Checked out the perplexingly unnecessary remake of Cabin Fever, a 14 year old movie that I don’t think anyone has thought about in 13 years and certainly only the producers thought needed remaking.

Cabin Fever (the original) is an Eli Roth movie that’s equal parts grisly horror movie and tongue-in-cheek (that pokes through the cheek) horror comedy. It wasn’t a very good movie but some of the comedy worked because it was straight out of left field and bizarre – and there was a little grisly fun to be had in the anticipation. You know something bad is gonna happen, the film makers know you know, and so they set it up for that cringing but fun moment in your seat.

Cabin Fever (the remake) is a gritty retelling of the same story – and when you remove the humor and the fun playing with the audience, you just have a bad movie. To make it worse, the film making was a little incompetent at times.

This movie is unnecessary, full of hateful characters that at least used to be hateful in a fun way but are now just annoying and stupid. Your characters can do dumb things when the movie is having fun and knows you are anticipating something awful… but when everything is serious and grim, it just doesn’t work.

Anyhow, don’t waste your time. On this one or the original, for that matter.

Score: 57