31 Days of
Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!
"You're Next" (2011)
When discussing slashers, genre rock stars Freddy Krueger
and Jason Vorhees are the first that come to mind. Behind them are the
countless masked maniacs terrorizing hapless teens throughout the 80's.
Assemble a random assortment of idiots, mix in some booze and debauchery, and
unleash cold, puritanical morality on their sorry asses in the form of a lunatic with
pruning shears. It's the classic formula.
Nowadays, with film tropes being overworked to
death, Hollywood tries to freshen things up with the genre-twist. Here, movies
get the fusion-cooking treatment, importing elements of various styles to make
an old horse new again. We've seen a lot of the subversion-method of doing
this. Take "Cabin in the Woods" as a prime example.
Tonight's entry offers another take. This one more about
murder-mystery than pure horror. If you're not screaming, at the very least,
you'll be intrigued. Let's talk "You're Next".
The Plot:
The Davison family are your typical brood of rich,
dysfunctional snobs. Our tale of terror begins at a family reunion held at the
country mansion. Our central characters, Crispin and Erin, and dreading the event. Crispin's been
making a meager living teaching at a college and this'll mark the introduction
of his girlfriend (and former student) to the family. There's just a bit of
tension between the struggling couple and their affluent family.
With all the bickering and passive-aggressiveness, dinner is
poised to be a social nightmare. Fortunately, it only turns out to be a literal one as
the family finds itself under siege by a pack of crossbow-wielding assailants.
Once the killers start attacking, family members start dropping. Priorities,
understandably, change. The family goes into survival mode.
What follows is a night of tooth-and-claw mystery, as the
family struggles to stay alive while uncovering who exactly their masked
attackers are. These killers are too organized to be random psychopaths.
Something bigger is afoot.
As the night progresses, much of the family buckles under the
onslaught. Save for one, who slowly begins to turn the tables on the killers.
She alone will make you wonder exactly to whom the title is referring.
The Flavor:
"You're Next" is plenty grim, but has enough fun boiling within that it never gets too heavy. The idea of a family
getting systematically murdered is very dark, but the film injects a slight tongue-in-cheek attitude into the proceedings. There's a tight
tonal balance between serious and 80's-over-the-top.
The cast are all fittingly douche-bag like in their
contempt. However, refreshingly, they're never overly-so to the point of
being cartoony. Most slasher movies are happy to make their fodder as unlikable
as possible. "You're Next" has characters that are slimy, sure, but it
takes the extra step to remind us that hey, they're still innocent people.
Thus, when the arrows start flying, you're not happy to see them cut down. They
also lighten up the proceedings with a few comedic moments, most
of which revolve around how self-absorbed they are.
Then there's the murder-mystery plot. As much as I enjoy a
good slasher, and "You're Next" is certainly that, I was far more
intrigued by the story. Who in the world did this and why? This is not a random
attack and the killers clearly know what they're doing. But why? Throughout all
the mayhem, you'll find yourself picking up little clues as to who the killers
are and what they want. The film does a great job slowly unraveling details until
the end.
And while I won't spoil who snaps and fights back, I will
say this much: as far as horror action-heroes go, this character could stand
alongside Ash, himself. I love scary movies where the hero is capable, as it
makes the villain into an even greater threat.
Best Paired with:
While "You're Next" probably offers the most
enjoyment for pure horror fans, especially those of slasher films, the murder
mystery element offers plenty for casual movie-goers to follow. There's a puzzle to solve. Those who
aren't big horror fans will find themselves caught up in the mystery, like
playing a big, bloody game of Clue.
Speaking of blood, there's nothing too horrendous for those who are squeamish. Most of the kills are of the typically slasher
variety and aren't overly gory. Okay, except for one kill that's truly
revolting. The main villain's demise is a gift-wrapped present to hardcore
horror fans in its execution. Let's just say it involves a kitchen appliance.
Accompanying Brew:
Dark, with a classic formula, but bolstered by the addition of some unique flavors. For tonight's brew pairing, let's go for an ale that fits that mold. You've seen the style before, but here's a slightly different take.
NightTime Ale
Lagunitas, Limited Release
Petaluma, CA
8.2%
Dark/Black Ale
Color: Intensely dark, nearly light-shall-not-permeate. When
held up to the light directly, you'll note that the brew's color is a deep
ruby, with traces of red along the outside of the glass. However, to get this
affect, you have to hold the beer right up to the light. Otherwise, it's black
as midnight.
Aroma: At first, you're hit with a roasty scent and just
the slightly bit of smoke to it. That's followed up directly by the sharp
sweetness of the higher alcohol content. Together, the three aromas blend
together into an almost burnt caramel. You can tell that this beer's going to
have some kick. A hop aroma is in the mix as well, but it's mild, like a faint herbal undertone.
Taste: Quite complex. As with the aroma, you're first met
with a toasted vibe. The malts are the first thing you taste, and right away,
you can tell how much they've been roasted. Rich and deeply. This isn't a
smoke-beer, but the high degree of roasting certainly gives the malt a bit of a
smoky character. The flavor then changes as the beer flows over your
tongue and towards the back of your mouth. An intense sweet flavor joins the
party. Not cloying or syrupy, but rather with the bite that higher alcohol
beers are known for. For the majority of each sip, this union of dark malt and
sharp sweetness take center stage.
Aftertaste: Something I admire in all beers, most especially
those who dare to go sweet, is the balancing act. Here, the sweet flavor is
cleansed from the palate via bitter hops that emerge after you swallow. The
bitter wave crawls from the back of the tongue towards the middle and completely replaces any sweetness from moments before. However, the
roasted character of the beer remains, and so you're left with a taste that's a
mix between bitter and slightly burnt. I'd call it an acquired taste, as you're
first impression is that of eating some sort of burnt food. However, I see the
use of hop as a balance to the sweet, allowing the flavor to change over the
course of a sip. For those - like myself - who enjoy dark ales (Black IPA's for
example), this brew provides a great array of changing flavors.
Body: Though not overly carbonated, the brew has that
mouth-coating density shared by many stronger beers. Not really thick, but
rather just enough to keep the flavors on your tongue for a solid few seconds
after each sip. This is the kind of beer you slowly sip and savor.
Pair: A dark beer that invokes images of dimly-lit taverns and
roaring hearths. I'd pair NightTime ale with BBQ'd meats to help bring out the
flavors of the sauce. I can see the tangy/sweet notes of the BBQ sauce playing
well with this brew's roasted flavor, especially if the meat's got a nice sear
added to the edges.
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