Bob Clark's 1974 film has never enjoyed the widespread attention granted to the likes of Halloween and Friday the 13th, but it has long been acknowledged by erudite horror fans as one of the earliest examples of a slasher movie. And if there's one thing such erudite horror fans cannot abide, it's seeing the lesser-known classics treated without respect. Writer-director Glen Morgan perhaps deserves some credit for at least attempting to bring a fresh take on the story, Whereas the original never shows the killer or makes any attempt to explain his motives, this time around we see the murderer Billy and are told his backstory in detail. However, for fans of the original all this really succeeds in doing is demystifying the character, whilst for the uninitiated it's - well - just not that interesting. The cast, including Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Michelle Trachtenberg and Lacey Chabert, aren't given a great deal to do but look pretty and scared, whilst the audience does its best to fend off total boredom.
