by Wayne Reeves

Created on: March 27, 2008

The original Texas chainsaw massacre movie attained a cult status after its release in 1974, the sadistic and raw nature of the movie enabled the legend of the chainsaw wielding "Leatherface" to be ingrained in the psyche of all horror-genre loving fans around the world, an anti-hero for a new generation.

Now it appears after 30 years or more, the horror scene is set for yet more chainsaw fetish gore as the Hewitt family's most infamous adopted son returns to wreak bloody violence on another group of unsuspecting victims.

Released in 2006, the title of the movie will have us believe we'll be learning a great deal about Thomas Hewitt (aka Leatherface) about just what motivated his blood-lust and how a "normal" child became the monster we love to hate. It all starts out as expected, a group of four young fresh-faced people are on a road trip; little do they know what's in store for them.

The slaughterhouse where Thomas works is condemned and shut down, Thomas doesn't take kindly to the news and vengeance ensues. Later the Uncle murders the real sheriff to cover up Thomas' handy work and takes on the role of the newly self-appointed Sheriff Hoyt.

After the road-trip group run into a band of troublesome bikers, a crash later and they are destined to fall into the clutches of Sheriff Hoyt. One of the girls is thrown clear of the wreckage so avoids him (she appears later on for splatter fun) the others are taken to the Hoyt residence. What follows is standard horror fare and nothing really is that inventive or particularly interesting.

The chainsaw gets a decent workout in one vivid scene and the infamous skin mask is shown in all its glory, but you do wonder how the film was ever "green-lighted" in the first place? Did it have the helpful addition of Michael Bay as producer (Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys II) as this uninspired slice of chainsaw history offers nothing in the way of a "beginning" as the subtitle of the movie will have you believe. The actual beginning is glossed over in a few opening minutes, leaving the audience left to gaze at the murderous antics of Thomas and family in a fairly run-of-the-mill blood and gore show.

The story is a poor effort, it has written itself, meaning that take the same characters, make them do more of the same and you have your story, but there aren't enough creative moments to say this is truly a beginning. The premise of the movie is false, the 2003 re-make of the original at least didn't deceive the audience, it was a re-make with a few subtle changes but you knew exactly what you were getting.

R. Lee Ermey is the only actor of note in this rotten slab of cinema, his foul character is unlikeable and a nasty piece of humanity, the veteran actor has a knack for these characters meaning he's never short of work.

The best summation of this movie is instead of calling it "The beginning", a more appropriate title surely should have been "The End".

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