Long Weekend is a Remake of a 1970s Film Where Nature Takes Revenge on a Disrespectful Couple
In Long Weekend littering the landscape, chopping down live trees and killing bugs can result in nature striking back.
Written by The Horror Czar, Don Sumner
February 4, 2010
Release: August 4, 2009 (U.S. DVD), February 8, 2010 (U.K. DVD)
Directed by: Jamie Blanks
Written by: Everett De Roche
Starring:
James Caviezel as Peter
Claudia Karvan as Carla
Peter and Carla are preparing for a weekend of camping and ocean breezes. Well, Peter is preparing… Carla hates camping. Judging by Peter’s mock spearing of Carla with the new spear gun he bought, he’s not a big fan of Carla. The marriage, we find out, is not going well. Maybe this weekend away will help to heal the rift between the two, but based on the pre-drive exchange it seems doubtful.
The couple heads out on the long drive to their hidden ocean destination, reportedly known for some of the best surfing in Australia. The friends who were to meet them seem to be delayed, so the fearless duo trudge off on 
their own across unmapped dirt roads in search of their secret and romantic spot. It gets too dark to find it though, and sleeping in the car is the only option. Carla is not amused.
When the sun rises Peter finds that they are just feet from their intended destination, a beautiful cove on an isolated beach. He burned the bacon in a failed breakfast attempt, but Carla still seems to ease up a bit and it looks like a wonderful weekend is in store… for about 5 minutes. The rift between the two runs deep and shows itself in snide 
comments and viciously passive aggressive verbal attacks. Plus, the two of them have no respect for nature… for shame.
Bugs are killed with spray, live trees chopped down for wood and beer bottles indiscriminately thrown into the water and shot to bits by grandpa’s old gun. No respect. As the tension builds between the once loving couple, nature itself seems to escalate its own aggression via eagle attacks, creatures from the sea, snakes showing up… and much more.
I never saw the original Long Weekend from 1978, but in preparing to write this review I read a lot about it. This film is a bit of a cult classic, 
especially in Australia. It was also a bit ahead of its time in terms of nature striking back against humanities excesses. That theme, of course, is highly�relevant today. Interestingly, though, even though this is officially a “reimagining” of the original film, the theme seems to be different. Sure they didn’t respect nature, but the striking back of the elements seemed to be a secondary thought to the ugliness felt by the warring couple manifesting itself in their surroundings.
Regardless of remake status, reimagining status or any other status, Long Weekend is a good film with tremendous performances and some very tense moments. The buildup of the angst between the couple and the growing severity of nature gone wild and the outward display of growing hatred and despair work together to create a compelling film that will certainly hold your attention. The fact that the lead actor also played Jesus in Mel Gibson’s controversial The Passion of the Christ is just an interesting bonus. Questions or comments about Long Weekend? Discuss it on The Ossuary Forums!
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