Were this remake of Straw Dogs a standalone title, it would be a reasonable effort. However, the story adds little, and, in the same way as for Gus Van Sant’s version of Psycho, it’s difficult to not view this as a tad pointless.
As such, strong performances are wasted. But, worst of all is the dumbing down of the violence to tiresome torture porn, with a comedic effect at points. This robs it of its parallel to David Sumner’s psychological shift and realisations. Thus, the film’s agenda is lost.
Straw Dogs opens tomorrow
