July was a big month for Prime Video, with the original film Heads of State serving as a very fun summer movie season diversion, the debut of Ballard, set in the Bosch universe, and the third and final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty. There have also been a ton of high-profile entries from studio catalogues added to the Prime roster. For instance, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Creed II, Gladiator, How to Train Your Dragon 2, and Meet the Parents. July also saw the addition of a few horror classics like The Funhouse and It Came from Outer Space.
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If you have added any of those titles to your watchlist, toss My Bloody Valentine (2009) on there, too, because the fast, fun, and ultra-violent remake is now streaming. And, if you haven’t seen the 1981 classic, it’s available to rent for a double feature night.
Originally released as My Bloody Valentine 3D, this was one of those movies that came out around the time of Avatar. In fact, it predated Avatar by about 11 months. And outside of their display in three dimensions, there are absolutely no other similarities between Patrick Lussier’s remake and James Cameron’s blockbuster (though, considering it netted $100 million against just $14 million, My Bloody Valentine made a chunk of change as well).
The plot follows the sweet residents of Harmony, a mining town that was struck by tragedy on Valentine’s Day 1997. Six miners were trapped in the mine, with only one survivor: Harry Warden. He stayed alive by killing the other five so he could utilize the oxygen alone and, one year later, he wakes up and goes on a killing spree. The spree ends in the mine, but Harry leaves behind one seriously scarred young man.
10 years later, it seems Warden has returned, but most of Harmony’s townsfolk have thought him long dead. Were they wrong or has someone put on Warden’s mining gear and kicked off a new killing spree all their own?
Many of the 1981 film’s story beats are repeated here. For instance, both films come equipped with a twist. And, just like the first time, the twist is done quite effectively.
The 2009 version also has a phenomenal cast. The three leads are portrayed by Supernatural‘s Jensen Ackles, Sin City‘s Jaime King, and Final Destination‘s Kerr Smith. Rounding out the supporting cast are The Blacklist‘s Megan Boone, Superman scene-stealer Edi Gathegi, the original Road House‘s Kevin Tighe, and horror legend Tom Atkins (The Fog, Halloween III: Season of the Witch).
Impressively, Lussier’s remake really does recapture the spirit of ’80s slasher films. For fans of the subgenre’s golden age, this is a must-watch, and it may have been passed over after the remake letdowns of its late aughts era (e.g. Prom Night, One Missed Call, and Rob Zombie’s Halloween). In other words, it’s a lot closer to The Last House on the Left than it is to Sorority Row. Even without the 3D display, My Bloody Valentine is very much worth a shot.
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