Review: Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

Imdb rate: 5,8
Genre: Slasher

I bought this movie so long ago, and I never got around watching it. I was convinced that I never saw the movie, but when watching, I figured that I already saw the movie, but probably a long time ago.

I must say that I was really disappointed when I watched this, I expected a lot more details about Leatherface himself, but all you get in this movie is a remake of the remake Texas Chainsaw Massacre. 

In August, 1939, a worker goes into labor while working in a slaughterhouse and dies after a complicated labor, though the deformed child survives. The orphaned baby is dumped in a garbage container and found by a beggar later, who brings him home. Along the years, the mentally retarded and disturbed boy called Thomas is raised by the Hewitt family in spite of having psychological problems as well as suffering from an unnamed skin disorder, later working in a meat packing plant. In July, 1969, when the facility is closed, the inhabitants move to other places, but the deformed, mentally childlike Thomas flies into a rage after being insulted and kills the foreman. His deranged brother (considered his uncle due to their age difference) executes the sheriff that is going to arrest Thomas, and assumes his identity, wearing his clothes, driving his car through the roads in Texas and entitling himself as Sheriff Hoyt. Meanwhile, the brother Eric and Dean are traveling in a Jeep with their girlfriends Christie and Bailey, Eric to serve in Vietnam and Dean escaping to Mexico. When the group has a car accident, Hoyt arrests Eric, Dean and Bailey and brings them to his house. Christie follows them trying to rescue the trio, trapped in the house of sadistic and insane cannibals, in a trip of horror and gore.

What I really disliked about this movie was the fact that it was exactly the same as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I learned nothing new about Leatherface, what seems to me what the movie should have been about. Yes, I now know that he is called Leatherface, because he cuts peoples skin of and puts them on like a mask. I also now know that his Uncle Monty lost his legs because of Leatherface. And, what I also now know is why Sheriff Hoyt lost his tooth. Yay. These are not even interesting things to know. Maybe for the part why he is called Leatherface, that is slightly interesting if you're not familiar with the story already. But the other facts are quite useless. What this movie seems to be about is how Sheriff Hoyt became the maniac he is, which isn't anything interesting to be honest. What I want to see in a 'beginning' movie is why Leatherface became like this. There is shown something about it, but it's absolutely not satisfying. 

I have to say that the acting is quite good in this movie, but in my opinion they could have made so much more out of this movie. It's exactly like the original, only with different people and a few years earlier. I heard a lot people saying that if you've seen Texas Chainsaw 3D, that a lot of this movie became clear. But I haven't seen it yet, so if that's true I will absolutely mention it in the review for that movie. 

There were a lot of things that bothered me while watching this movie. I know that it's the horror cliche, but I never understand the reactions of humans. When you see those nasty and sick things happen to your friends, you're not going to try and safe any other friend. What every human would do is run, besides in a horror movie. When something like this happens, and you have all the room to run, would you really go upstairs? To the place where all the sick twisted minds are together? Of course you do, because you're a hero! What happens after that is kinda obvious. Another things was that one guy couldn't run the whole movie, he even broke his ankle (that's what I'm assuming) from a bear claw, but in the end, the boy can run like the devil! Not really believable huh? And, he police man that went missing. Nobody went searching for them, or course. Leatherface is a huge big ass dude, but he runs like Road Runner, can hide himself in backseats of a car, and has the stealth of a ninja. Too bad.

As I said, it's the horror cliche. And this cliche will never go out of fashion, but that doesn't make it less bothering. 

I honestly think that this movie could have been great, but some points need a lot of rethinking. Like the title for example. 

The acting is good, the sound effect are reasonable, the blood and gore is immense, but the script is terrible. I am looking forward to see Texas Chainsaw 3D though, and I'm truly hoping that they didn't mess that one up.

If you can enjoy a slaughtering movie, you will definitely like this. Even when you're a fan of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. But please do not expect anything of a beginning of Leatherface, because that will be a big disappointment. 

My personal rate: 5/10