TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D – Gory and Surprisingly Terrific

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D, from Director John Luessenhop, LIONSGATE and Millennium Films, brings to the screen a terrifying, gruesome and gorrific sequel to the 1974 cult horror classic.

Produced by Carl Mazzcone, TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D, is based on characters created by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper and was written by Adam Marcus Debra Sullivan and Kirsten Elms.

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D stars a young talented cast lead by Alexandra Daddario, Scott Eastwood, Tremaine “Trey Songz” Neverson, Tania Raymonde, Keram Malicki-Sanchez, Shaun Sipos and Dan Yeager as Leatherface.

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D begins with a flashback from the 1974 original and almost subliminally, as the film advanced through the beginning credits, four people are viciously hacked to death, the brutality is graphic and by watching the film introductions one can almost miss the vicious murders.

As is necessary for the plot, a single survivor of the carnage, escapes with leather face chasing her with a whirring chainsaw. She is able to summon help and the town’s people, sheriff and local vigilantes show up and in true David Koresh style, a standoff begins and ends with a shoot out which escalates to the house and all inhabitants dying in the gun battle and subsequent house fire.

A child survives and is stolen from the scene by local yokels.  The entire incident is a secret cover-up in the small Texas town, where generations and a good old boys network govern.

At this point TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D fast forwards and the child, Heather Miller played by Alexandra Daddario,  is legal, the daughter of the two “rednecks.” They have long since moved North from the small Texas town.  She receives a letter explaining she inherited an estate from a grandmother she never knew. She and three friends, Ryan, played by Tremaine “Trey Songz” Neverson, Nikki, played by Tania Raymonde and Kenny played by Keram Malicki-Sanchez head off to Texas.  Young, somewhat naïve and on the road for the first time, the three meet up with hitchhiker, Darryl, played by Shaun Sipos.

Once they arrive at the property, the enormity of the situation is put on hold as the party ready group decides on pleasure before business. Soon all instructions and details are tossed by the wayside.  It is here TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D begins to move from party central to house of horrors.  

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D includes scenes with tremendous fear and each member of the cast comes face to face with death. The performances are well developed and convincing even if the plot is farfetched. Reluctantly one can find oneself being pulled into the film as the characters are able to carry the heightened panic, terror and horror.  Scott Eastwood, yes, he is the son of Clint Eastwood, plays a local cop, Carl, the son of the original vigilante gang.  He is convincing in his duality.

With five albums under his belt Tremaine “Trey Songz” Neverson shows up in the musical credits performing “2 REASONS.” He is a multi-talented artist with a promising acting career ahead of him.

The special effects team, lead by Howard Berger and Gregory Nicotero are obviously amazing! As Leatherface, is revealed, older, not dead, and as vicious, dangerous and deranged as ever.  The film clearly has heightened suspense, with moments of extreme gore. It is 3-D and with that graphic, bloody, violence, including pre and post death mutilations preformed with a chainsaw.

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D is what it is that being horror and graphic violence and it is important to add there is a storyline that the talented cast was able to carry. If horror films are your appetite then TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D is a supersize portion.

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3-D opens in theaters everywhere Friday, January 4, 2012.

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