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Parents' Guide to

Wrong Turn

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Dumb, bloody, pointless remake of 2003 slasher movie.

Movie R 2021 109 minutes
Wrong Turn Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Matt1995Smith
Matt1995Smith Adult
September 2, 2021
age 12+

Boring, unoriginal, not thrilling or scary in the slightest,

This movie is awful from the start, if you’re sticking with it hoping it’s going to get better just don’t bother, it gets worse and more irritating with every new scene. A group of infants could think up a better storyline. There’s nothing to like or admire about a single character as yet again virtue signalling political agendas seem to take more focus then any thrill or credible theme to the story. It’s unoriginal, lazy and dull. From ridiculous decision making to an infuriating script, this is excuse of a movie is filled with plot holes and things which leave you screwing your face up in confusion. I get this isn’t meant to be a top picture but I expected even minimalistic thrill or a suspense which I didn’t get once. I was patient hoping there might be at least one scary scene, I was wrong. If you were under the age of 12 you might find this a good watch but I’d rate this zero stars if I could.
Lu D.
Lu D. Parent
April 8, 2021
age 16+

yuh i guess kinda gory

for me i’m like really scared of forests so this one was kind of scary. I loved the story and twists, but it was sad when innocent people died. The way they died was creative, but a little bloody. Very good overall!
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In WRONG TURN, Scott (Matthew Modine) hasn't heard from his daughter, Jen (Charlotte Vega), in several weeks, so he goes looking for her. Weeks earlier, she, her boyfriend, Darius (Adain Bradley), and four other friends decided to hike the Appalachian Trail. Darius, a history buff, talks the others into leaving the marked trail to find the secrets of the woods, even though they were warned not to. Before long, strange things start happening. One of the group dies, crushed by a runaway rolling log. Then others begin disappearing or falling into well-hidden traps. Then they encounter mysterious people wearing animal skulls. What will Scott discover when he finally finds his daughter?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (4 ):

This remake of the 2003 horror/slasher movie (and the seventh entry in the franchise), is filled with annoying characters and dumb situations and can't make a reasonable case for its own existence. Wrong Turn is one of those movies in which the characters spend lots of time shouting one another's names ("Jen!" "Darius!" "Milla!" "Adam!" "Gary!" "Luis!") rather than developing any personalities. And what little character development there is, is ridiculous. The movie tries to earn points for having a diverse group (two women, one Black man, one Latinx man, and one Indian man, with the latter two a couple), but their shallowness undercuts that attempt.

Darius dreams of a cult-like collective in which "everyone works and everyone shares" (and, coincidentally, he finds it!). Jen somehow believes that there's only right and wrong, and shades of gray don't exist. And Adam is a serious jerk; he does the most shouting. Then there are questions like: Who carried the tent that was big enough to fit five people, if all they have are tiny backpacks? And why do all of the characters' facial cuts and scrapes look pretty much the same? At least the villains in Wrong Turn -- led by the charismatic Venable (Bill Sage) -- are more interesting than the heroes.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Wrong Turn's violence. How did it affect you? Could the story have been told effectively with less violence? How does it compare to other violence you've seen in movies or on television?

  • What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like to be scared?

  • How does the movie show diversity among its characters? Are non-White characters allowed to be strong or multilayered? Are stereotypes used?

  • Does the Foundation's way of life seem appealing? Do you think it could work in real life? Why, or why not?

  • Have you ever "strayed from the path," literally or figuratively? What happened?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: January 26, 2021
  • On DVD or streaming: February 26, 2021
  • Cast: Charlotte Vega , Adain Bradley , Matthew Modine
  • Director: Mike P. Nelson
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
  • Studio: Saban Films
  • Genre: Horror
  • Run time: 109 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: strong bloody violence, grisly images and pervasive language
  • Last updated: June 22, 2023

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