- Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman
- Written by: Sheldon Turner, David J. Schow
- Stars: Jordana Brewster, Matt Bomer, Diora Baird
- Run Time: 1 Hour, 31 Minutes
- Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gYGzJDt8HQ
Spoiler-Free Judgment Zone
This one starts with Leatherface being born in 1939, and catches us up on what happened before the 2003 remake. We get to see how Hoyt became Sheriff and other fun things. Since it’s a prequel, we know some of how it’s going to end, but that didn’t stop it from being good. It’s well made, and we were both entertained. If you’re a fan of the 2003 reboot, you’ll probably like this one too.
Spoilery Synopsis
It’s August, 1939, and we’re at the meat packing plant. The woman working there grabs her belly and begs the boss for a break. She collapses, leaking blood all over the place and gives birth to a really ugly baby. Not long after another strange woman finds the ugly baby in the dumpster and takes him home to the house we saw in the previous film. “That’s the ugliest thing I ever saw,”says Charlie Hewitt. Credits roll.
We forward to July of 1969. The meat packing plant is now closed and condemned. Thomas Hewitt, the big guy who works there, doesn’t want to leave the job.
We cut to Chrissie and Eric messing around at the nasty motel pool. He’s heading back to Vietnam soon, and this is their last fling. Dean, Eric’s brother, is supposed to be going as well, but he’s not as enthusiastic about it. Bailey, Dean’s girlfriend, wants him to not show up for the draft.
Back at the meat plant, Thomas returns at night and beats the manager with a hammer. He then picks up a chainsaw and goes home. The sheriff finds out and goes to Charlie, Thomas’s adoptive uncle, for help. Charlie shoots the sheriff in the back. Charlie then takes the uniform and “becomes” the new sheriff. Charlie cuts up the old sheriff and feeds him to the family.
The four young people stop at a familiar looking gas station. There’s a whole bunch of sketchy looking bikers there, and the girls are eager to leave. Dean burns his draft card in the back seat; he’s not going. They run from a biker but crash into a cow, which is really juicy.
The “sheriff” shows up and immediately shoots the biker. He terrorizes the group, then takes three of them away in his car, leaving Chrissie on the road alone. Monty shows up with a tow truck and takes the wreck with him, along with Chrissie, who’s hiding in the back.
They all drive to the family home, and Tommy, AKA “Leatherface” takes the dead biker away for processing. Charlie tells the guys about how he learned to eat human flesh in the Korean prisoner of war camps.
Chrissie flags down another biker and tries to talk him into helping her.
Eric gets loose and goes into the farmhouse, threatening the old women inside. Sheriff Hoyt quickly regains control of the situation. Leatherface straps Eric down and starts measuring his face.
Meanwhile, Chrissie’s biker ally arrives at the farmhouse with his gun. He shoots Monty. Charlie and Leatherface take care of him– with the chainsaw, Tommy’s first chainsaw murder! Leatherface then goes back downstairs and finishes off Eric the same way. All except for the face, which he has use of.
Charlie gets Tommy to cut Monty’s wounded leg off with the chainsaw. “What is this?” “Surgery!” Tommy takes off both legs, just so that they’re even.
Chrissie sneaks in and releases Bailey, who’s been tied up all this time. Charlie catches her and “invites” her to dinner. There’s a whole family dinner scene, which is pretty much required in a TCM film. Chrissie, Bailey, Dean, and Uncle Monty are all pretty much unwilling guests of Charlie and Mama. Tommy shows up and kills Bailey, right there at the dinner table.
Chrissie gets loose and runs out of the house through the fields, and Tommy chases after her with the saw. She runs to the old meat packing plant.
Meanwhile, Dean wakes up to see Bailey’s corpse sitting next to him. He helps Chrissie fight off the big man, but he doesn’t last long in the battle.
Chrissie almost drives to freedom, but Leatherface is hiding in the backseat. With everyone dead, Leatherface slowly lumbers on back home.
Brian’s Commentary
This works backward from the previous film, bringing back most of the family that died in that one. Being a prequel, we already know who lives and dies, but it’s still very well done. It’s got good characters and pacing, and R. Lee Ermey really steals the show in this as the main baddie.
I think I rank this one third, after the original two films. The ones in between have been pretty forgettable.
Kevin’s Commentary
I thought this one was very good in the series. Interesting seeing why Monty is in a wheelchair, how Hoyt became Sheriff, and other prequel tidbits. It’s well put together and moves well. I liked it quite a bit.
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