Spooky Scary Horrorthons 3 - Film #3

Even though this remake has some similarities to the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" it goes down a different path and manages to separate itself from it's source material and become a very good film that can stand on it's own and adds plenty to the Texas Chainsaw mythos.

It starts with a narrated intro much like the original, and shows us the crime scene that will eventually unfold as the film goes on. This opening manages to lay down a creepy tone rather well and the rest of the film does manage to be rather unsettling, even though the setpieces seem a bit boring and bleak when compared to the bizarre, bright and bone riddled hellscapes that the original offered.

The cast in this version lf the story also has a different goal in mind with their roadtrip, going go a rock concert rather than a relative's (possibly plundered) grave. Jessica Biel does a tremendous job as the main protagonist, a women driven by a sense of justice and courage, something that contrasts well to the deranged law officer that terrorizes the group throughout the film. Biel carries the film very well with her performance, which is good since the other heroes of the film are rather dull. The deranged hillbilly family is also great, with Leatherface being the main star once again. While he is considerably less weird and unnerving here than in the original, he more than makes up for it with pure presence and intimidation.

The effects are pretty good with limbs being sawed off and skulls being smashed in, and much like the original the gory parts are not given too much attention but rather keeps it a decent level. There also some good disturbing moments here and there, such as when Leatherface assaults the main heroine while wearing the face of her deceased boyfriend. In general though this remake is far more of a highpaced slasher when compared to the original, especially in the later parts that becomes just a bit to hectic for my taste. It does however do a good job at being that type of film and provides plenty of intense chase scenes and creepy kills.

I do like the original more but that has more to do with the type of horror that is being served rather than the quality of the film itself. Despite a final act that could have been more stable and a group of heroes that just wasn't very interesting (Biel is the exception here) the 2003 remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is a good horror film that sets a pretty good example for what a horror remake should look like.