Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

Impresively taking "Texas Chainsaw" back to its roots, horror fans and cinema-goers alike should definitely give this prequel to the daring 2003 remake a chance. Although the remake in 2003 was excellent and had a tighter, more involving plot than this film, it breaks a barrier because rather than directly approaching the style of the remake and trying to live up to its success, this equally grisly thriller ignores all of the gloss, cinematography, pacing and story that it was inspired from. Instead, it goes back to the film style which made the nightmare in 1974, a more direct homage to the in your face horror that started it all.

This story is in 1963, right before the events of the 2003 film which took place in the early seventies. Jordana Brewster plays Chrissie, who is on a fun road-trip across Texas with her friends, Eric, Dean, and Bailey, played well off of each other by Matthew Bomer, Taylor Handley and Diora Baird.

Shortly after the terrifying, recognizable psycho Leatherface commits his first murders, a cross story involving an encounter with some nasty bikers throws the doomed teenagers flipping across the road in a surprisingly brutal accident.

After Sheriff Hoyt arrives (R. Lee Ermy in another chilling performance), to take control of the scene, the nightmare begins for Chrissie's friends as she watches them get taken away in his police car, unknowingly headed for the house which would become a place of torment and nightmares for years to ensue.

Appropriately gory and no-holds barred, Jonathan Liebesman creates a tight, slick and sadistic thriller in the eyes of Chrissie as she endlessly attempts to rescue her friends from a demented madman's clutches. This is a highly worthy and satisfying entry in the horror series that will make an indelible mark on your imagination, if not already done by the seemingly endless spew of remakes and graphic horror films.

Please don't get me wrong, this is a good horror film. To those looking for gore, it is there any there is plenty of blood shed. I would speculate several scenes have been cut to appease the mpaa. Had this film been release before Hostel, The Hills Have Eyes, or the Saw Franchise, more of the film would have ended up on the cutting room floor. The film is being advertised as it will show up how Tommy Hewitt became Leatherface. Anyone looking for any real discovery to this information will have to look somewhere else. Truthfully the only real incite into the Hewitt family origin is how a homicidal sexual deviant was able to become a Sheriff. Being a prequel, the lack of background information is, to say the least, disappointing.

I don't want to get into specifics, but there are several parts where the film feels as though it being recycled. Some scenes feel as if they were rehashed from other Chainsaw films, needless to say they did not live up. Add to this the typical slasher clichés (don't go upstairs/down to the basement, etc) and it only adds to the predictability.

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" is actually a rather enjoyable addition to this particular slasher franchise. Especially when taking into consideration the abysmal "Leatherface" movie that came afterwards.

The storyline in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" is actually interesting and proved to be so from the very beginning and up to the end. So writers Sheldon Turner and David J. Schow did manage to churn out a wholesome script and storyline here for this 2006 slasher. And today in 2022 was actually my second time to sit down and watch this particular movie in the ""The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" franchise.

Something that you might could have asked for here, was a more deviation from the usual routine that the franchise tends to apply for every single movie. But hey, there is something to be said for familiarity, eh?

They had a good cast ensemble put together for the movie. And while I am mostly unfamiliar with the majority of the cast ensemble for the movie, I will say that they put on good performances and carried the movie quite well. It was especially nice to see the likes of R. Lee Ermey in a movie such as this, and he was actually doing a spectacular job in bringing the Uncle Charlie Hewitt character to life.

For a seasoned horror fan and gorehound as myself then "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" actually did prove enjoyable, as there was enough gore and mayhem to satisfy my craving for the macabre. So that was a thumbs up for the movie.

Visually then "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" is good. There are lots of nice effects, which come of as being realistic and somewhat bloody and gory. Again, something that counted well in favor of the movie.

My rating of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" lands on a six out of ten stars.

I saw this when i was in L.A. screening my own horror short October 2006. It was at the Chinese theater, and i was so delighted that i'm still talking about it. I love the original and the remake, and i feel the same way with this one. It shows how f****d up things can get when you accidentally end up in places you shouldn't be. Ermey is a true horror star, and really shows of here. This is a very gory film, and those of you who can't watch much blood, stay away:) For those of you who can, come on in!!! :) When i watched it i almost felt that it might turn me off of making horror films, but the feeling of course came right back:) Leatherface shows no mercy! Just as us horror freaks like it. The thing that shocked me was that i heard that they cut 17 scenes to get it an R-rating? Then i'm thinking, i can't wait to see what they cut. Hopefully the DVD will show us the goods. This might sound dumb coming from a horror fan of a long time, but i hope they make another one:)

Personally, I can't stand horror films sometimes, but I love to watch them at the same time. I know that's ironic, but a good scare is in need once in awhile.

Now if you like gore, suspense, and intensity then this is the movie for you! The acting was great and I loved finally seeing how the family came about with their sickness for killing people.

The gore is so bad that a few girls at different times ran out of the theater about to throw up, but that's how you know that is a good movie. So I would definitely say go see Texas Chainsaw, but BE PREPARED for what you are going in for once you sit down in that dark theater!!!