My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)

Year:  2009

Director:  Patrick Lussier

Cast:  Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, Kerr Smith, Betsy Rue, Tom Atkins
Fright Meter Award Nominee:  Best Make Up/Special Effects

I remember reading the plethora of gripes and groans when it was announced that a remake of My Bloody Valentine was coming to theaters. "Can't they just leave classics alone!" and "I bet it will suck as much as the Prom Night remake" were spouted over and over again across the web. Well...surprise! This joins a very short list of recent horror remakes that is actually a worthy companion to its predecessor.  Much like most remakes, My Bloody Valentine 3D is not a straight remake as much as it is a "reimagining."  We get the same basic premise--a killer in a miner's outfit killing off people during the Valentine holiday--and even get the same characters, but a lot is switched up here. Still, the changes do not ruin the concept of the original like the changes in the recent Prom Night and Black Christmas remakes did. 

The premise of the original film actually makes up the first fifteen minutes of this film.  After that, we are introduced to a new story, involving Tom (Jensen Ackles) returning home to Harmony where, ten years earlier, a miner named Harry Warden went on a murderous rampage after being the soul-survivor of a mine collapse that many in the town blame Tom for. His teenage sweetheart, Sara (Jaime King) is now married to Axel (who is now the town sheriff (Kerr Smith). The three share something in common, as they all were survivors of Harry Warden's murderous rampage years before. Almost as soon as Tom arrives in town, a killer in a mining uniform begins butchering people who survived or are somehow involved with the massacre ten years earlier.  Who is the killer? Did Harry Warden return for revenge? Well, it is probable not that hard to figure the killer's identity out, but is sure is a hell of a fun ride along the way!

First, this film looks gorgeous. I know that is not something that is often said about a slasher film, but it is very fitting here. The 3D is so effective and the colors and camera shots are crisp and life-like. The setting is perfect and very reminiscent of the town from the original. The acting is decent from all involved and the script and dialogue is surprisingly not hokey. Tension is created very well, particularly during a few of the chase scenes and the atmosphere created in the mine is very effective and claustrophobic. But the real star here are the the gore effects, brought to us in glorious 3D.  The film is surprisingly gory--much more gory than the original--and the 3D makes it all that more effective.  Director Lussier thankfully decided to make this true to its 80's slasher roots because folks, this is a 100% R-rated slasher film through and through and makes no apologies for being so. Yes, there are some blatant clichés and the ending is very predictable, but slasher films are suppose to be brainless fun and that is what this film is: fun.  Anyone expecting anything but a homage to the slasher films of the 80's may be disappointed, but My Bloody Valentine 3D is certainly one of the better of the recent horror remakes and one of the best slasher films to make it into theaters recently.
 Fright Meter Grade: