wrong turn

THE FLICK: Think of “Wrong Turn” as a glam-slasher flick, all dressed up in CGI and Stan Winston make-up, but still grinding out the old-school body count. And there’s nothing wrong with that...especially since horror went south with the “Scream” trilogy a few years back and is only now on the comeback trail. A film like “Wrong Turn,” which at least embraces its 70’s horror roots rather than mocking them, can now be enjoyed for the mechanical thrill machine that it is. Essentially an extension of that creepy “X-Files” episode about the in-bred family of mountain people, Eliza Dushku (“Bring It On”) is the hottie on the poster who goes out camping with her four pals and comes back with none of them. No surprise, since a trio of backwoods monstrosities (covered in elaborate disfiguring make-up appliances) has been picking them off one by one. Since this is the new millennium, director Rob Schmidt enhances his death scenes with some clever computer effects and stages a few set-piece scenes that his low-budget predecessors could never afford – like the arboreal cat and mouse game set 60-feet off the ground. The heroics are nicely balanced between Dushku and leading man Desmond Harrington, a strong, silent type who makes all the right decisions (a rarity in the slasher genre). For all its predictable sex, dismemberment, and gore, “Wrong Turn” does make the woods a scary place to be for 84 minutes. THE FEATURES: Both full-screen and widescreen (anamorphically enhanced) versions are presented on the same disc with a flawless transfer. The extras are inexplicably split over both sides as well, with a standard 5-minute “Making Of” kicking things off as the worst of the bunch. “Fresh Meat: The Wounds of Wrong Turn” is the segment to beat, tackling the logistics of each major death scene in the film - physical effects, CGI, and those that incorporated both (like the “half-decapitation” sequence that Schmidt storyboarded over a year before filming began). “Eliza Dushku: A Babe in the Woods” (get it, get it!) is essentially producer Stan Winston discussing his admiration for the star’s physical abilities (and attributes). Stan also gets his own special feature, “Stan Winston,” in which he verbally runs through his entire career, from his first TV movie, “Gargoyles,” to the founding of his own production company. There are also four deleted scenes (including a make-out session between the two leads that was wisely left out), a poster gallery, and several minutes of raw dailies. Schmidt, Dushku and Harrington are on hand for the obligatory commentary. For a film that claimed to take its horror seriously, it’s a shame the track is such a jokey, time-waster. Schmidt tries to keep things focused, explaining his attempts to emulate the 70’s look with lighter cameras and long, lyrical zooms, but the conversation degrades rather quickly. FINAL SCORE: Hard-core horror fans may find “Wrong Turn” too pretty to be mentioned alongside “Texas Chainsaw” and “The Hills Have Eyes,” but artistic ambitions aside, it’s still a welcome addition to a genre that needs all the new blood it can get. And other than a disappointing commentary, the DVD comes with a batch of well-produced extras fans will want to check out.