The Last House on the Left Review

Messages: While the film is ultimately about a father and mother punishing those who've hurt their daughter -- with several characters making important ethical and moral choices -- the film is deeply violent and frightening, with no concrete positive messages.

Role models: Even though the parents' rage and grief is somewhat understandable, none of the movie's characters act in a way that you'd want anyone imitating.

Violence: Brutal, bloody violence, including graphic stabbings and shootings, fist fights, a graphic (and protracted) rape, scuffling, falls, murder by hammer, a man's hand being wedged into an operating garbage disposal, a woman being burned with a cigarette lighter, and a man's head being exploded by being heated in a microwave while he's alive. Bloody depictions of impromptu surgery, wound cauterization, and medical care. Car crashes. A man is strangled with a seat belt, and another character is shot, point-blank, through the eye. Constant depictions of agony, suffering, and brutality.

Sex: Some topless female nudity, and lingering shots of female characters in underwear. Sexual activity mixed with violence (including harrowing depictions of painfully realistic rape and assault).

Language: Constant stream of strong and obscene language, including "f--k," "motherf----r," "c--t," "s--t," "balls," "screw," "whore," "jerk off," "piss," "crap," "goddamn," and much more.

Consumerism: Not an issue

Drinking, drugs and smoking: Characters smoke marijuana and drink beer, wine, and hard liquor. One character suggests that she doesn't smoke pot anymore because of her athletic aspirations but winds up smoking anyway. An attempt to buy marijuana results in assault, rape, and murder.