Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The - 2-disc Platinum Series  (2003)

Starring: Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Erica Leerhsen

Director: Marcus Nispel

Rating: R

Distributor: New Line Home Entertainment

Release Date: March 30, 2004
Review posted: April 27, 2004

Spoilers: Minor

Reviewed by Dennis Landmann

SYNOPSIS

A psychotic killer runs rampant due to a serious face deformity, terrorizing a group of friends passing through town.

CRITIQUE

This 2003 remake of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is well-made, but it doesn't reach any new heights or reinvents the horror genre. Granted, it doesn't need to do that, but for a modern update this version proves to be entertaining. Various clichés appear in the script, such as the inability of the characters to realize their situation is not worth investigating. That is, before the killing begins.

The group of friends, on a return trip from buying drugs in Mexico in their Volkswagen-type van, pick up a girl walking along a deserted road. She warns them about the town ahead, telling them to turn back, but their curiosity, or perhaps something more degrading, ignores the warning. The creepy look and feel of the town is reason alone for the characters to not stop at the local bar and ask for the Sheriff, even though a most shocking incident occurred ten minutes before. Later, while waiting for the Sheriff at a rundown factory, they come across a kid with bucket teeth and a strange attitude. Things turn really bad when one of the friends (Eric Balfour) is grabbed by a strangely deformed person while the other friend (Jessica Biel) is busy helping the handicapped (and creepy) home owner off the toilet seat and into the wheelchair.

Things become even worse as night falls and another friend goes missing. The surviving friends organize a search, sort of, but all attempts fail when the deformed person, holding a chainsaw up high, appears out of the dark. The set-ups that lead to the road of terror are the types of necessary clichés, that without them the terror wouldn't be able to set in perfectly. How to lure unsuspecting teenagers and terrorize them, even kill them? This film isn't exactly a reference guide, but it opens itself up for a joke.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is not lousy remake, in fact, it's well-shot, designed, edited, scored, etc., but it doesn't offer much originality. The script contains a few twists, but only those who haven't seen the original film will experience them. Clichés aside, the dialogue is realistic and conversations engaging. The script would've benefited from an additional subplot, but seeing the deleted scenes on the second disc reveals one about pregnancy.

Of the actors, Jessica Biel handles her part well, screaming and running most of the time, especially towards the end. Case in point, there is a 15-minute chase sequence, or at least close to it, involving Leatherface, the chainsaw-wielding creep, and Biel's character that leads from a cabin to a meat factory to the town's local bar. Well, needless to say the sequences runs longer than it needs to. The other actors do a good job. Director Marcus Nispel makes an interesting feature film debut, mostly in terms of his visual style.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a fun horror flick, but really not that spectacular or worth checking out immediately.

THE VIDEO

New Line presents The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The studio continues its pristine video presentation, and here the colors are clean, crisp, and very well-saturated. The print suffers no loss, except a few areas of grain. Compression artifacts do not appear. Black levels and dark tones are deep, while detail and sharpness look pretty good. You can select to view the film with English and Spanish subtitles.

THE AUDIO

New Line presents The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in English 5.1 EX Dolby Surround Sound. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand at all times. Front speakers get into the action by bringing the audio into the mix nicely. Surrounds have all the fun, reinforcing the cool and very loud sound effects. Dynamic range is evident, which aids in the presentation providing the listener with a very good auditory experience.

A 5.1 DTS track is also featured. Spanish and French 2.0 Dolby Surround dubs are included.

THE EXTRAS

This 2-disc Platinum Edition DVD boasts a wide variety of extras. On disc 1 are three audio commentaries for the film. The first covers the production, and includes comments from producer Michael Bay and director Marcs Nispel, among others. Comments range from decent to interesting, with a few good stories here and there. The second covers the story of the film, with comments by Nispel, Bay, the writers, the two actresses (Biel and Leerhsen), and the four male actors (Balfour, Vogel, Tucker, and Bryniarski). It's only mildly entertaining for my taste, as the discussions about meetings, story ideas, and acting didn't interest me all that much. It's a decent track is all. The technical track features the Bay and Nispel, as well as the film's DOP, production designer, art director, composer, and supervising sound editor. Discussed are the looks of the film and other things pertaining to making a film, but its technical aspect makes this track the least of the three tracks. It's still decent, though.

Rounding out the extras on disc 1 is the script-to-screen feature and storyboard viewer, as well as weblinks.

Disc 2 starts with the 75-minute documentary entitled Chainsaw Redux: Making a Massacre, which covers various aspects and topics of the production, such as discussions about the remake of a classic horror, make-up, locations, and other things, complete with many interviews and on-set footage. A very nice documentary. Severed Limbs showcases various deleted scenes and alternate edits as part of this 16-minute documentary that explains the reasons behind the cuts. The scenes mainly deal with more character moments and a subplot or two. Also featured on disc 2 are is an alternate opening and ending.

Also available are screen tests for actors Jessica Biel, Eric Leerhsen and Eric Balfour, a 24-minute documentary called Ed Gein: The Ghoul of Plainfield on the killer that inspired the film, several art galleries (production and Leatherface concept art), a music video, seven TV spots, the film's theatrical trailer, an unused teaser trailer, and bonus trailers for various New Line films.

The menus are creepy and effective. The DVD arrives in an Amaray keepcase with a bonus Leatherface metal plate. I didn't find any use for it so I recycled it. The 127-minute feature is organized into twenty-eight chapters. A paper insert lists scene selections.

SUMMARY

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a fairly well-done film with great cinematography, locations, and effects, but the script seems like nothing but a retread of things we've seen before in other horror films. It's fun while it lasts, an average horror flick. Video/audio is very good, and the extras are pretty neat. A recommended rental for horror fans, perhaps even a purchase.

VERDICT: RECOMMENDED

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