THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
THE BEGINNING

"It's just like cutting up cattle"

1968, brothers Dean (Handley) and Eric (Bomer) plan to enjoy a last road trip before they head off to war in Vietnam. Driving with their girlfriends Chrissie (Brewster) and Bailey (Baird), the couples a travel through a desolate part of Texas only to become involved in a traffic accident. When Sheriff Hoyt (Ermey) turns up on the scene they think they are about to receive help but he only introduces them to his family and a young man who is about to start a killing spree.

Every story has a beginning and what happen in Texas in 1968 would start one of the most notorious killing sprees in movie history but do we want to watch it?

Even though it was an unnecessary remake of a horror classic, the 2003 version of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' did extremely well at the box office, so a sequel was inevitable but producer Michael Bay wanted to tell the story of how Leatherface picked up the chainsaw. The problem is and this is the problem with all prequels is that you know what is coming.

Because we have seen the events of the original movie, we know that Leatherface, Sheriff Hoyt and the rest of the bizarre Hewitt family will all survive this movie and their first victims of the bloody massacre stand no chance of surviving. So you will end up asking yourself 'what is the point?' As you already know that none of the family die, any hope you might have for the two couples is extremely misjudged, meaning there is absolutely no point to the movie other than to reveal how Leatherface picked up his chainsaw and how Sheriff Hoyt came to be. This isn't reason enough to basically remake the original film. Why isn't there a bigger origin story that reveals more about Leatherface as a child? Why don't we know more about the why the Hewitt family turned to cannibalism? The questions keep coming but the film doesn't provide any answers.

The prequel is also sadly lacking in its gore quota as well. When your protagonist loves to carve people up to make masks from their skin and his weapon of choice is a chainsaw you'd be right to be hoping for a huge amount of blood, violence and gore. Director Jonathan Liebesman and his creative team decided to shroud the film in darkness, constantly move the camera, use close ups and pan away when the gore starts to get to the levels you want it to.

'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning' is a completely pointless prequel. Even though the performances from the cast are fine, especially Jordana Brewster who should use this as vehicle to advance her career, it is the storyline and the way that is shot that completely slaughters any horror potential that the 2003 remake created. If you are craving some blood and gore you will be left needing a transplant.