+- TalkHorror - Horror Talk For All Horror Fans (http://talkhorror.com/boards)
+-- Forum: Official TalkHorror (http://talkhorror.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?fid=8)
+--- Forum: Official TalkHorror Reviews (http://talkhorror.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?fid=33)
+--- Thread: Hatchet 2 (2010) (/showthread.php?tid=3017)
Hatchet 2 (2010) - TerrorScribe - 10-05-2010
Hatchet 2 (2010)
Written and Directed by: Adam Green
Starring: Danielle Harris, Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Tom Holland, R.A. Mihailoff, Parry Shen
Running time: 89 minutes
Rating: Unrated
It used to be there was a time when the Great American Horror Tale was "The Tell Tale Heart." With the advent of moving pictures, one might point to "Frankenstein". Later on, you could perhaps point to "Psycho" and maybe even "The Exorcist". These days, some might say that the slasher film is the modern embodiment of the Great American Horror Tale. It's like a moonlit walk down a familiar path - albeit a very isolated, very dangerous moonlit path - that takes us from the ordinary to the peak of terror and then finally, to release. This current formula is scarcely thirty years old and has become a cherished part of the horror vocabulary. Mostly, Hollywood is content to serve it up as is, but happily, every now and again, someone comes along who can take that recipe and kick it up a notch.
Director Adam Green (who most recently directed the winter survival horror film, "Frozen") returns to the bayou legend he created in 2006's "Hatchet" with the predictably titled, "Hatchet 2". The first installment followed an ill-fated tour deep into the Louisiana swamp haunted by the ghost of Victor Crowley. Here, we pick up at the end of the first movie as the lone survivor, Marybeth (Danielle Harris), escapes the swamp and returns to New Orleans to get answers from the dubious Reverend Zombie (genre great Tony Todd). The reverend gives us a little insight to the history of the Crowley family and just how Victor came to be cursed. He also agrees to lead a hunting party into the swamp to get rid of Crowley once and for all.
In standard horror parlance, this just means is that there's going to be a new set of victims.
"Hatchet 2" picks up where the first one left off in more ways that that though. Unlike most horror movies released these days, it had no intentions of shooting for the coveted (at least by most studios' marketing departments) PG-13. In fact, 17 onscreen kills and 136 gallons of fake blood later, "Hatchet 2" would be lucky to be in shouting distance of an R. It's not. If the slasher film is all-American, then we should add this film to the list somewhere between apple pie and mom. There is blood aplenty. There are boobs. There is sex. And there is a veritable plethora of power tools that Victor keeps in fine working order including a chainsaw that is bigger than most people's houses. The only place I found it lacking was in the creativity department. This film suffers from what I like to call "Iron Man 2 Syndrome." The original is fun and creative but the second one just can't quite seem to capture that same lightning in a bottle. Is it a bad movie? No. Does it feel derivative? No. In actuality, it was a fun little horror movie; perfect for a Friday night out with friends or with an adventurous date. I just expected a little more from it than what I got. And while "Bigger. Bloodier. Better. More." usually works well for most horror sequels, the follow up to something as clever as "Hatchet" was, needed to have a little more cleverness to it as well. Some of it, for lack of a better term, seemed a little lazy to me. I will admit now, I think I had the bar set pretty high for this.
For the gorehound out there, this is the movie you've been waiting for this year. The best thing about it is it's not just one of those special "unrated" DVD releases. Green did an end around on the MPAA and got a theatrical release for "Hatchet 2". So check your newspapers or favorite websites and get an eyeful of some good old-fashioned all-American blood and guts horror.
Hatchet 2 (2010) - NicoleMayCanaday - 10-05-2010
But the killings are so unbridlled!
Hatchet 2 (2010) - Bojangles - 10-05-2010
I'm sure I'll check it out, but it's not something I'm going to rush out and see.
Hatchet 2 (2010) - TerrorScribe - 10-05-2010
NicoleMayCanaday Wrote:But the killings are so unbridlled!
Yeah, but the kills in the first movie were more creative. These seemed kinda... uninspired and boring.
Hatchet 2 (2010) - NicoleMayCanaday - 10-05-2010
TerrorScribe Wrote:Yeah, but the kills in the first movie were more creative. These seemed kinda... uninspired and boring.
Mmmm I disagree sir. I say no more on this because I don't want to skew the image for others who haven't seen it.....
Hatchet 2 (2010) - Lilith - 10-07-2010
I want to see it when i can. I have the first and i actually enjoyed it. At first i didnt think i would like it with so many "icons" in it. Usually films like that dont know how to use them effectively, at least in my opinion anyway. But Hatchet really surprised me and it worked well i thought. So, hopefully Hatchet 2 will surprise me as well.
Todays horror just isnt what it used to be. I think die hard old school fans out there are just "dying" to be treated to an old school feel horror flick. Many attempts have been made so far, but from my point of view i havent been "wow'd" yet. But i tend to be pretty critical, lol. I want what i want damn it and im not gonna take it anymore! LOL
Hatchet 2 (2010) - NicoleMayCanaday - 10-07-2010
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT1LXhgXPWs&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]YouTube - Twisted Sister - Were Not Gona Take It[/ame]
Hatchet 2 (2010) - Lilith - 10-07-2010
NicoleMayCanaday Wrote:YouTube - Twisted Sister - Were Not Gona Take It
LOL!!! Thats right damn it...lol
Hatchet 2 (2010) - Dr. Briggs - 10-07-2010
Lilith Wrote:I want to see it when i can. I have the first and i actually enjoyed it. At first i didnt think i would like it with so many "icons" in it. Usually films like that dont know how to use them effectively, at least in my opinion anyway. But Hatchet really surprised me and it worked well i thought. So, hopefully Hatchet 2 will surprise me as well.Hey... Night of the Punks looks pretty good :3
Todays horror just isnt what it used to be. I think die hard old school fans out there are just "dying" to be treated to an old school feel horror flick. Many attempts have been made so far, but from my point of view i havent been "wow'd" yet. But i tend to be pretty critical, lol. I want what i want damn it and im not gonna take it anymore! LOL
Hatchet 2 (2010) - Lilith - 10-07-2010
Mr. Briggs Inc. Wrote:Hey... Night of the Punks looks pretty good :3
Have not heard of that one...will have to check into it...see what its all about!
Hatchet 2 (2010) - mrblue - 10-07-2010
I can see Hatchet 10 being about Crowley vs lesie Vernon or however you spell haha
Hatchet 2 (2010) - TerrorScribe - 10-07-2010
mrblue Wrote:I can see Hatchet 10 being about Crowley vs lesie Vernon or however you spell haha
That would be awesome! I loved how they cross-pollinated the movie with that reference.
Hatchet 2 (2010) - Chainsaw Brutality - 06-18-2011
I was barely able to make it through this movie. I didn't like the first one, and thought "maybe" this would be better.
The acting here is really horrible, even from Danielle Harris and Tony Todd - who I both love. The film itself, just lacks a solid cohesiveness and continuity. Yeah there's tons of blood, boobs & gore ... but that isn't enough when the movie is slightly above "B-movie" levels.
Good review though, nicely done.
Hatchet 2 (2010) - FreddysFingers - 06-19-2011
I haven't seen Hatchet II but Hatchet, looking back on it, suffers from being very mediocre and forgettable with a few good jokes here and there. They are trying to market this franchise as being "original" or as an homage but Crowley will never be another Jason or Freddy.
Hatchet 2 (2010) - LolliePop - 06-19-2011
I wasn't a fan of the original and I liked the sequel even less. I'm with Jamie. I usually like Danielle Harris and Tony Todd but this wasn't the vehicle for them and there was very little authentic at all. Plus the way this film was promoted and all the fuss surrounding it was so contrived that it just stank of the need to compensate for lack of substance before it even was released. Shame. I was hoping for better form as I rather liked Frozen...
Hatchet 2 (2010) - FreddysFingers - 06-26-2011
It's a strange case for a film because it if were made in the 80's, it would have been a cult hit by now but I think it came out too soon. If it came out now and Greene put more effort into the mood and not rely on flashy sets, it could have been better. Ultimately Victor Crowley isn't memorable because he doesn't have a specific unique quality about him. Freddy has the glove, Michael has the mask, Jason has the machete; they're all unique whereas a hatchet seems lacking.
Hatchet 2 (2010) - meezookeewee - 06-27-2011
I actually enjoyed Hatchet II a great deal. More so than the first one. I'm just glad the gore effects were practical and not CGI. The Hatchet films certainly have problems, but I find them to be dumb fun.
Hatchet 2 (2010) - Raegan - 06-27-2011
the only thing i could focus on was Danielle Harris's raised eyebrow, its like the bitch had a stoke....cant lower it!
Hatchet 2 (2010) - FreddysFingers - 06-27-2011
She probably had a stroke when the reviews for Halloween and Halloween 2 came in.