Main cast: Erica Leerhsen (Nina Papas), Henry Rollins (Dale Murphy), Texas Battle (Jake Washington), Aleksa Palladino (Mara Stone), Daniella Alonso (Amber Williams), Steve Braun (Matt “Jonesy” Jones), Matthew Currie Holmes (Michael “M” Epstein), Crystal Lowe (Elena Garcia), Kimberly Caldwell (“Kimberly Caldwell”), Ken Kirzinger (Pa), and Wayne Robson (Maynard Odets)
Director: Joe Lynch
The 2003 Wrong Turn came and went with all the impact of a flat tire. Sure, it eked out a modest profit and earned some polite nods, but it wasn’t exactly leaving audiences howling for more. Yet, fast forward four years, and along lumbers Wrong Turn 2: Dead End, the sequel that sparked a franchise so relentless in its cringe-inducing sequels that even Halloween was left taking notes.
But here’s the plot twist: this one isn’t bad at all. In fact, it’s memorable for all the right reasons—well, as long as you’re into gratuitous gore, campy comedy, and a heaping helping of hillbilly horrors.
The story centers on a reality TV show, Ultimate Survivalist: Apocalypse, where contestants are dropped into the wilderness to “survive” for our viewing pleasure. Naturally, this show goes way off-script when our unlucky participants cross paths with a clan of mutant cannibals who don’t exactly take kindly to uninvited dinner guests.
The movie kicks off with a bang—or rather, a slash—as Kimberly Caldwell, fresh from American Idol Season 2, gamely skewers her critics by playing an alternate version of herself: a fame-hungry reality TV star. Her on-screen demise is a splattery symphony of gore, earning her an honorary place in the Self-aware Horror Victims Hall of Fame. Hat’s off to her for being such a good sport—and, well, having her body cut in two.
Director Joe Lynch leans hard into the absurdity, trading the first film’s straight-faced mediocrity for a raucous mix of over-the-top kills and tongue-in-cheek humor. Stealing the show is Henry Rollins as Dale Murphy, the absurdly macho survivalist host who makes Rambo look like a mall cop. Whether he’s being lethal with a crossbow or fist-fighting mutants, Mr Rollins exudes a manic glee that makes you wish that he were the star of every bad reality show ever made.
The rest of the cast is a buffet of slasher stereotypes. You’ve got your topless sacrificial lamb, the jock (also doubling as the black guy, because, you know, horror movies), the jerk, the creep, the “wounded past” mean girl, and the ex-military rationalist. But just when you’re ready to groan at the predictable lineup, the film throws you a curveball: the supposed “final girl” meets an untimely, blood-soaked end, and another character—one who doesn’t tick all the usual boxes—steps up to carry the torch. It’s a neat little twist that keeps things fresh amidst the carnage.
The film also nails its darker comedic tone. Early on, the contestants banter and bicker like they’re gunning for screen time in an MCU movie, which makes sense since they think it’s all part of the show. When the stakes turn real and survival becomes more than just a tagline, their terror feels genuine, making it surprisingly easy to root for (most of) them to make it out alive.
Of course, there’s no shortage of sleaze—this is a mutant hillbilly movie, after all—but the film handles it with a wink and a nod, including an homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 that will have horror fans grinning. It’s clear Mr Lynch and his team love the genre, and their affection is infectious.
That said, I must gripe about the film’s actual final girl. Yes, subverting expectations is nice and all, but this one is so gratingly selfish and unlikable that you’ll almost find yourself rooting for the mutants. Sure, her “every-man-for-themselves” attitude is relatable in theory, but in practice? Ugh. You’ll want to hand her over to the cannibals yourself.
Still, Wrong Turn 2: Dead End is proof that sometimes, sequels can be better than the original. So, skip the first one, grab a big bowl of popcorn, and sink your teeth into this bloody good time. Just don’t expect to keep your appetite afterward.
