- #TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE 3D MOVIE#
- #TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE 3D SERIAL#
- #TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE 3D SERIES#
On paper, Texas Chainsaw 3D is an interesting idea but the execution of the film falls short in nearly every way imaginable. Luessenhop's movie dedicates too much time to a messy character story without enough worthwhile payoff to be a fun (albeit brainless) slasher film. The 3D is so exaggerated in those chainsaw shots that a distracting amount of ghosting was also present in the image (think Clash of the Titans). The remainder of the film hardly takes advantage of the increased depth with only a pair of off-putting (and downright uncomfortable) chainsaw in your face shots. The most interesting implementation of the format comes during the opening prologue - with post-converted Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) footage. Surprisingly, the worst choice in Texas Chainsaw 3D is the use of 3D filmmaking. Nevertheless, the film rarely says anything profound with its central characters or twisted morality and, as a result, spends way too much time meandering from one plot beat to the next without successfully setting the stage for tension-filled Leatherface encounters and fright-inducing payoffs. Still, a shortage of graphic violence is not the movie's primary problem considering Texas Chainsaw 3D aims for a deeper than average slasher storyline. Horror fans who can look past the flat story and stiff performances will find a couple moments of gory chainsaw action but a few standout scenes of violence do not make up for the film's larger problems and lack of fresh terror (compared to modern genre offerings). The movie received an NC-17 rating in its initial submission to the MPAA, so it's possible that some of the best horror moments were left on the cutting room floor. The actual portrayal of Leatherface (played by Dan Yeager) is enjoyable and Daddario is a competent horror heroine but, given the challenging character-focused approach of Texas Chainsaw 3D, the supporting cast fails to keep things grounded - especially with on-the-nose exposition machines Mayor Hartman (Paul Rae) and Sheriff Hooper (Thom Barry). Nearly every cast member is an unlikable and hollow cliche accompanied with a bizarre (and story-serving) sense of right and wrong - each one driving toward twists and turns in the plot that audiences will see coming long ahead of their onscreen reveals. Numerous character choices fail to take into consideration the gravity of prior events in the plot and, as a result, come across as nothing more than unbelievable attempts to further a muddled concept.
For some films, humanizing an iconic antagonist can add new layers but, sadly, in the case of Texas Chainsaw 3D, an intimate exploration of Leatherface only confuses the primary movie story while at the same time undermining the power of the icon.Īt the outset, Texas Chainsaw 3D paints Leatherface and the extended Sawyer family (the murderous cannibals from the original) as semi-victims - resulting in a murky gray morality that plagues the entire film. Meaning, as a filmmaker tries to fit a well-known slasher killer into a believable or explainable framework they add context that subverts mystery and fright potential. Exploring the origins of an iconic slasher villain is always a risky proposition (just look at Jonathan Liebesman's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning) - since efforts to ground nightmarish characters in real world drama can also weaken the strength (and scare potential) of their persona.
#TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE 3D SERIAL#
Texas Chainsaw 3D enjoys short-term benefits from the overarching Leatherface mystery but its attempts to humanize the serial killer only diminish the effectiveness of the scares - convoluting the onscreen narrative beats while, as previously mentioned, compromising the larger character legacy. Has Luessenhop, with the help of 3D visuals, delivered a worthwhile Leatherface story with fresh scares in Texas Chainsaw 3D? This time around, director John Luessenhop ( Takers) hopes to shed light on the man behind the masks with a more personal Leatherface encounter - while also providing the same chainsaw-wielding terror that helped the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre launch the horror villain subgenre (long before Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger entered the scene).Īfter nearly forty years of terrorizing helpless teens onscreen, and in theaters, Leatherface remains one of the most recognizable slasher characters of all-time but few (if any) of the subsequent films featuring the horror icon have provided an experience as provocative or creepy as the original.
#TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE 3D SERIES#
Texas Chainsaw 3D is the latest attempt to revitalize the long-running Leatherface horror series - which already includes sequels, a remake, a reboot, and a prequel. Texas Chainsaw 3D is an interesting idea but the execution of the film falls short in nearly every way imaginable.