I Spit On Your Grave (2010) - Bloody Disgusting Blu-ray SteelBook

Some films just don’t need to be remade. Remakes as a whole aren’t always a bad thing. Given enough time and societal progress (or regression) an old familiar story can be worth revisiting in a new way. Unfortunately in the brisk business of early 2000s big-budget Hollywood horror remakes, more than a few great films were unnecessarily revisited with dismal results. Meyer Zarchi’s rape-revenge exploitation classic I Spit On Your Grave fell victim to this machine. Rather than rising to the occasion to bring something new about the state of unprosecuted sexual assaults, the film aims for cheap horror carnage.

Directed by Steven R. Monroe (who would later direct a long string of Hallmark Channel movies), written by Adam Rockoff, and starring Sarah Butler, this I Spit On Your Grave is an ugly mess. With the glitz and glam of a bigger budget and flashier camerawork substituting for genuine shock or substance, this film loses all weight of responsibility. It quickly devolves into the worst kind of frivolous trash… and somehow it spawned two direct-to-video sequels each worse than the last. Here’s what Mr. Duarte had to say in 2011: 

Payback is a furious, brutal bitch. And it comes in the form of what's cheerfully dubbed "torture porn" in this remake of a violent exploitation flick that many consider a cult icon. The gruesome nature of the plot's dark subject matter has always been at the center of the original movie's controversy and arguable legacy. It pushed the envelope of acceptability more by accident than by intention. This modernized version, from relatively unknown filmmaker Steven R. Monroe seems intent on doing just the opposite, with ten-times the cruelty and carnage, but none of the talent or understanding of what gives the original an immense following. The director, joined by Meir Zarchi as executive producer, is more focused on shocking audiences than in saying anything at all about violence against women.

While overall production value and acting is a significant improvement over its predecessor, the first, and most obvious, mistake made by the filmmakers is an attempt at delivering a horror movie instead of the vigilante/revenge thriller the story is known for. Upon arriving at a service station, Jennifer Hills (Sarah Butler) is immediately made to feel uncomfortable about spending a month by herself at a very secluded cottage. The three gas attendants — who by the way, play their roles with such stereotypical delight that we can expect them in next year's Inbred Redneck Cousins calendar — threateningly eyeball her like she's a 24-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon. The sequence instantly signals warning flares that she should find someplace else to write her novel. But, no that would force Monroe to make a good movie rather than this vile concoction.

Granted, the entire scene functions to establish a suspenseful and chilling tone early on, but the lack of skill throughout also hits viewers over the head with the fact that something terrible is about to happen. Working from a script by first-time writer Stuart Morse, Monroe, it appears, is none too familiar with subtle filmmaking. Not only do we have the gas station scene foretelling future events, but Jennifer also has to contend with the usual tricks of the genre. Namely, random creepy noises at night. And just for the heck of it, why don't we also throw in a scene where our would-be heroine discovers a shed full of wonderful toys appropriate for exacting vengeance. You know, if the occasion should ever arise. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

If the gratuitous display of foreshadow and mind-numbing coincidences weren't enough, things only get better with a big dose of gratuitous, mind-numbing violence this side of the 'Saw' series. Before we're forced to see the inevitable rape scene, Jennifer endures a disgusting barrage of cat calls, harassment, and intimidation by the same three men from the beginning (Jeff Branson, Daniel Franzese, and Rodney Eastman). They're also joined by a local young man with certain unspecified challenges (Chad Lindberg). Later, they're joined by a fifth (Andrew Howard) for no apparent reason. Honestly! There is no reason whatsoever to explain why this new character is introduced or why he even participates in any of the gruesomeness. He's not related to any of the four men, and he doesn't act remotely friendly with them either.

What's worse, the sequence loiters for a very, very, very long time on screen, which feels far too real and uncomfortable to watch. And it works against the whole movie's supposed objective — Jennifer's revenge. The second half, in fact, feels cheapened by a sudden lack of realism. Her contraptions for delivering justice are so perfectly arranged and intricate that we can't help but laugh at their ingenuity and careful preparation. The entire movie fails because the heinous crimes committed bring an authentic air of psychological and physical abuse, but the best our heroine can do in response is conjure a caricature of every slasher movie ever devised. In essence, the men are a real terror, but her retaliation is nothing more than pre-planned movie magic. This is more apparent than the female-empowerment angle the movie so desperately wishes to accomplish.

What this boils down to is that 'I Spit on Your Grave (2010)' should never have been made. It's a terrible remake that spits — phlegm and all — on the original cult favorite.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray 

2010’s I Spit On Your Grave hawks another 1080p loogie with a new single-disc Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook from Lionsgate. Walmart and Bloody Disgusting partnered up for this release giving collectors a rather attractive black and red motif for the SteelBook. The included 1080p disc is the exact same as the one that came out in 2011, so if you have that, the only difference here is the packaging. Same Anchor Bay opening logo, the same long string of random trailers at the opening, the same animated main menu with standard navigation options. In short - the same BD-50 disc.

Released back in 2011 on Blu-ray the film looked pretty good. Shot digitally, it was captured on the Red One camera rig, and for the most part, the amount of detail in the image is impressive. However, the overactive visual styling with blown-out whites and intentionally filtered colors leaves the image with an overly processed look and feel. Also considering the disc leaves about 20gigs of space on the floor, a new remaster and new disc encode could probably abate some of the visual flaws. Here’s what Mr. E. had to say in his review: 

'I Spit on Your Grave (2010)' hits Blu-ray with a good but not very exciting 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode (2.35:1).

Being a new release, the freshly-minted transfer is terrifically detailed, with great clarity and resolution. The fine lines of various objects throughout are resolute and clean while background info is plainly visible in daylight scenes. But in spite of this one major positive, the quality of the picture is far from a knockout or pleasantly eye-catching.

Much of this is clearly related to an intentional look and feel meant to add a somber atmosphere to an already dark subject matter. The photography displays a bleak and dreary overcast look thanks in large part to a heavily restrained contrast level. This affects blacks, which often appear dull and flat in several sequences, and murky shadows tend to ruin some the finer details in the interiors. Dynamic range, overall, is unsatisfying with highlights constantly clipping and instances of crush, which are minor but apparent nonetheless, especially when the gang first enters the cottage. While primaries are rendered accurately to give the gloomy picture a small shimmer of life, the color palette is dim and muted, keeping in line with the deliberate look. Facial complexions can be revealing, exposing minor blemishes in the skin, but generally, flesh tones appear drained and sometimes sickly. All things considered, the image is still good and highly detailed. It's just not much of a looker in the end.

Likewise, the audio arrives with the same front-heavy TrueHD 5.1 track. It’s still a solid track considering the kind of on-screen action we endure, but it’s also not very immersive or aggressive with its surround profile. It gets the job done, but I’d be curious if a remaster here wouldn’t help lend some more impact. Not that I actually need that considering the film. 

The remake to a cult icon also arrives with a strong and generally pleasing Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. It's mostly a front-heavy presentation, displaying good channel separation and well-prioritized vocals. Fidelity detail helps establish a wide and expansive imaging, keeping viewers engaged with the cringe-inducing violence. The soundstage exhibits a nicely balanced and crisp mid-range, accompanied by a healthy low end that adds weight to certain scenes. Although the design never really immerses its listeners, it has its moments with attractive atmospheric cues that build tension and create a sense of space. The musical score takes even better advantage of rear speakers and expands the soundfield appreciably. In the end, the lossless mix serves its intended purposes adequately and sounds quite good on Blu-ray.

The same set of extras also returns. The best of the pack remains the Stephen Monroe and Lisa Hansen audio commentary that proves to be an insightful listen showcasing that some care was actually attempted when making the film about the themes and content. If you’re a fan it’s worth the listen if you haven't given it the time already. 

• Audio Commentary featuring Stephen Monroe and Lisa Hansen
• The Revenge of Jennifer Hills: Remaking a Cult Icon (SD 16:25)
• Deleted Scenes
• Trailers

I Spit On Your Grave wasn’t an easy film to endure when Meyer Zarchi unleashed it upon the world in 1978 (under the original badass title Day of the Woman ). Falling into the exploitation sub-genre of rape-revenge films, it certainly isn’t an easy watch, but it at least had a thematic underbelly worth exploring. 2010’s I Spit On Your Grave - not so much. More intent on delivering a slasher horror film than anything resembling poignant subtext, it’s a dirtier more glamorized exercise in excessive brutality. Being an unnecessary remake is one thing, but an unnecessary remake that misses the point and has nothing to say or offer is a unique failing. In 14 years this is my second outing with this film and I honestly doubt there will ever be a third. This SteelBook from Lionsgate, Bloody Disgusting, and Walmart may be an attractive piece for collectors but the disc is exactly the same from 2011 and the appeal here is strictly for the bloody horror-themed packaging. For Fans Only