maybe it's because i had a rough day to begin with but i swear i could feel the grime in this movie in my fucking mouth GOD

It's just as good as the 2003 remake, which was also surprisingly good. Hell, I think that I actually prefer this one over the predecessor as it does everything a prequel should do and does so many things right. My only issue with this and the 2003 remake is that they have a few stupid fake-out jump scares that just wind me up rather than scare me. Other than that, I really dig the relentless bleakness and violence. R. Lee Ermey once again holds this film together effortlessly. Matt Bomer is hot as usual. There's a ton of legitimate homages to the original and most importantly, Leatherface is given the treatment he deserves.

Leatherface, oh Leatherface. You are still one of my favorite horror icons. You really are up there with Jason and Freddy in my book! You might even be the goriest Horror icon! And you are not even alone! You have one sick family dude! Anyway, it might be called the beginning but we only see Leatherface being born, how he ended up in the Hewitt family and how he got his Chainsaw. And that is not all like during the whole span of the movie, but in just 10 minutes. After that it turns into your regular Texas Chainsaw film. But that is not bad at all! It is very entertaining. Especially seeing R. Lee Ermey as Charlie Hewitt Jr.! He steals every scene he's in. He always makes films better! We also see Leatherface taking his first face! Such a bloody mess! And well, this whole film is a bloody, dirty mess and if you like those dirty films, you'll enjoy one. It's not a masterpiece, or a great film by any means, but it is darn entertaining!

sense of distaste isn't as heavy as it used to be but i'd still probably take any other series entry over this short of the netflix one? they were almost onto something interesting with taking the somewhat glossy aesthetic of the 2003 film and other Platinum Dunes horror remakes, roughing it up a bit, then dropping them into the gnarliest movie in the series (the closest things to this were 2 which had its humor to take the bite out a bit and 3 but that one feels neutered even in the uncut versions that are available today and seem to be a far cry from what was originally made if i'm correct?) but the appeal doesn't last. i see a lot of scattered comments about bad lead characters/final girls in slasher films (a lot of them usually misguided imo) but i would like to offer up Chrissie. had completely forgotten the way she just fucks off by herself for half the movie trying to find help and then when she ends up in the house she doesn't accomplish much of anything lmao. i also remember the chase scene being so much longer and more exciting than it is. looking forward to revisiting TCM 03 though!

A very cool-looking Leatherface in this one!!!