The Last House on the Left (2009)
When athletic teen Mari Collingwood opts to hang out with her friend Paige in town rather than spend an evening in with her parents vacationing at the family's remote lake house, it marks the beginning of a night no one is going to forget.
Details
Budget
$15,000,000
Rating
6/10 (1785 votes)
Status
Released
Production Companies
Rogue Pictures, Film Afrika, Sean S. Cunningham Films, The Night Co., Focus Features
About The Last House on the Left
The 2009 film "The Last House on the Left" revisits the premise of Wes Craven's 1972 original, focusing on a home invasion and its violent repercussions. The narrative centers on Mari Collingwood, a teenager who, while on vacation with her family, becomes the victim of a brutal assault. The attackers, led by an escaped convict, later unknowingly seek shelter at Mari's parents' remote lake house, setting the stage for a confrontation where the parents exact revenge.
Categorized as a crime thriller, horror, and drama, the film explores themes of vengeance and the breakdown of social order. It delves into the dark side of human nature when confronted with extreme violence, portraying how ordinary individuals might react under extraordinary duress. The movie's keywords, such as "rape and revenge," "sadistic horror," and "brutal violence," indicate its intense and unflinching content.
With a runtime of 113 minutes, the film maintains a consistent tension as the parents discover what happened to their daughter and decide to retaliate. The film has a mixed reception, holding a 6.0 average rating from 1785 votes on TMDB, and a 6.5 on IMDb. Review aggregator sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic report scores of 42% each, suggesting a divided critical response regarding its execution and impact.
Why you might be searching for The Last House on the Left
People are often searching for this film due to its focus on a revenge plot following a violent home invasion. The dark themes of kidnapping, sexual assault, and subsequent parental retribution are central to what makes it memorable and sought after.
What reviewers are saying
One reviewer notes that remaking the 1972 film was understandable, given that the original wasn't a universally acclaimed classic itself. The plot involves two teenagers being brutally attacked, and when their assailants unwittingly seek refuge at one of the victim's parents' vacation home, the parents begin to retaliate.
Read the full reviewA viewer found the film to be a good suspense-thriller-horror, praising the performances from the main cast members. They mentioned that while the movie was not "entertaining" due to the difficult scenes, seeing the antagonists receive their comeuppance was a compelling aspect.
Read the full reviewAnother reviewer, who initially had no interest in seeing the remake due to their perception of the 1972 original as "dumb" and not truly disturbing, found this version to be a significant improvement. They suggested that the director and writers of the 2009 film addressed the flaws of the original, resulting in a near "masterpiece of filmmaking."
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about finding and identifying movies
You can stream *The Last House on the Left* on [HBO Max](https://www.hbomax.com/tc/en/movies/last-house-on-the-left/db41cafc-df0e-446d-9c66-6d55d5e0b702), [Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/70114019), and [Prime Video](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0NX9CBFSSZTF9O7QJSYBZ7G4XE). It is also available to buy or rent on platforms like Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango At Home, or on DVD and Blu-ray.
No, the 2009 film *The Last House on the Left* is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name and is not based on a true story.
At the end of *The Last House on the Left*, Mari's parents, John and Emma, have exacted revenge on her attackers. After they subdue the leader, Krug, and his remaining accomplices, they take Mari and Justin, Krug's son who aided them, to the hospital. Later, John returns to the cabin, where he paralyzes Krug from the neck down and kills him by placing his head in a microwave, which then explodes.
*The Last House on the Left* (2009) received mixed reviews, with some critics praising it as a strong horror film and remake, while others found it inferior to the original. Roger Ebert gave it 2.5 out of 4 stars, appreciating the performances but being appalled by the rape sequence.