You're Next

This satirical gory slasher combines a dysfunctional family reunion with the random violence of a home invasion. It's fortunate that Erin (Sharni Vinson), a resourceful teaching assistant, was raised in a survivalist compound in the Australian Outback, because she's about to meet her boyfriend and former professor Crispian's (AJ Bowen) squabbling Davison family and significant others, who are gathering to celebrate his parents' 35th wedding anniversary at the latter's posh, English Tudor-style manor house. After a shocking prologue that introduces the masked intruders, the Davison's isolated country estate is suddenly invaded by unknown attackers wearing weird animal masks and wielding crossbows. What Crispian's mother Aubrey (Barbara Crampton), father Paul (Rob Moran), sister Aimee (Amy Seimetz) and feuding brothers Felix (Nicholas Tucci) and Drake (Joe Swanberg) don't realize is that their neighbors have already been slaughtered…and, according to the writing (in blood) on the wall, they're next on the siege slate. Director Adam Wingard keeps the shocks coming, playing much of the inherent creepiness here for laughs, although the one-by-one elimination plot is utterly predictable. A strong optional purchase. (S. Granger)