THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Maybe starting over is what it takes to remember what the good days because in the case of horror, a remake for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was needed to remind us why it worked the first time around
PLOT
The 2003 version takes place in 8/18/1973, and follows young adult Erin Hardesty go on a road trip to see a concert after visiting Mexico. Besides her brother Morgan, her group includes: her boyfriend Kemper and their friends Andy & Pepper who are also dating. They don't get to go where they wish due to picking up a young girl hitchhiker (Lauren German) appears traumatized after encountering a bad man. Afraid of ever going back, she pulls out a gun and shoots herself. Feeling no other choice, they go to a gas station and call the police. The owner Luda Mae (Marietta Marich) calls on their behalf who later informs them that Sheriff Hoyt will meet them at a mill. As they wait there, they meet an abandoned boy named Jedidiah (David Dorfman) who knows he won't come and will likely be at home getting drunk. The boy later leaves when he is not allowed to be near the car. When exploring the woods, Erin & Kemper find his house and are allowed to use the phone that belongs to the resident Monty, who is a wheelchair bound man due to having his legs amputated. As Erin makes a call from another sheriff claiming to be on the way, Hoyt shows up and takes the girl's body, meaning one is not a real officer. The group tells this to Erin when she returns to the mill and her suspicion worsens when Kemper doesn't come back with her. This is the case because he was taken by Leatherface who wears other people's faces as a mask due to his syphilis. She goes back fro him with Andy, but this time the psychopath chases them around with a chainsaw until capturing the latter once he severs one of his legs. Erin returns to the trailer again by night and this time, Hoyt returns only to mentally torment them by forcing Morgan to reenact the girl's death. When he tries to defend himself by shooting him, he only finds out the gun was empty. This gives Hoyt an excuse to take him back home as hostage and he beats him as he takes him. Leatherface then appears to kill the rest of the group and is able to kill Pepper. Erin escapes and takes shelter in the trailer home of a young lady named Henrietta (Heather Kafka) and a middle aged woman who offers her tea. Just when she realizes they've abducted the baby related to the dead girl, she passes out due to the tea being drugged by the tea lady (Kathy Lamkin). Waking up, she is surrounded by Hoyt, his brother Monty, his mom Luda Mae and their son Leatherface who are all family. When the masked latter takes her to the basement, she finds Kemper's body and puts Andy out of misery by fatally stabbing him when she can't get him off of a meat hook. The grandson Jedidiah, who doesn't condone his family's actions, guides her to escape with Morgan. Once Leatherface sees this, he follows them with his chainsaw. They try to hide in a shack in the woods, but the slasher finds them and is able to kill Morgan. Erin then tries hiding in a slaughterhouse long enough to get enough of an advantage to defend herself by chopping off his arm with a cleaver. When she reaches a road, she flags down a trucker but he takes her back to the gas station where Hoyt is, believing he can help. Not wanting to be held captive again, she sneaks out of the truck and takes the baby with her as she hotwires Hoyt's cop car. When he sees her, she runs him over and drives away. Leatherface does catch up, but only momentarily as he only slashes at the car door as she continues driving. The film ends with two cops investigating Hoyt's home two days later, only for them to be killed by the brute.
THOUGHTS
2003 is a year I find special because with Final Destination 2 and Freddy vs Jason being crowd pleasers in their own way, this one fit into the mold oh so well. As a kid, this was my introduction to the franchise at the time and even though the original film is easily better, I wouldn't have it any other way. Director Marcus Nispel brought what felt like a return to form due to all the grit that is digested and it's a shame the 2010s could not replicate this per se. I mean the fact Daniel Pearl returned to do cinematography after doing so for the original 29 years apart, it felt just as edgy as it should. That feeling should also be credited to the man behind the mask. Andrew Bryniarski was a perfect choice to be the modern depiction of the character who brought a whole new flair that was missing in the 90s. With impressive makeup to express his deformity, we see how vulnerable he's been and uses the masks as a way to try fitting in. What truly felt different compared to Gunner Hansan was the speed that he brought when pursuing his prey. With such ferocity, it was hard to not be intimidated. And as past films have shown, it runs in the family to be insane. R Lee Erney was a scene stealer in his own right in making Hoyt the most sadistic due to visibly showing pleasure in making people suffer which defends why he doesn't kill the victims immediately. Terrence Evans was his own form of a creep when it came to making Old Monty too comfortable in taking advantage of kindness when he intentionally fell off his chair to grope Erin. Then it is all three women in the family who also frightened me due to how calm & collected they appear to what she shouldn't be normal in their point of view. Of course you feel bad for Jedidiah since he is too young to process what's going on yet knew enough to do the right thing. I do hope that kid's alright because he indeed deserved better like the victims. With what is probably the most evil family to date in the franchise, it creates a sense of isolation that said evil can't be overpowered. This film however gives the strongest optimism in presenting it can be possible to be free of the oppressed as long as you got the will to do it and it is all in the hands of Erin. Jessica Biel portrays her as the modified Sally Hardesty from the original film and this makes her the best final girl the franchise can ever ask for. She is the only one who tried putting logic over selfishness which is proven when picking up the girl and wanting to do right by her after she died. Obviously if she didn't have a big heart, the group likely would've avoided all the chaos that came their way. Even though no one expected that to have happened, it doesn't change the fact her sentimentality paid off in the long run as she saved the abducted baby from a worse outcome. She is also a badass in her own right due to being able to give a grave injury towards Leatherface whereas the sequels would keep retconning the pain he went through and not take it serious. Seeing her pull off the odds and get what felt like a happy ending in her perspective was refreshing because the ominous cliffhanger Sally had was so saddening you're not sure if she'll recover. So in this case, I'm sure she'll get to have a much better chapter in her life to endure. Although Erin was the sole survivor, she was not the only person we were rooting for since the rest of her group were just as innocent in their predicament as she was. Eric Balfour was cool as Kemper because he was trying to satisfy Erin's perspective while still trying to be nonchalant of someone dying in his truck, which I don't blame him because 70s concerts were the shit. He's still a good guy because he bought weed from Mexico with the intent to start a new life with the woman he loved if he gotten to sell it and was willing to get rid of it to avoid getting arrested by the cops. The fact he wanted to marry her too, as implied when Leatherface found his engagement ring, it was the nail's final coffin to say his heart was in the right place. Had he survived, I'm sure he wouldn't mind adopting a baby with Erin. Jonathan Tucker was pretty solid with Morgan because he was the sarcastic one who got along with everyone but like everyone else, his world turned upside down. You also couldn't blame him in wanting to capitalize in shooting Hoyt because allowing the torment wouldn't make things any better. What you do respect him for the most is the fact he died protecting his sister when he got in the way of Leatherface. Knowing this, I don't doubt him being proud as well with what Erin does for her future. Andy & Pepper were not a perfect pair since they only knew each other for a day once the story starts, but I still think Mike Vogel & Erica Leerhsen play off of each other well enough. They were both sharing the goal of having fun and embraced that when making out in the beginning of the film. Once reality kicks in horrifically, they knew when to be serious. Despite having different views on how to handle the situation, there was still some form of respect they had towards each other which only made their deaths shocking as well. When it's all said and done, I'm sure Erin will honor them all in her new life. This film is generally fine, but there were still some moments that could've been done differently. For example, I was on the edge of my seat when Leatherface was chasing Andy, but how did he not follow Erin? If he did this to make sure he didn't find the truck, it would've been nice to hear him say that before he died. And I don't blame Erin for being on edge after seeing her friends get killed but after knocking on a trailer door, she should've not been surprised someone was gonna answer after she turned around intending to wait. Now it is important to know how deranged the Hewitt family is when confirming they kept the baby for themselves, but why would they keep the picture of the family the baby belonged to? Even if they're in the middle of nowhere, they shouldn't have their 'trophies' hanging around like that for new victims to see. Lastly, why was there a pig in the locker? I know Leatherface is supposed to be caught off guard in order for Erin to get the jump on him, but it still would've been effective if there was just a mop or the locker being empty. Ignore this, then you'll be impressed as much as I was. In short, 2003's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a solid remake for bringing back the terror that worked in '74. If you love the original dearly, this is the true companion film to watch with.
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