7/10
Grim and grimy remake ticks all the right boxes
9 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The cards were stacked against it from the start – remaking an acknowledged classic of the horror genre is definitely not a good idea, and what with this and DAWN OF THE DEAD remake, horror fans were heard to sigh and shake their heads around the globe. Yet, perhaps surprisingly, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the better remakes out there. In fact it's pretty darned good in places, concentrating on stark, graphic in-your-face horror throughout and building up a huge atmosphere full of disgust, loathing, and imminent death. The best thing about the film is how it conjures up the feeling that, out in the sticks, life is cheap - and tourists or trespassers have no hope whatsoever of coming out the other side. The plot has been changed enough from the original to seem fresh and invigorating, and begins in a splendidly horrible fashion with an in-your-face (and mouth) suicide and lots of grisly, effective shocks.

Leatherface is a deformed murderer this time around, but the sights within his lair will have any genre fan shivering with delight – this is a film where the gore (and there is extreme violence throughout) feels feels dirty and dank, a bit like HELLRAISER. The end of the film is one long chase between Leatherface and his final victim, but with a lightning pace and plenty of action it never outstays its welcome and manages to rise above the mire of boringly predictable slasher fare.

The teenage cast aim for the realistic approach and succeed, whilst Jessica Biel acquits herself well as the sexy damsel in distress. Andrew Bryniarski makes for a huge, hulking and frightening killer, but the best performance comes from an aged R. Lee Ermey as the totally ruthless, corrupt and depraved sheriff. A great and chilling performance from this actor in the twilight of his career. To put it simply, the good points outweigh the bad in this effective shocker, making it a horror flick to be reckoned with which succeeds in re-establishing the grim atmosphere of low budget '70s shockers. Best bit? Watch out for the shocking bottle-to-the-face smashing.
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