My Bloody Valentine (2009) **1/2 [MBV Double Feature Pt. 2]

I saw My Bloody Valentine (2009) in 3D twice within the span of a few days when it was released theatrically. I recall it being a lot of fun. For some reason I thought I had seen it in 2D, but apparently I hadn't until now. It definitely doesn't play as well without the gimmick. The shots where things fly at the camera in 3D just look silly in 2D and, while it's a well-lensed film, MBV '09's pristine shot-on-video look makes it feel like a Sci-Fi Channel movie of the week. 

The gore is upped significantly from its 1981 predecessor (review), but gone is the heart that the original film contained. Gone too are the goofy and lovable characters whose deaths were truly affecting in the original. There is still fun to be had here (it does star Tom Atkins, though he's underutilized) if expectations are kept low. But unlike the 1981 original, which—while clunky at times—is an almost yearly viewing tradition for me, I don't see myself having a burning desire to ever watch this version again.