A successful horror sequel shouldbuild on the set-up of the originaland up the stakes to provide something new within the established world. It sounds simple enough, butoften sequels can struggle to surpass the legacy of the original and just end up falling flat. That is not the case withWrong Turn 2: Dead End, which takes arelatively standard cannibal slasherinWrong Turnand injects even more gore, as well as crafting a much more compelling story. WithJoe Lynchin the director’s chair, known forMayhemandSuitable Flesh, the sequel ended up becoming a genuinely fun slasher flick that also offers a surprisingly relevant commentary on reality TV.
Wrong Turn 2: Dead Endis based around thefilming of a reality TV showthat feels eerily similar to CBS’Survivor(which the movie cleverly acknowledges). The game mechanics are introduced, highlighting that the show is based around the apocalypse and the cast are essentially vying to be the ultimate survivor.This set-up allows for a much more diverse and interesting cast compared to the original, and the movie establishes each character as fulfilling a stereotype. However, themovie strays away from horror archetypessuch as the jock, the clown and the virgin, replacing them with an examination of classic reality TV casting buzzwords including a vegan, a former athlete and a veteran.
The Wild History of the ‘Wrong Turn’ Series
“Keep to the marked trail. The land here can be unforgiving.”
Yet, these characters are more than the sum of their parts, andthroughout the movie they aregiven significant character developmentthrough discussions on how they would spend the prize money. For example, the former athlete, Jake (Texas Battle),lost his career to injury but is looking to go into sports medicine as a way of using his experience to help future generations. Similarly, the veteran, Amber (Daniella Alonso), wants to use the money to pay off her debt to her dad,who doesn’t accept her sexuality, giving her freedom. The framing of the reality TV settings allows these conversations to avoid the trap of feeling shoe-horned into the movie to make us care about the cast. This means the characters do not feel disposable, and every death sequence is tinted with genuine upset.
Using its premise,Wrong Turn 2: Dead Enddoesn’t just construct compelling characters, it offers social satire on reality TV. From model Elena (Crystal Lowe) who believes that having sex on screen will win her popularity, to the reshooting of emotional conversations to allow the camera to get the best angles. It evidences the fabrication of structured reality TV in an extremely ironic and playful way. The first scene even sees formerAmerican IdolcontestantKimberly Caldwellplaying a fictional version of herself!The best element of the set-up is the fake show’s presenter, Dale Murphy (Henry Rollins),who feels like a more extreme version ofSurvivor’sJeff Probst. He is a former U.S. Marine who is not afraid to berate contestants for trivialities but also offers support to others in moments of vulnerability.
Dale feels like a true action hero, which is a welcome change in a slasher movie. Often, you arerooting for an underdog final girlwho finds her inner strength. However, Dale has almost unnatural strength and innate survival skills that make him compelling to watch. This is vital for theWrong Turnfranchise, as the antagonistic cannibals are entirely irredeemable. you may’t love to hate them in thesame way as genre classicssuch as Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger. They immediately make their threat known with the movie’s first kill, splitting Kimberley in half with an ax, complete with guts falling all over the floor. Their usual chaotic energy is painted all over the movie as they pace around the woods.
Despite the fact you cannot root for the villains as an audience, they are still entertaining since they have such a command over their environment. The way they set up traps and use a variety of weapons available to them makes them unpredictable and puts the survivors at constant risk. Yet,Wrong Turn 2: Dead Endis engaging because it is such a fair fight, and the heroes make smart decisions and actually fight back. Thegory, extreme deaths that the franchise is infamous forare not just reserved for the victims; the cannibals are also subjected to some horrifying fates. It isa movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously at all and makes for an infinitely fun survival horror.It is also one of those rare examples where the sequel is better than the original.
