“We ain’t ever gonna go hungry again.” That’s what self-proclaimed “Sheriff” Hoyt (R. Lee Ermey) announced as he passed around the cooked remains of the last legitimate police officer in his town.
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” was a gruesomely thrilling film that served as a prequel to the 2003 remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” It differed from the 2003 production in that it showed the origins of the twisted Hewitt Family and their adopted son, Thomas (Andrew Bryniarski).
As the government closed the meat factory, the Hewitt Family faced unemployment and starvation as their town lost its last lucrative business. Thomas, who already had an awful childhood due to his diseased face, released his anger on the world around him when he was laid off from his job as a butcher.
As the Hewitt Family consolidated their frightening power in a town seen as dead by the rest of the nation, two young men and their girlfriends were passing by on their way to a military center in response to the draft during the Vietnam War. After suffering a serious car accident, the four kids were picked up by the coercive Hoyt and hauled off to the frightening Hewitt home, where they would face unspeakable horrors and struggle for their lives.
So, is this movie just another one of those mindless hack-and-slash horror films? Absolutely not. “The Beginning” features spectacular acting, a fresh storyline and plenty of gore effects to keep you on the edge of your seat.
I couldn’t help but grow attached to the refreshing personalities of the four victims, and I cringed when I saw them in anguish. Their genuine acting did an excellent job of giving me insight into the emotions they were trying to convey. I felt like I could understand their pain, fright and suffering from my sweat-drenched seat. Ermey, on the other hand, did an outstanding job portraying such a despicable man who controlled the fearsome “Leatherface.”
“The Beginning” answered many questions that I had from the 2003 TCM.
I found out that there is much more to Thomas Hewitt’s past than I assumed. It’s important to clarify that this movie delivers the “why?” In other words, it gives the causes and reasons for why the Hewitt Family started committing these heinous acts; whereas the 2003 TCM only really showed the “how?” (In terms of bloodshed, of course).
And, as expected, “The Beginning” stayed true to the bloody and suspenseful nature of its predecessor, while also surpassing it on a whole new level.
This serves as a warning to those who can’t handle blood in movies, because there’s a whole lot more blood and gore this time around. As for me, I was delighted by the realistic sounds and effects throughout this tense movie.
One thing that bothered me about this film was that I knew exactly what to expect because I saw the first one in 2003. I’m not going to spoil anything for anyone, but if you saw the 2003 TCM, then there is practically no point in seeing “The Beginning” other than to find answers to questions or for the simple gratification of seeing a horror flick. I might even say that it would have been better to reverse the order of release for the two TCM movies.
Overall, I found this film to be very entertaining. From the shocking gore effects to the twisted personalities of the Hewitt Family, I can guarantee that these are just some of the aspects of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” that will keep your heart racing until the very end.
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