The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
This weekend one of my most anticipated movies hit the big screen and I was there, front and center to welcome it. Of course, I speak of The Texas
Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. This movie is a prequel to all the
previous Chainsaw movies. In The Beginning, we learn how Leatherface came
into the world as a deformed and 'misunderstood' child. We see how he grew
into the monster that became one of the scariest killers in film. We also
see how his family went from poor factory workers to heartless cannibals. Bascially, in The Beginning, we finally learn 'why.'
The Beginning is very much filmed in the manner of the early originals. The
film quality doesn't have the shininess that has come to be expected of
modern horror movies. The camera in action scenes is sometimes moved so
quickly that you can't quite make out what is happening, which only adds to
your fright ad expectation. Keeping in typical form, as well, you never
quite see Leatherface without his mask. Instead you are left to your own
imagination which is both exciting and frustrating. As a fan, I must say it
was great to see this series return to it's almost B-movie roots. Though I
liked the remake that came out a few years ago, it certainly had a lot of
modern aspects that just didn't feel 'true.' But in The Beginning,
everything felt true, pure and right.
Though i truly enjoyed the movie, I think I would have liked a bit more
movie time devoted to Leatherface's upbringing. Instead, the period of his
birth up to age 30 is told during the opening credits and is mostly small
clips, newpaper article clippings and shots of dead, mutilated animals. We,
the fans, already know what he became, we already knew how he killed and
what he did with the body. What we didn't know is how it all started. The
Beginning told that story, but instead of really focusing on the beginning,
I felt they mostly focused on the middle. It felt like a quick, opening
clips of a deformed kid who is a bit crazy, hurts animals, hurts himself,
has a crazy family and then suddenly, he is 30 and goes a bit mental after
losing his job. I think an improvement would have been to spend a good
portion, maybe half, of the movie actually showing Leatherfaces childhood. We are shown pictures of his destruction and told of how he was teased, but
we never really see it. Sure it was probably done to keep the mystery and
allow the fan to fill in the blanks, but don't tell me you will tell me what
you don't really tell me. If it is the beginning, I want childhood,
puberty, young adulthood. Otherwise, it is the middle and 'let the killing
begin.'
As a fan, I would have to give The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning a
grade of B.
Grade breakdown as follows:
Story: B-. Good story, followed (or is it lead up to since it is a
prequel?) the theme of the originals, but as I mentioned, more 'middle' than
'beginning.'
Acting: B. Sherif Hoyt, oh how I love thee. Creepy, gross and a downright
horrible human being - excellent acting. Leatherface, nice chainsaw
welding. Everyone else? It is a horror movie. Scream, run, fall down,
die. Not much acting skill required, but they did it nicely all the same.
Visuals: A-. Returned to the grittiness of the original, which, again as a
true fan, was excellent to see. Thank you!
Originality/Innovation: B. Same story as always with Chainsaw movies, but
still worth a solid B.
Enjoyability grade: A. I jumped. I got grossed out. I yelled at the
screen. I even screamed out loud. What more do you want from a horror
flick?!
Overall grade: B. Worth a watch for the fan or beginner.
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