Other reviews:
” …mind-blowingly violent, taking goriness to new levels. In total fairness, the movie’s “kill scenes” are exceptionally well done. A scene where Melody gets trapped in a house’s crawlspace and another where Leatherface corners a bunch of people inside a bus are effectively horrific, suggesting that this could have been a very solid TCM sequel if the story wasn’t so lame.” 1.5/4, The Aisle Seat
“As long as one doesn’t think too hard about what it’s boldly trying to say about gun violence and Jamie Lee Curtis’ favorite word trauma, Texas Chainsaw Massacre works like a trusty power tool on a visceral level […] It takes chances and somehow makes a wildly bloody good time out of more chainsaw-massacre gnarliness.” Grade B The Artful Critic
” …the furthest any filmmaker has strayed from what made the original so timelessly terrifying—the way it barely seemed to function like a “normal” movie, especially in the spiraling, plotless panic of its hysterical final stretch. This time around, Leatherface is just a run-of-the-mill bogeyman, slaughtering a new generation of lambs for the sins of our age. It’s a sequel as pretentious as its chainsaw fodder: an act of genre gentrification.” Rating D+, AV Club
“With insanely cool kills and quite a unique looking Leatherface in terms of his makeup design, this version feels fresh and yet keeps that original simplicity without complicating matters. Characters have been written for slaughter only with dialogue, arcs and more thrown in the trash. I can’t imagine there was a script for this flick as you could have characters completely ad-libbing from start to finish and we wouldn’t have known the wiser.” Back to the Movies
“Every single one of the influences is insufferable except Melody, played by Sarah Yarkin […] Subplots are cast aside; Sally is basically an afterthought that is relegated to the sidelines until the last 20 minutes of the film […] Leatherface, played by Mark Burnham this go around, is menacing and does murder people in vicious and bloodthirsty ways at points.” 1/10 Bleeding Cool
“If you’re hoping for some semblance of continuity or a proper character reunion among horror giants, well, you’ll likely come away as wrathful as Leatherface. Anything related to the characters outside of Leatherface is perplexing and often groan-worthy, right through to the credits […]But if all you want is a complete slasher bloodbath with some gnarly kills, Texas Chainsaw Massacre more than delivers.” Bloody Disgusting
“While you certainly get a massacre for your Netflix subscription, Texas Chainsaw Massacre doesn’t really offer much else. While mimicking the likes of Blumhouses’ new Halloween films and the latest Scream requel, it fails to create much depth and spend time building these characters up so that connection between past and present becomes something an audience can invest in.” Bloody Flicks
“The concept of a direct sequel to the 1974 effort has potential, but Texas Chainsaw Massacre doesn’t do anything substantial with it, merely setting up new characters for slicing and dicing […] There’s a push to welcome younger audiences into the world of Leatherface, with producers hoping to revive the brand name while giving fans the cheap thrill of Sally’s return, but creative ambition is extraordinarily limited in Texas Chainsaw Massacre…” Blu-ray.com
“It is a trainwreck. The amount of horror clichés used is laughable. I could almost correctly guess what would come next with each scene. Texas Chainsaw Massacre doesn’t try to reinvent the slasher wheel. It decides real quick to keep up the blood and gore, while not caring about the story.” Grade B, Bulletproof Action
“For a film with 50 years of history and a lot of reboots, remakes, prequel fatigue, Texas Chainsaw Massacre had a lot stacked against it. For the most part, it does a great job of standing apart from the crowded franchise while still holding onto the grimey magic that makes it a horror favorite. Ultimately, this is Leatherface’s movie.” 6/10, Buy Why Tho?
“There are so many films in this franchise that feel like a slog to sit through but this edition makes choices and goes places one never quite would expect. Is Texas Chainsaw Massacre good? No. Is Texas Chainsaw Massacre entertaining? Yes. The film might not be consistent or a technical masterpiece at least isn’t boring.” Buttered Popcorn
“Fouéré really only has about ten minutes of screen-time here (maybe even less), and I just couldn’t help but wonder what the point of this whole movie was by the time the end credits rolled […] This movie is a dishearteningly lazy legacy sequel that has no reason to exist and serves as a painful reminder that this franchise should’ve stayed buried.” Rating D, Caillou Pettis Movie Reviews
” …it feels so much like the script built the plot around the kills rather than vice versa. So Sally Hardesty lived near Leatherface for fifty years and didn’t know? She came to confront Leatherface with nothing but a shotgun? What did Lila’s flashbacks to the school shooting mean, if anything? Guns good? Guns bad? Guns meh? […] It’s gore and bore as Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a lousy legacy sequel…” Cinema Crazed
” …distinguishable characters, grisly kills, a setup with enough substance to bring those things together, and a Final Girl faceoff 50 years in the making regardless of its underwhelming outcome. Those are the top priorities for any slasher sequel to home in on, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre does exactly that and does it with style.” 75/100 Culture Crypt
” …I was genuinely surprised by this iteration of Leatherface and I enjoyed how truly scary but also empathetic the character was at times. But the reemergence of Sally Hardesty in this newest Texas Chainsaw is truly a waste, which is the biggest sin committed by the “requel.” 3/5 Daily Dead
“Many horror movies are full of tropes, yet they persist because they are executed well and include engaging characters. Unfortunately, you won’t find any of that here. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022 is another casualty of turning an already established story into a nostalgia cash cow. The real horror here is the modernizing of the content by merging social media, social issues, and Twitter buzz words in a careless fashion that makes it hard to latch onto anything substantial.” Deadline
“The movie aims for the same culture clash between city people and the country folk, but it’s all surface level and doesn’t really have anything to say. However, it’s undeniably fun to see Leatherface unleashed again and in terms of being an effective and bloody horror ride, there’s a lot to enjoy in Texas Chainsaw Massacre if you’ve got a strong enough stomach […] we’ve seen far worse Texas Chainsaw sequels.” 3/5, Digital Spy
“The respect and reverence paid towards Hooper’s classic begins and ends with its iconography and they can’t even get that right, with a ridiculous new Leatherface that might be the least scary the franchise has ever seen […] Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the very worst mainstream horror films to be released in quite some time.” 1/5 Discussing Film
“Burnham is a menacing figure, and the film’s sound design smartly captures his imposing presence with creaking floorboards while cinematographer Ricardo Diaz finds an arguable beauty in setting the grisly killer against sun-dappled sunflowers and neon lighting […] Texas Chainsaw Massacre probably won’t bring new fans into the fold, but it’s easily the best of the franchise offerings since Marcus Nispel’s grim and grisly 2003 reboot.” Film School Rejects
“It makes no sense why, when and where characters are alerted to others’ deaths and resurrections […] Even more appalling, the kills are lackluster, far removed from the clever tension builds and atmospheric dread of Hooper’s feature. The ruthless carnival-like murdering of a bus full of trapped, obnoxious, ignoramus influencers should be brighter, campier and sillier, rather than the cringe-worthy spectacle it is.” Grade: D-, Fresh Fiction
“In a breathlessly brutal 83-minute runtime, there’s little time for thinking, probably for the best, given the thinness of the material and some of the mistakes made within it, but first-time director David Blue Garcia finds ample time for suspense, making the most of his unique location and milking just about enough seat-edge frights from the reheated ingredients.” 3/5, The Guardian
“I find it more funny (in a sad way) than remotely scary. There’s even a scene where Leatherface leaps in a way that makes it look like he trained at SeaWorld […] The story is rushed and we never really get to know these characters, which could (possibly!) have improved the overall experience […] reviews are embargoed until one minute after its release on Netflix. Mainly because it just is not good.” 2/5, Heaven of Horror
” …2003’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre does “dark and gritty” better. Almost every other entry that features a freakshow family affair proves why Leatherface needs his Sawyers or Hewitts […] Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a sloppy and gratuitous killing spree with standout deaths but a poorly written story that ruins the experience.” 5/10, IGN
“While the stories don’t really balance well, what hurts the film the most is how I don’t care nor root for any of the characters. They do create an interesting moral shade of grey in how a situation leads to Leatherface coming out, I did like that, but in the first act the group are unlikable, and while one is giving a brief (in a few flashbacks) backstory of surviving a mass shooting, there’s not much else depth to the rest. The final act also felt overlong…” 1.5/5, Irish Cinephile
” …this new Chainsaw is moderately more socially conscious and decidedly gorier than the original, to which it purports being a direct sequel. This one is better than most of the franchise’s other entries in the way that getting a hand sawn-off is better than losing a leg. So barely, but the bar is so low that those looking to have a dumb good time watching dismemberment could do far worse.” Jezebel
“The writers here understood the assignment. They truly work their magic in resurrecting one of the greatest horror icons of all time […] With fast-paced chase scenes, gore galore, and an impressively-scripted take on trauma, Texas Chainsaw Massacre is an early contender for one of the best horror films of the year.” 4.5/5, Josh at the Movies
” …the kids are annoying as sh*t, so it’s a little difficult to sit through […] Anyway, the saving grace is the kills. They are awesome so have fun with them. Practical effects are honestly great and the movie’s deaths are just horrendously gnarly […] otherwise uninteresting and, in some ways, boring. The cash grab attempt, specifically, is quite blatant.” 1.5/5, Leisure Byte
” …Texas Chainsaw Massacre is mainly working on a level of horror that’s more entertaining than one might expect. Performances are generally solid, with Yarkin and especially Fisher making for an unusual dynamic duo and character actress Fouéré stepping in nicely for Burns […] Burnham plays Leatherface with the brute force required and manages to convey some of the emotions tacked on.” The MN Movie Man
” …Texas Chainsaw Massacre aims its sights at both America’s conservative gun-lovers and its equally annoying if less threatening liberal wing. Leatherface is indiscriminate in his politics, and it’s a guilty pleasure watching his saw tear through members of both irritating factions.”3/5, The Movie Waffler
” …one of the bloodiest versions of Leatherface in years, with some of the most relentless kills put into this world, with one particular chaotic sequence sticking out more than any other. Bringing the action back to the original small town, being miles from any other, will help show how he has been hidden for so long, but otherwise, the chaos brutality of this movie is what will make you come back.” 3/5, Movies Review 101
“Initially, I was skeptical of how the story would integrate not only the topic of gentrification but also millennial culture without making the storyline and dialogue cringe-worthy. But for the most part, director David Blue Garcia and writers Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues succeeded […] If you can temper your expectations and go in with the mindset to have fun and be scared, then you’ll have a blast.” Nightmarish Conjurings
” …running a scant 74-minutes leaves very little time for thinking or trying to compartmentalize how a bus full of potential investors ended up in Harlow or think it makes sense as a viable business opportunity (it does, apparently, leave enough time to rack up a series high body count). What matters is the gnarly slayings and the ingenuity with which Leatherface decides to off his victims.” Grade B, The Only Critic
” …Texas Chainsaw Massacre is not that bad, and has many Easter Eggs for fans of the franchise. However, that is more of a sentiment on how bad the franchise has been vs. how good Texas Chainsaw Massacre is. If you’re in the mood for death and destruction with very little suspense, this one is for you.” 2/5 Punch Drunk Critics
” …subtlety isn’t exactly the first word that springs to mind upon watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre, so it’s probably best to align all expectations with that. However, despite the issues I did take with the film, no one can argue that the sheer amount of kills and action in such a very tidy runtime does even the poorest writing a lot of favors.” 3/5 Ready Steady Cut
” …to take a movie that was understated in its violence yet still scary, and negate the latter by ramping up the former…well, it all amounts to a big, sad heap of nothing burgers. There’s little atmosphere, nobody, save for the shooting victim and her sister evoke even a scintilla of sympathy, the dialogue, rather than to round out characters, is there to enforce caricatures.” 1/5 Really Awful Movies
” …nothing horror fans have not seen before: a girl hiding under a bed while a mindless killer stalks the halls, the ominous whirring of a chainsaw prior to a bloodbath, and horror implausibilities that are frankly glaring plot holes […] Texas Chainsaw Massacre is yet another exhausting, unoriginal requel in a long list of franchise entries…” Screen Rant
” …not the worst movie ever, heck, it’s not even the worst Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel, as while it fails on the plot level, it’s at least tensely directed, the kill scenes are all well put together and show some creativity, and the film certainly doesn’t shy away from blood and guts.” Search My Trash
“Texas Chainsaw Massacre abandons the campy tone that the majority of the sequels embrace. Rather, it returns to a darker and more serious tone, although lacks the innate visual grittiness of its predecessor. However, it often tries too hard to incorporate far too many pieces of social commentary that feel crossed, confused, and out of place […] a nonsensical nightmare that’s so frustrating because it had so much potential.” Showbiz Cheat Sheet
” …the filmmakers have so thoroughly stacked the deck against their characters by painting them simultaneously as naïve idealists, ruthless capitalists, gun-hating liberals, and image-obsessed phonies that it’s difficult to imagine that anyone like this actually exists. Though it attempts to strike a blow against the wokerati, Texas Chainsaw Massacre ultimately does little more than hack up a bunch of strawmen.” 1/4 Slant
“Barely has a plot, the characters are stock, and much of what happens is unintentionally hilarious. However, it’s not long, the pace is quick, and buckets of blood are spilt along the way. Supposedly a direct sequel to the original, but the ties are extremely weak.” Splatter Critic
“You can’t watch this and not think of Halloween Kills, release one year before, in the relentless and prolific ways Leatherface murders. The script has an abundance of potential victims; probably too many for the story to make sense, but what an opportunity for mayhem this is! We get the biggest bloodbath yet.” Tales of Terror
“Yes, the build-up to the reveal of the older Leatherface was great. And the kills were inventive and gruesome and bloody. The inclusion of the character of Sally from the original film was a nice touch too. Similar to bringing back Sydney Prescott or Laurie Strode it’s a nice call back to the original. But here I just didn’t buy her character development at all.” Trailer Trashed
“…manages to carve out the scanty running time of 82 minutes only because there isn’t much to it. It’s set in the present day, 50 years after the original, which means that Leatherface must be pushing 70 (in his freshly cut mask of human skin, he doesn’t look a day over 65), but it would be generous to call the film a continuation of the Chainsaw saga. It’s more like a blood-soaked but unscary footnote.” Variety
Release date:
Texas Chainsaw Massacre is available for streaming on Netflix this Friday 18th February.
Here’s our previous coverage of the movie:
Meanwhile, co-producer Fede Álvarez recently explained the premise of the film and Old Man Leatherface’s role to Entertainment Weekly:
“It’s basically the same character, who is still alive. Our take on it was this guy probably disappeared after everything he’s done. You know, how do you catch a guy who has a mask? Once he removes the mask and runs away, it’s very easy for him to hide somewhere. This story will pick it up many, many years after the original story. He’s been in hiding for a long, long time, trying to be a good person.”
It was previously reported that “The movie takes place years after the shocking events of the original, in a setting where Leatherface hasn’t been seen or heard from since. The film seeks to pick up where the Hooper and Kim Henkel film initially left off, bringing the most notorious horror franchise back to life in the same bold and provocative manner that it was first introduced to the world.”
The following synopsis has now been released:
“After nearly fifty years of hiding, Leatherface returns to terrorize a group of idealistic young friends who accidentally disrupt his carefully shielded world in a remote Texas town.”
“Melody (Sarah Yarkin), her teenage sister Lila (Elsie Fisher), and their friends Dante (Jacob Latimore) and Ruth (Nell Hudson), head to the remote town of Harlow, Texas to start an idealistic new business venture. But their dream soon turns into a waking nightmare when they accidentally disrupt the home of Leatherface, the deranged serial killer whose blood-soaked legacy continues to haunt the area’s residents — including Sally Hardesty (Olwen Fouéré), the sole survivor of his infamous 1973 massacre who’s hell-bent on seeking revenge.”
Before that, Legendary Pictures revealed a teaser poster for its Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie which they partnered with Fede Álvarez and Rodolfo Sayague’s Bad Hombre Films banner, to produce. Fede Álvarez, is, of course, the director of the splendid Evil Dead (2013) remake and the freakishly enjoyable Don’t Breathe (2016).
We also reported that prior to the release of lacklustre prequel Leatherface (2017), the rights to the franchise apparently returned to Kim Henkel, the writer and producer on the seminal 1974 gritty classic. It must be remembered that this is the same man that gave us Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994), a conspiracy-filled, cross-dresser mess that almost no one has a good word for except a few people that want to draw attention to themselves for being contrary.
That said, Henkel (and the late Tobe Hooper) were executive producers on the pretty effective Platinum Dunes Marcus Nispel directed 2003 remake, so maybe Henkel’s name on the new project is just a contractual obligation?
And, who knows, with the right ingredients a new Texas Chainsaw stew might work? It surely can’t be any worse than Texas Chainsaw 3D, right?
Previous Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies
Cast and characters:
Sarah Yarkin … Melody
Elsie Fisher … Lila
Mark Burnham … Leatherface
Jacob Latimore … Dante
Moe Dunford … Richter
Olwen Fouéré … Sally Hardesty
Jessica Allain … Catherine
Nell Hudson … Ruth
Alice Krige … Mrs Mc
William Hope … Sheriff
Jolyon Coy … Deputy
Sam Douglas … Herb the Proprietor
John Larroquette … Narrator (voice)
Filming locations:
Shot in Bulgaria in 2020.
Technical details:
1 hour 23 minutes
Fun facts:
The movie ends with a post-credits scene.
Trailer:
Teaser trailer:
Ending explained:
