On I Spit on Your Grave - A Review

Years ago, right after my parents bought the video store, some cops came in and told us we had to remove several videos from the store shelves because they were, basically, "obscene." I Spit on Your Grave was one of these. I rescued it from the trash and took it to a friend's house where we watched it. It was brutal. I had the tape for years following (might even still have it somewhere, in fact) but I never watched it again. Until last night.

I Spit on Your Grave is as basic a revenge flick as you can get. It doesn't take long to get going and the entire first half of the movie is a prolonged and vicious rape that is, to this day, incredibly difficult to watch. As a 38-year-old gorehound, I actually put my hand over my eyes twice during it and groaned aloud, remembering why I hadn't watched it in so long. Last House on the Left is basically the same movie and I haven't watched that one in years either for the same reason. I seem to remember the rape scene in Last House on the Left being even more difficult to watch but I can't say for sure. Either way, it's literally stomach-turning.

What makes the rape scene even more difficult to view is the fact that the characters' dialogue throughout is actually funny. They're cracking one-liners and generally just enjoying themselves and, if you have a taste for gallows humor (as I do), you can't help but laugh - which immediately makes you feel even worse. Extremely effective shit that both satisfies the story and repulses the audience. After watching this stuff for 20 minutes, you literally can't wait for what comes next.

Unfortunately, what comes next is rife with inconsistencies across the board. Most viewers will lose their suspension of disbelief at least a few times here simply because it's hard to believe any woman who suffered such brutality would be mentally or physically capable of performing such acts. Furthermore, she does things like take a bath with one of her attackers and let another one have sex with her. I'm no woman but that doesn't seem very likely. Other inconsistencies have more to do with the filmmaking, such as the lock on the outside of the bathroom door (though I suppose she could have placed it there herself as part of her plan - but they should have shown that if that's the case). Still, it's a fun ride.

I Spit on Your Grave is legendarily tasteless and not for all viewers, so watch at your own discretion. However you can't truly call yourself an avowed horror fan without viewing it at least once. Highly recommended.

© C Harris Lynn, 2012