett, whom he collaborated with on the V/H/S anthology films. Like their previous efforts, this movie effectively blends the brutality of old school horror with the new school’s penchant for dark comedy. Accordingly, the pair immediately introduce us to their masked murderers with an eerie, yet enjoyable opening scene. As the fiends stalk their prey, they distract victims with huge notes saying ‘You’re Next.’ Then by the time the people see the killers, it’s already too late to escape. Smug bastards right?

Following that creepy sequence, Wingard and Barrett acquaint us with the family at the center of their tale. We meet Paul (Rob Moran) and his wife Aubrey (Barbara Crampton), who are preparing for a family reunion at their country home. Paul and Aubrey show up to find the house slightly amiss, which arouses their suspicions and ours. However the tension is quickly diffused by the arrival of their son Crispian (AJ Bowen) and his girlfriend Erin (Sharni Vinson). One-by-one, Paul and Aubrey’s kids arrive with significant others in tow, but soon, sibling rivalry starts to rear its ugly head. Once everyone gathers for dinner, the situation turns from slightly hellish to total nightmare, as masked villains begin attacking them. Despite their immense fright, the family vows to figure out why these people want to kill them and to live long enough to escape.

Although many of us joke about killing our obnoxious family members, we don’t actually have the stomach to do it. Heck, we’d lose our s*** just to see them murdered in front of us, like the people in this picture do. Wingard and Barrett’s movie splendidly captures the extreme anxiety of watching loved ones perish, through the panicked actions of its characters. They also fantastically portray the awkward dynamics between siblings that can’t stand each other. Barrett and Wingard accomplish that feat by casting indie director friends such as Ti West and Joe Swanberg in prominent roles. As the older brother Drake, Swanberg is particularly grating and judgmental. His negative traits make the heaping physical abuse that he takes much more entertaining.

Wingard’s voyeuristic camerawork in You’re Next is smooth, yet unsettling, creating a constant sense of foreboding danger for his characters. He generates similar unease through the interesting decision to repeat an ominous song throughout the film. Other music in the picture is amusing too, loaded with thumping synths that seem straight out of ’80s horror. At some point during the movie, its tone shifts from being largely horror to total comedy, which is fun, but feels off. Additionally, the story becomes disappointingly straightforward and predictable. However Barrett deserves credit for throwing in a couple of awesome, unexpected twists that will keep you invested, involving the personalities of the victims and the motivations of the killers.

As I watched this picture, I was well-aware of where it was headed, although still very engaged and incredibly anxious to see everything play out. If you’re a horror junkie like me, you’ll probably feel the same way about “You’re Next.”

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