You're Next

This one is a little bit better than The Purge, the summer's other home invasion horror film … but only a little. A rich family goes out to their vacation home in the countryside where they gather for a feast, only to have unseen visitors start picking them off with a crossbow. Those unseen visitors eventually show themselves as dudes wearing various animal masks, and they are a little on the creepy side. But, overall, this feels like standard, worn-out territory made sporadically tolerable by director Adam Wingard's ability to tender the occasional unique scare. A seasoned mystery/horror watcher will see the big twists coming a mile away. Still, Sharni Vinson is pretty kick-ass as the girlfriend with a surprising ability to survive. The movie is a showcase for her talents in the end. As 2013 horror films go, this one isn't nearly as fun as The Conjuring, but is markedly better than the snore fest that was The Purge. Apparently, it sat on the shelf for a long time. It wouldn't have been a big deal if it had just stayed there or gone straight to video.