This is a solid outing in the franchise. Though you can't feel the heat or smell the sets like the original, it's still an entertaining watch. It's so nihilistic and brutal, following a very similar pattern to the original as you would expect but it does so in an engaging way due to some added twists throughout that deviate from the previous four films. It really knows that it cannot replicate the style of the original so it provides a fresh look along with some decent improvements over the original whilst maintaining a solid standard of filmmaking throughout. The opening & ending crime scene bit works very well as it manages to spook me a little. Decent performances all around but R. Lee Ermey is undoubtedly the best part of this film. His character is written in such a way that some dark comedy is weaved into his dialogue and he delightfully comes off as unhinged and unpredictable. Also the scene where the fingernails breaking off in the basement wall really got to me.
This is significantly better than it has any reason or right to be. Gorgeous cinematography, attention to details (I loved the Eric Balfour face mask), somewhat believable characters, and a nice sense of dread. Looks like the makers have taken the time to assimilate lessons from countless worthless remakes, and striven to come up with something of value rather than another cash grab. There's a loving homage to great (horror) movies, but with a contemporary sensibility.
Full disclosure: the original TCM didn't really work for me. I've watched and appreciated many horror movies, but for some reason that one didn't click (same with Cannibal Holocaust, of which the most horrific scene is the one with the turtle, but that's another story). This here version however got me more involved.
Which is saying something, because I found even The Pact boring, whereas countless fans go on about how great it is (don't get me started on Begotten). Tetsuo the Iron Man was fun, though, in an artsy way. But I digress.
Anyway -- this is a good/great version, the main and secondary characters are well fleshed out (if not believable), and of course Jessica Biel in a wet shirt is all we can ask for, can't we ?
Marcus, you did good on that one.
haven't seen the original but i liked this. it's such a trip to revisit movies from this era though, i'm glad we've moved on from girls being naked or in wet clothes as a plot device. mostly. (jessica biel did look real good tho.)
I think this is one of the best modern horror remakes. The original is perfect and will always be there but this remake also stands the test of time among the other awful remakes out there.
I watched the original 1974, and this remake back to back. I know everyone likes the originals but this remake is the best of the entire franchise in my opinion. Brilliant acting, cinematography and the most terrifying Leatherface.
A great modern, solid, horror movie remake. If not the best remake of any of the classic horror films.
The orginal is better but this isn’t terrible. Jessica Biel was good and nice to look at.
I liked the original and I like this remake.
Gritty and terrifying, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is an impressive remake that equals the original. When a hitchhiker commits suicide in the van of a group of college kids traveling through Texas, they end up stranded and are hunted by a psychopathic family intent on mayhem. Starring Jessica Biel, R. Lee Ermey, and Eric Balfour, the film has a solid cast. Additionally, the chases are incredibly suspenseful and intense. However, the violence is overly graphic and the visual style is a bit grimy. While the gratuity gets a little out of hand at times, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is still a captivating and chilling horror film.
I've been watching these for the first time and after the absurdity of the second in the series and the travesty that was the fourth film, I didn't have high hopes for this one. However, this somewhat loose remake of the original actually isn't all that bad. More of exactly what you'd expect in this kind of film.and less crazy nonsense.
I had to give this one a pretty high rating just because it's in my own backyard in central Texas. I've taken plenty of pictures of both the "Cele Store" (where the initially stop and the old woman calls the sheriff); also taken plenty of photos of "the old Crawford Mill" along with the house itself where the family lived. (Always thought it was amusing how they edited the old mill and the house to look like they're walking distance apart; in reality, they're in the same county, but MILES apart.) In addition to being in my own neighborhood, I thought the acting, the violence, and the overall "fear factor" was just all-around better in this reboot. Plus, R. Lee Ermey as the sheriff...well, he was just sort of the icing on the cake, really. With a creepy chainsaw-wielding family around, you needed an equally creepy sheriff and he played it to the hilt. Great movie!
Most people love the classics, and love to slate remakes. I beg to differ with this one.. I found this was done outstandingly and that leather face was scarier than ever! This is my personal favourite in the TCM franchise. 1974 was good, I watched it back to back with this version.. but I can’t lie, I much preferred this one!
Somehow despite being a massive horror fan, I never watched this classic (well, this remake of the classic, anyway) until now and it's very easy to see what a monumental impact this movie had on the horror genre, even influencing pioneers like Wes Craven in his writing of The Hills Have Eyes and more recent favorites of mine like the Wrong Turn series.
Better than the original Movie but the hitchhiker from the first movie was insane good :)
EDIT: I would almost give this movie a 7/10 or something just slightly above what I gave it. Marcus Nispel gorgeously directed this movie. Really great work all around with the design and look of the feature.
Definitely some likable elements and it's worth a watch, but it loses some of the haunting atmosphere the original had. That's not to say there's isn't tension in this movie, as there is quite a bit, and it follows the same idea of a psychotic area of Texas, rather than just one killer. However, the tone and execution are completely different. If there's one thing I have to give credit to this movie over the original is the characters are a little more believable to me. While Marilyn Burns and crew were great fun to watch previously, their characters had the depth and intrigue of walking cardboard cut-outs. That was one of the only complaints I had with the original, but it didn't matter, because it's atmosphere and setting is what made up for it. This time around, the atmosphere is slightly lost, but the gore, scares, and character development is upped a lot. Here's how I envision both of these movies. The original is the nightmare retelling of what the events were like. The remake is like the archival footage. The original wasn't very realistic in it's presentation or execution, making the film looking like a re-enactment, which worked. But now, in an attempt to update, the remake looks like real events transpiring in real-time. You get what I mean?
Just like with the Nightmare remake, some clever character write-ins were a nice bonus and expansion on the original's story, but unlike the Nightmare reboot, I don't know if enough was done here to fully warrant a remake. I still like it and appreciate all it's glorious chainsaw showmanship, but I don't think it's as great as the original. Still very good.
Shout by SCORCHBlockedParent2014-10-21T23:07:57Z
And the oscar goes to...Jessica Biels