Horror fans who revisit Wrong Turn find part of its appeal in a lean fight for survival that runs roughly 84 minutes and in monsters created with the help of Stan Winston’s team. The slasher’s practical creature effects and relentless chase through the woods have helped it build a cult following despite its Metacritic score of 32/100 in 2003. A metascore of 32 appeared on the film’s Metacritic page in August 2003, and the page still displayed 32 that October.
Eliza Dushku, Desmond Harrington, Emmanuelle Chriqui, and Jeremy Sisto star in the film, which strands a group of young people in remote West Virginia after car trouble and a collision. The cannibals hunting them, Three Finger, Saw Tooth, and One Eye, turn the surrounding woods and an isolated cabin into places to dread.
Directed by Rob Schmidt and written by Alan B. McElroy, the film drew criticism for familiar territory: rural killers, graphic violence, and characters reviewers found thin. Comparisons to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Hills Have Eyes, and Deliverance followed. Its Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score sits around 40%, and opening audiences gave it a C− CinemaScore.
Its later following has embraced the atmosphere, suspense, and commitment to practical effects. Some horror fans consider it the franchise’s strongest entry, though predictability and underwritten characters remain common complaints. Its IMDb rating of about 6.1/10 reflects a more receptive audience than those early critical scores.
Released on May 30, 2003, Wrong Turn grossed roughly $28.7 million worldwide against a budget of about $12.6 million. It launched a franchise that expanded through multiple direct-to-video sequels and a 2021 reboot.
