Straw Dogs (2011)

IMDb

Just saw the trailer... turns out we're actually getting something to look at here.

The title pretty much says it all—we're looking at a remake of that cult classic, notorious action flick from the master himself, Sam Peckinpah. I honestly think the original might still be facing some kind of ban over in England, which is wild... anyway, this new version hit the global stage kind of quietly, and I’m not holding my breath for it to become a legend like the first one. At least based on early impressions and its box office run—which was pretty modest, pulling in about five mil during its opening weekend... As for the plot, I'm pretty sure it's just as well-known as the original. You've got this young couple who rolls into some godforsaken backwater—this time somewhere deep in the American heartland—and things go south fast when they clash with the local redneck crowd. It eventually boils down to a massive showdown right in their own home. Judging by the IMDb trailer title, this confrontation is gonna be even more intense than what we saw in the original, especially with how David Sumner is being portrayed... and Dustin Hoffman did such an incredible job with that role originally... Dustin Hoffman In the original version, he wasn't exactly such a pushover... how well this whole thing actually lands remains to be seen. The acting is fine, I guess, but it’s pretty obvious they were just playing to the younger crowd—since the main bad boy is basically everyone's current obsession right now... Alexander Skarsgård...I mean, they’re basically just backing him up at this point... James Marsden (Cyclops) James Marsden (Cyclops) from X-Men... yeah... Kate Bosworth It’s kind of a trivia thing—she and Marsden actually played a couple back in Superman Returns... but as far as the veteran heavy hitters go, we've definitely got some solid talent in this lineup... James WoodsDirector... Rod Lurie I mean, he’s not exactly headed for superstardom or anything—definitely no massive career trajectory there—but honestly? He actually put in some real work on a serious project... The Last Castle... honestly, I don't know how I feel about it. It’s one of those movies that hits a certain kind of nerve, especially if you’re into that gritty, old-school redemption stuff—kind of reminds me of some of the heavier themes Sam Peckinpah used to play with back in the day. You've got Robert Redford leading the charge, and even though it’s a military prison setting, there’s this underlying tension about dignity and standing your ground against an unfair system... which, let's be real, is a theme that hits home more often than people want to admit. It's not exactly high art, but it works in its own way. There's something about seeing a group of guys who have been written off by society finding a sense of purpose—it’s a bit cliché, sure, but it’s effective. It’s got that specific brand of American cinematic tension where you're just waiting for the inevitable collision between the inmates and the brass. Not a masterpiece, but definitely worth a watch if you're in the mood for something a little intense and unapologetically dramatic... maybe grab some popcorn first. I can't even begin to process this... just a single letter? If you're trying to make a point about minimalism or maybe just had a massive typo, I'm not quite catching the vibe... leave a comment or something when you've got more to say... Robert RedfordI mean, if nothing else, they really should've at least gotten the action sequences right...

There’s absolutely zero chance this comes anywhere close to the original. It won't even be a pale shadow of what we saw before. Even if you look at the directing or the acting, nobody working today could touch Hoffman in that movie, let alone George. Honestly, this version doesn't even have the visual appeal.

For what on earth?? 😢 I mean, are they really planning to cram every single classic into some flashy remake?? 🙂

So I finally sat down and watched the original...
It’s definitely aged poorly—like, really poorly. No matter how much I dig Dustin, he just can't carry those weirdly forced plot points or the super rushed, nonsensical dialogue...
Honestly, the movie just didn't do anything for me. Maybe if I'd seen it back when it first dropped it would've hit harder, but now? Just meh...

Not planning on checking out the remake.

It feels like we’ve completely run out of fresh ideas lately, which is why we're seeing this massive wave of endless remakes, prequels, and sequels everywhere you look...

I honestly can’t wrap my head around why anyone would bother with a remake of this movie—I mean, what could a modern version possibly bring to the table that the original didn't already nail? Maybe more violence? Sure, that's an option, but let's be real: Peckinpah's masterpiece is already absolutely bursting with it. It might not look quite like the hyper-stylized carnage we see in theaters today, but back in the early seventies, it was nothing short of shocking. Besides, how do you even attempt to replicate that gritty atmosphere and raw, unpolished soul of the original? And don't even get me started on trying to top Dustin Hoffman's performance; I truly believe he never reached those heights of character transformation at any other point in his career. 🤷

That being said, I'll definitely be checking out the remake once it hits screens. 😉

I’ve always felt the real value of this movie—the original, obviously—lies in how much it reflects its era. It isn't just about the violence or that sudden shift where a peaceful guy turns into a total brute under pressure—though that's definitely part of it—but also because of that infamous scene with the woman. I won't spoil it, but I am genuinely curious to see how they handle it in the remake.
Anyway, I'm with Mr. X on this one; I wouldn't call the film a masterpiece in its own right. For me, it was always more about how it broke those social taboos back then. I wonder if a remake can even shock anyone anymore or raise new moral questions, especially given everything we're used to watching these days.

I mean, if you ask me, they’re probably just going to crank up the graphic violence even more, and honestly, that’s about all there is to it. I can't really imagine what else a remake could actually bring to the table besides that. But hey, I guess we'll just have to sit tight and see how the charmingly talented Marsden handles the whole thing. 🙂

Great, just what we needed... another damn remake 🙄

I saw the original years ago and I have to say, I liked it, even if it’s not sitting at the top of my all-time favorites list. That rape scene everyone talks about—it was genuinely nauseating to watch. It actually left me feeling sick afterward. Because of that, I really don't get why anyone would even want to make this (the "just for the money" excuse feels pretty weak to me). Honestly, how do you find an actor who can actually match Hoffman's level, let alone a director capable of capturing—or bettering—that specific atmosphere? Is there really nothing else interesting to talk about in the world?

Olivia Lee12 said:I watched the original many years ago, and I have to say I enjoyed it, though I wouldn't rank it among my absolute favorites. That assault scene everyone talks about—especially considering when the movie was filmed—was truly nauseating to watch; it actually left me feeling quite unwell afterward. Because of that, I really don't understand why anyone (the "it's all about the money" argument doesn't really hold water for me) would have the desire to film something that simply cannot surpass the original. I mean, it seems nearly impossible to find an actor capable of matching the performance of Hoffman, and above all, a director who could manage to not just replicate, but actually exceed the atmosphere of the entire film. Regardless of what state the world is in, surely there aren't that few interesting themes out there to explore for a first version?

I completely agree with this... there are just far too many remakes these days. It makes me wonder if the American film industry is in such a state of chaos that it's running out of original ideas and scripts. It feels to me like it’s mostly because the easiest path is to play the card of a successful movie and churn out a remake or a second, third, fourth sequel, and so on. I do agree that everything revolves around profit nowadays and that producers are terrified of taking risks—or if they must take them, they want to ensure those risks are kept to an absolute minimum...
As for the movie straw dog, it's certain that no remake could ever approach its level of quality. In fact, when I think about it, I find myself wondering if a remake has ever truly surpassed its original in terms of quality. One specific instance comes to mind... The Thing John Carpenter's version from 1982 is superior to the 1951 version by Howard Hawks. Does anyone else know of an example like that?

Look, I’ll say it again because it bears repeating... honestly, the one silver lining when it comes to all these remakes is that they might actually nudge at least one out of ten people to go back and check out the original masterpiece. 🙂

silentcanyon58 said:Look, I’ll say it again because I feel like I have to... honestly, the only real upside to these remakes is that maybe one out of ten people who see the new version will actually go back and check out the original. 🙂

I'm really going there now.....