You're Next & The Slasher Film Revival

The SLASHER genre in the early 2000's came to a crashing halt, while torture porn inspired horror films took dominance following the surface of terrorist/Mexican Cartel beheading videos. Coming out of the self aware horror teen slasher films in the late 1990's, films such as Scream and I know What You Did Last Summer choked the well dry on the Slasher genre. With the emergence of indie film production companies like Lionsgate and Blumhouse who's focus was on releasing good practical effects with small production budgets catered to a niche market that kept the genre alive.  leading the helm was Hatchet, The Collector, Laid to Rest, The Maniac remake, and The Purge Series, but in my opinion its pinnacle achievement in the 2010's was "You're Next."You're next is the example of stand out  genre piece that impacts filmmakers who inspire other filmmakers to make indie horror films.

What works for the film Your Next, is the clever writing that keeps you guessing. What I found simplistic yet innovative was the use of location and costume design. Costume design in Slasher films can make or break a movie. If you look at classic slasher films such as Mike Myers in Halloween, Jason Vorhees in Friday the 13th and Leather face in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The mask hides the evil beneath the sadistic tortured layers of a human being. In the film You're Next the viewer is captivated by the assailants with plastic animal faces, black tactical gear, and hunting tools used to kill the family. The animal masks of the wolf, tiger and lamb gives the irony of animals hunting man, or the  predator stalking prey scenario. The locations where spot on using the creepy mansion as a isolated  cage for the family. The rat in a cage scenario plays well with the story giving us a familiarity with the tropes in Slasher genre. With interesting twists and turns, the film executes it's job well delivering a blood thirsty film that revitalized the slasher genre for the 2010's.

Tradition is a strong trait for the Slasher film series and You're Next carries that tradition well. With films like "The Purge" I feel it's the bastard child of You're Next and The Strangers enhancing the home invasion scenario with social commentary. The Collector is another brilliant Slasher revival, that packed excessive gore and tension. Halloween 2016 I added my own twist to the lamb slasher, I got a replica axe, black tactical boots, utility vest and black sweat shirt and crossbow prop. Costume came up to $100(pants was the most expensive). This was a fun costume to make and check out You're Next. It's soon to be an underground  classic.