Without ever touching the genius of the original film, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” by David Blue Garcia is an uninhibited, trashy and enjoyable slasher. To discover on Netflix.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT ?
Melody, her teenage sister Lila, and their friends Dante and Ruth travel to the small town of Harlow, Texas to start a new business. But their dream soon turns into a waking nightmare when they unwittingly enter the world of Leatherface, the dangerous serial killer whose bloody legacy continues to haunt the locals. Among them, Sally Hardesty, sole survivor of the infamous 1973 massacre, and determined to take revenge.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, written by Chris Thomas Devlin and directed by David Blue Garcia.
WHO IS IT WITH?
This Chainsaw Massacre version 2022 follows two sisters who are about to live an absolute nightmare. One of them, Lila, is played by Elsie Fisher, revealed in Last year, a film for which she was nominated for the Golden Globes. Melody, the youngest, is played by Sarah Yarkin, who appeared in the series Motherland: Fort Salem.
Their two friends are played by Jacob Latimore, seen in Detroit by Kathryn Bigelow, and Nell Hudson from the series Outlander. Olwen Fouéré lends her features to the heroine of the first film, Sally. She appeared, among others, in This Must Be the Place with Sean Penn. Actress Alice Krige, the Borg queen in Star Trek: First Contact, also makes an appearance. Note that John Larroquette, who delivers the famous voice-over of the original feature film, is back in this new film.
WELL WORTH A LOOK ?
Who would’ve believed that ? After several attempts to resurrect Leatherface, the franchise Chainsaw Massacre returns more bloody and demented than ever. The consecutive failures of recent years let us fear the worst for this umpteenth film expected at the turn. However, this new version, necessarily modernized, delivers a generous and uninhibited carnage.
Despite all the goodwill in the world, it is impossible to reproduce the macabre magic of Tobe Hooper’s masterpiece. Producer Fede Álvarez – behind don’t breathe and the remake ofevil Dead – has understood this well and is betting on pure entertainment. The bias works. The film is short – only 1h15, not counting the credits – and does not linger on its story to get to the point.
netflix This new “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is the ninth film in the franchise.
The plot, which takes two lines, tells of the arrival of a group of influencers in a Texas ghost town. Their goal is to create a utopian environment to launch their activities. The idea is laughable, but already sets the stage for the arrival of an aging Leatherface who has put away his chainsaw.
After a brief introduction of the characters and the setting up of a few stakes, the massacre can begin. Hemoglobin lovers will be delighted: the film does not skimp on the blood and the bodies cut in two. The slasher offers uncompromising violence, almost cartoonish, and succeeds in its mission to create spectacular horror.
netflix
The film features a rather memorable bus scene.
One of the standout scenes takes place on a bus full of influencers. They throw a party inside until a surprise guest arrives. The future victims take out their mobile phones to film the one who is about to butcher them. Illustration of a clash of cultures and generations, the sequence continues, for several minutes, in a bloodbath – literally speaking.
This direct sequel – which ignores all previous installments – pays homage to the legacy of the first film with a few nods. Chainsaw Massacre is neither more nor less than a love letter to the 1974 classic. Well aware of not being able to compete, the film has fun with its legendary character and the viewer too.
Chainsaw Massacre is available on Netflix.