You`re next

Their wedding anniversary this year, Paul (Rob Moran) and Aubrey (Barbara Crampton) want to celebrate in a very special way. At their secluded country home, they plan to throw a dinner party for their children Crispian (AJ Bowen), Felix (Nicholas Tucci), Drake (Joe Swanberg) and Aimee (Amy Seimetz), finally bringing the family back together completely after many years. When Crispian arrives first with his new girlfriend, former student Erin (Sharni Vinson), the family reunion still seems to be very harmonious, albeit a little tense. But when the rest of the clan arrives the following day, pent-up tensions between the siblings quickly begin to unload. But just as their dinner together threatens to degenerate into a full-blown argument, Aimee's friend Tariq (Ti West) suddenly collapses dead. Completely shocked, the little party finds that they are being attacked by a group of masked men. And they seem to be out to wipe out the entire family. What the killers don't know is that among their potential victims is someone who knows how to defend himself against such attacks. And so begins a bloody cat-and-mouse game that has many a surprise in store for all involved.

You`re next is structured like a classic home invasion thriller. The introduction and also the effects somehow seem like they come from another time. Now that might sound like Adam Wingard`s slasher is old-fashioned, dusty and unsurprising. But in fact, it's quite the opposite. By going back to old horror movie values, Wingard clearly sets himself apart from the found footage thrillers, torture carnage, and remakes that seem to dominate the horror genre at the moment. His film always seems very straightforward and handmade, despite quite a few twists and surprises, which is ultimately what makes the story work so well, even with its certain recognizability.

After a genre-typical opening sequence, the story begins rather worn and is dominated by a rather clichéd character sketch and a very simple-minded conflict setup. Much of what will happen later on is very obviously set up here, which is why you are already tempted as an inclined genre fan to roll your eyes in annoyance and disengage in boredom. But that's exactly what Wingard seems to be speculating on. Because suddenly he lets the horror fall upon the family and thus also upon the viewer. And this has it then really in itself.

Has one once taken a breath after the first attack, creeps in again the feeling that you know exactly what will follow now. But again Wingard manages, at the crucial moment, to infuse the story with new suspense and added entertainment value with a clever twist. Certainly, the wheel is not reinvented here. But Adam Wingard really knows how to mix old-school horror with fresh ideas and a little humor to a thrilling, rousing and extremely entertaining whole.

That he is not exactly squeamish in some scenes to the matter, should certainly please horror fans of the slightly harder pace. Still, the splatter effects are not the main focus. If the film would rely only on that, You`re next would not have turned out so successful. Here, the mixture is just right, which makes the film worth watching until the wonderfully macabre end, even in the somewhat lengthy scenes of the first third. Therefore: who loves the horror genre not only since Saw and Paranormal Activity, should not miss this little treat. Worth seeing

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp