I Spit On Your Grave is not a film you would expect merely from the title. It is easy to infer that some revenge will be sought, however the extent perceived could be minimal to an unaware audience. This film is a full on vigilante thriller and anyone who has seen the original cult film of 1978 knows exactly what to expect. I Spit On Your Grave is a 2010 film that projects to us the delicate balance between the vulnerability and power of women. The films subject matters would make many back away and it is not easy viewing, being classed as an ‘American rape and revenge horror’.
The opening sequence features a young and flawless Jennifer (Sarah Butler) driving through vast areas of countryside. On her arrival at a run down shop, she picks up some keys to a cabin she has rented for the following months. She explains that she is staying at the desolate cabin so that she may begin working on her second novel.
Lost, she pulls over at a gas station, seeking directions and a top up. The men working there are sprawled about and one of them gets to their feet to her assistance. Trying to casually flirt, Johnny (Jeff Branson) in his failure stumbles back and gets covered in fluid by the apologetic Jennifer, who also alarms him in pressing the panic button upon her car. The other boys howl in laughter and make retorts at him for being scared.
Jennifer hastily departs from the situation, soon arriving at the cabin. She settles in comfortably. However all is not peaceful for long and she soon begins to face numerous disruptions at night. On realisation that her toilet is not working, her first visitor Matthew (Chad Lindberg) calls. On fixing the toilet, Jennifer in glee pecks him on the lips and flits off. Matthew rushes off leaving Jennifer unable to pay him for his services. We later see Matthew and the gas station boys discussing the mysterious writer from the ‘city’.
Night falls and once again strange disturbances rattle the house. She anxiously paces about and her suspicions come true as intruders burst in from every corner. The boys from the gas station have come with Matthew in tow, having only one motive. The boys taunt Jennifer, demoralizing her as she is made to imitate oral sex upon a bottle and gun while encouraged to drink.
On managing to escape she flees through the woods, falling into the open arms of the local sheriff Storch (Andrew Howard) and the elderly man Earl (Tracey Walter) whom she rented the property from. On calming Jennifer, Storch returns her to the cabin claiming to aid her. On arrival he discovers wine and marijuana and immediately begins to interrogate and quash her claims of assault. He begins to perform a full body search which quickly initiates further sexual assault. The boys rear their ugly heads again and the victimizing turns to the worst, as Matthew is peer pressured into raping the helpless Jennifer.
As he finishes himself, Jennifer limply picks herself up and stumbles away from the cabin into the woods. She can not escape and the men have her in their clutches once more. This time each takes turn, performing horrifying and vivid sexual preferences upon her. She sets off once more and as the gang discover her upon a bridge, Storch takes aim and she plunges into the deep waters beneath. Unable to discover a body they hastily rid themselves of any evidence.
From the offset we understand that Jennifer is not dead. Lack of discovery of anybody within the month enables the gangs fear to settle making Jennifer’s her revenge all the more bitter sweet. We discover she has been surviving from the woods and homed herself in a run down shack. She starts her mind games upon the group who all put the not-so-there Matthew at blame. We discover that the elderly Earl has been slaughtered at Storch’s hands as he was the only other person aware of her visit.
Jennifer goes after each gang member in turn. Taking the most innocent first, as if almost an act of small compassion. It does not last long as matthew pleads his sorrow over his actions and will eventually suffer the same fate as each of the other evil men.
Stanley and Andy are inventively killed and it is evident that in Jennifer’s hiding she planned each death precisely. Stanley, the camcorder pervert, is tied down and made to see through his own eyes instead of squinting through his camera. Andy, who forced the drink upon Jennifer, is left to dangle over another unhealthy substance. Leader of the gang Johnny is vulnerably strung up naked to await his fate. Where as Storch is left till last and left to suffer true fear as she targets his family also. She leaves him in a tricky situation and rids herself of responsibility for his death. Placing herself upon the stump of a tree she smirks in her glory as the film fades to credits.
I Spit On Your Grave is a clever remake of the original. The revenge scene are a lot more intense and intimate showing the true demoralisation of men. We see cruel justice served at the hand of the victim in a merciless and brutal style and some may say this is frankly just or just downright evil. Make up your own mind if you can bear it, this film proves an interesting insight into the world of revenge thrillers.
