| I should preface my following review of Texas Chainsaw 3D by making sure you are all aware that this review is coming from someone whose expectations of this film were nothing less than extreme. At the same time, unless the movie was complete and total garbage, there's no way I could have walked away unhappy. The casual viewer may feel differently. I'll also leave out spoilers, which is good because you should fill in the holes when you go see it!The film opens by paying homage to the original. Spliced in scenes from Tobe Hooper's classic set us up for the film to come. Side note: <more> You have to understand, this is a DIRECT SEQUEL to the original. It doesn't begin following 1990's Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, It has NOTHING to do with 1994's atrocity starring Renee Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey we won't speak its name , it doesn't follow anywhere in the timeline of the 2003 Marcus Nispel franchise reboot starring Jessica Biel or its 2006 prequel, nor is it a standalone remake
it's a sequel. A true sequel. 1986 brought us The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, a hokey, over-the-top 80's slasher that was more comical than it was scary. Though it's a fun movie viewing experience, especially for us hardcore fans, it's not the gritty, no holds barred sequel that the original deserved. Texas Chainsaw 3D is. From the stock footage, we cut not to modern day, but the same day in '74 after Sally has escaped the clutches of the insidious Sawyer family and has gone for help. We see the sheriff and townspeople descend upon the Sawyer house, at which point we're provided a couple awesome cameos from Chainsaw films past, with more to come throughout. Essentially, they shoot and torch the Sawyer clan
..almost entirely. Now we cut to modern day! From here, the focus turns to a young woman who's just received a communication that she's inherited a house from a grandmother she never knew she had. Thus begins the road trip to Texas to claim the rights to the property. Horror ensues. From here, the movie takes the fairly typical turn of events
people in their 20's start getting picked off one by one by masked villain. Of course, it's different because we're talking about Leatherface! He's there in all of his flesh-wearing, chainsaw-wielding glory. I'll give it a gore level of 7/10. We certainly could have used more kills
always can, but the ones we did get were bloody and fun this is why we enjoy the genre, right? . Plus, we have to keep in mind that, despite the misconceptions surrounding the original's gore level, only one victim died by the saw. The film's overall tone is dark
good cinematography and an appropriate score lend to that. The acting is
well it's a horror movie, folks! No one's walking away with an Oscar nomination. The cast did do a respectable job, including star Alexandra Daddario, but especially Leatherface newcomer Dan Yeager. Pulling off decent acting chops without dialog or the use of your facial expressions is no simple feat. He does so splendidly. The end of the film provides a nice twist
what did you expect, it's a Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures production, the same companies that brought us the Saw franchise
of course there's a plot twist! A good one. One that I knew was coming, was unsure of my feelings toward, but ended up loving.The film accomplished many things in my eyes, but most of all, it's provided a valid outlet for the franchise to live on. Aside from Dracula/vampire movies Twilight doesn't count, people , at 38 years strong, this is the oldest, active horror franchise today. Another accomplishment of this installment is the humanizing of Leatherface. The 2003 and 2006 movies made him more mythical than human
WAY over-the-top. I won't deny a couple plot holes. I won't deny that things I would have liked to have seen weren't included and vice versa, but it was truly good and for a fan of the franchise, a masterpiece of cinema as much as horror allows for . Go see it, but REALLY know the storyline of the original first. If you go in having only seen Jessica Biel run half topless through a slaughterhouse and it enjoyed it , this might not be for you. As for the 3D, use your discretion. If you like the novelty, go for it. If you could care less, save the extra $2. Oh, and stay after the credits for a little treat
I was the ONLY person in my prescreening that stayed. Idiot teenagers. Enjoy! <less> |
