Wrong Turn 8 Review: A Twisted Return to the Backwoods Horror Franchise

When it comes to survival horror and backwoods slasher thrills, Wrong Turn 8 delivers a grisly, relentless ride that longtime fans of the franchise will appreciate. Directed by Mike P. Nelson, this eighth installment resurrects the series’ most iconic villains and drops a new group of unsuspecting tourists into the Appalachian wilderness—where nothing is as it seems.

Plot Overview

A group of friends embarks on what they think will be a scenic trek along the Appalachian Trail. But when they stumble across the cannibalistic Hoyt family—the twisted clan at the heart of the Wrong Turn lore—their weekend getaway turns into a desperate battle for survival. With each trap more ingenious and brutal than the last, the film ramps up the tension until its savage finale.

What Works

• Classic Slasher Tropes: Wrong Turn 8 leans into the franchise’s signature elements—ingenious death traps, ominous rural landscapes, and unstoppable inbred killers.

• Return of the Hoyt Family: Bringing back these grotesque antagonists re-energizes the series’ mythology and gives fans what they’ve been craving.

• Atmospheric Cinematography: The dense forests and shadowy cabins are shot with a keen eye for suspense, making every rustle of leaves feel threatening.

What Falls Short

• Predictable Story Beats: While fans of slashers expect formula, some plot turns here feel overly familiar.

• Character Development: The protagonists are serviceable fodder for the killers’ traps, but deeper backstories would have raised the emotional stakes.