Hatchet III

-

Hatchet III
Starring Danielle Harris, Kane Hodder, Zach Galligan, Caroline Williams
Directed by BJ McDonnell

Immediately taking place where the second film left off, Marybeth (Danielle Harris) thinks she's just killed the spirit of Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder), and heads back to New Orleans where she goes to a police station, and is immediately arrested by Sheriff Fowler (Zach Galligan).  She tells him everything that happened, but he doesn't believe her and keeps her in a holding cell while he and his men investigate.

They travel to the island where they find countless number of mutilated bodies, and they think it's an open and shut case.  Until Fowler's ex-wife Amanda - who is also a Victor Crowley enthusiast - discovers Marybeth is being held and informs her that Crowley is indeed not dead, but his body re-animates after his supposed hacking.

Sure enough, Crowley comes back to life and begins brutally killing everyone on the island, and it's up to Amanda - who knows how to kill Crowley for good - to finally end his reign of terror.

 Adam Green invented the story of Victor Crowley to make a new serial killer for the next generation, taking ideas from classic movie monsters such as Jason Voorhees to create a new creature.  The first "Hatchet" was one of the best horror films of the decade, filled with totally over-the-top kills and cheesy lines, but it was a good time.  "Hatchet II" introduced horror icon Danielle Harris, but unfortunately it fell flat to its predecessor, and it wasn't as entertaining.

Thankfully, the "Hatchet" trilogy ended on a high note with "Hatchet III."  Back was the cheesy lines, the over-the-top kills, and the shockers.  Plus Green is a big fan of not using CGI, so all the kills were done the old fashioned way - with prosthetics, make-up, and the classic Tom Savini-like designs.  Yes, it looks more fake, but in a way it also looks more real, more authentic, more of a nod to the horror classics of old.  There's no Oscar-worthy acting here, but in a series like this, you wouldn't expect it.  What you would expect - and what you received - is a gory good time.

My Rating: A-

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Major Theatrical Releases May 2019

-
Image
Major Theatrical Releases May 2019 After the hype that is "Avengers: Endgame," May offers a massive collection of differing types of movies, enough to entertain everyone. Here are the major theatrical releases for May 2019. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** **DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**  The Intruder May 3 Dennis Quaid goes from starring the family-friendly "A Dog's Journey" to playing a total psycho in "The Intruder."  When a young couple purchases a home from Quaid's character Charlie, they didn't realize it came with an addition - Charlie himself, who can't seem to let his old home go.  I don't expect any twists or turns in this tale, and this looks like a film better fit for Lifetime than the big screen.  Long Shot May 3 Charlize Theron stars as Charlotte Field, the current Secretary of State and who's running for President.  Seth Rogen stars as Fred Flarsky, a...
Read more

Witch

-
Image
Witch Starring Russell Shaw, Ryan Spong, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Fabrizio Santino Directed by Craig Hinde & Marc Zammit Movies about witches are about a dime a dozen, and follow the same formula: typically set in a time period long ago (since now, fortunately, the stigma of witches has been lessened and the religious fervor has diminished), in a small Puritanical town, a girl is accused of witchcraft which spirals the town into a frenzy filled with suspicion, doubt, and murder until the witch is put to religious justice. While that's not necessarily a bad formula (Robert Eggers' "The VVitch" and Mario Bava's "Black Sunday" immediately come to mind), most films fall by the wayside. "Witch" is a small film that, at first glance, seems to follow the mold before completely shattering it in a second act twist that's daring, provocative, and works in a lot of levels, but could've been more pronounced if given a bigger budget. In the small ...
Read more

Special Review: "Midwest Sessions"

-
Image
Special Review: "Midwest Sessions" Directed by Mario Ricciardi Independent filmmaking is a fascinating concept, wherein the director and everyone involved sets out to make something unique, different, and go against the traditional status quo of what's defined as a "blockbuster." These films aren't usually seen by the masses and won't be included in the top ten highest grossing movies of all time, but they offer something those films don't: a heart and commitment by the people involved to craft something wholly distinctive that tell a story in their own way. Such is "Midwest Sessions," a local film directed by Mario Ricciardi that centers on the city of Youngstown, Ohio, and the captivating people who live there. Told in different vignettes that seem distinct and different from one another but coming together as a whole in the end, it's an engrossing film that utilizes its shoestring budget and gives great performances, decent effects a...
Read more