Netflix has released the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie which unleashes the deadliest Leatherface yet, but the chainsaw-wielding, blood-covered, face-wearing maniac hasn't exactly been welcomed back with open arms. As of now, the movie has been hit with the splat of a "rotten" rating at Rotten Tomatoes with a low 30% score. The critics don't always get it right, especially when it comes to bloody slasher films, but the audience score isn't too much better with a 37% "rotten" score based on over 500 reviews.
"Did we really need another? And sadly, given the lack of imagination, creativity or even basic attention to logic in a perfunctory and downright silly script, the answer seems a resounding 'Nope,'" writes Jocelyn Noveck of the Associated Press, arguing that this franchise should be hung out to dry.
"The new Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a deeply miscalculated mix of incoherent social commentary and over-the-top gore," Slant Magazine's Keith Watson adds.
"The filmmakers have whittled Texas Chainsaw Massacre down to its barest form," says Brian Eggert of Deep Focus Review. "Another in a long line of empty experiences from this franchise, which has never left an impact outside of Hooper's contributions."
This is not to say that everyone hated the film. It has its fans who rather enjoyed watching it, and as with the other sequels, we'll probably see this one grow a cult following over time. One popular argument from fans is that no one should be walking into the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie expecting Citizen Kane-level writing, insisting you'll have a much better time if you're simply signing up for a gory popcorn flick about a guy that kills people with a chainsaw. The movie has also drawn praise for its cinematography, even from some of its critics.
Did Taking a Page from Halloween Hurt the New Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
Released in 1974, Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of the most influential horror films of all time, going on to open the door for other iconic genre movies like John Carpenter's Halloween. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has come full circle with taking some notes from the Halloween franchise, and this is evident to anyone who's watched the latest Halloween movies from Blumhouse. Those films bring back Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, depicting the final girl as having spent her entire life planning her revenge against Michael Myers.
In the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre, something similar happens with the original film's final girl Sally Hardesty returning for another showdown with Leatherface. As original actress Marilyn Burns passed away, Olwen Fouéré was brought in to play the part. The trouble with going this route is that it has drawn many comparisons to the Halloween films. This might have given the film the vibe of feeling like a "ripoff" of Halloween, making it impossible for some viewers to be as excited about Sally's return as they were for Laurie.
In any case, there are many different opinions being offered about the film, so if you're curious, you're best off watching it for yourself and drawing your own conclusions. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is now streaming on Netflix.