← Back to Reviews
in
Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers and...? Whenever you ask people about the Mount Rushmore of "modern horror", they might bring up Chucky or Ghostface, but more often than not, the fourth name will be Leatherface. Introduced in the iconic 1974 film as the "simple minded" member of the murderous Sawyer family, the character earned its place in the pantheon of horror icons with his skin mask, dirty apron, and the titular chain saw.
For some reason, studios failed to capitalize on the character, so when New Line bought the rights to the franchise, they decided to put the spotlight on him (hence the title of this film). Still, there really isn't much difference in how much focus is put on Leatherface versus the previous films. This third installment follows a loose continuity with the first two parts, with law enforcement finding a mass grave, while Leatherface remains at large along with a handful of random members of the Sawyer family.
As is expected, a young couple traveling through Texas have some car troubles and find themselves face to face with Leatherface and company. Along the way, they encounter another young woman who managed to escape from the Sawyer house and a resourceful drifter (Ken Foree), all of them hunted by the family. To complicate things, you're never sure who *is* part of the family and who isn't.
The original 1974 film has been my favorite horror film and remains a bone-chilling watch for me. However, the "fame" of the sequels was never good, so it wasn't until recently that I decided to check them out. The second part was an interesting spin towards the comedy/parody side, but this one leans more towards the horrors of the first one; at least as far as genre goes. In terms of quality, however, it is still pretty far.
There are many flaws here, with a key one being that the two main characters are not that interesting. Michelle, the woman (Kate Hodge), does a decent job with what little she's given but her partner (William Butler) is not likable at all. Ken Foree is good, but the way he's integrated into the story feels clumsy, and that middle act when he appears drags the pace of the film a bit. The subplot with Sarah, the woman that escaped from Leatherface, feels like a waste of time and contributes to the off pace from that middle act.
The saving grace from the film is Viggo Mortensen, who plays Tex, a cowboy that stumbles upon the young couple at a gas station and tries to help them. His performance is one that rises above the others and it's evident that he's having a lot of fun with it. Other than that, the film fails to leave a mark. There are some intense sequences, eerie visuals, and some solid jump scares, but probably not enough for most people to cement Leatherface as the definitive fourth face in that Mount Rushmore.
Grade:
LEATHERFACE
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III
(1990, Burr)
Horror film from the 1990s
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III
(1990, Burr)
Horror film from the 1990s
"Do you hear what I'm saying, man? We're being hunted!"
Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers and...? Whenever you ask people about the Mount Rushmore of "modern horror", they might bring up Chucky or Ghostface, but more often than not, the fourth name will be Leatherface. Introduced in the iconic 1974 film as the "simple minded" member of the murderous Sawyer family, the character earned its place in the pantheon of horror icons with his skin mask, dirty apron, and the titular chain saw.
For some reason, studios failed to capitalize on the character, so when New Line bought the rights to the franchise, they decided to put the spotlight on him (hence the title of this film). Still, there really isn't much difference in how much focus is put on Leatherface versus the previous films. This third installment follows a loose continuity with the first two parts, with law enforcement finding a mass grave, while Leatherface remains at large along with a handful of random members of the Sawyer family.
As is expected, a young couple traveling through Texas have some car troubles and find themselves face to face with Leatherface and company. Along the way, they encounter another young woman who managed to escape from the Sawyer house and a resourceful drifter (Ken Foree), all of them hunted by the family. To complicate things, you're never sure who *is* part of the family and who isn't.
The original 1974 film has been my favorite horror film and remains a bone-chilling watch for me. However, the "fame" of the sequels was never good, so it wasn't until recently that I decided to check them out. The second part was an interesting spin towards the comedy/parody side, but this one leans more towards the horrors of the first one; at least as far as genre goes. In terms of quality, however, it is still pretty far.
There are many flaws here, with a key one being that the two main characters are not that interesting. Michelle, the woman (Kate Hodge), does a decent job with what little she's given but her partner (William Butler) is not likable at all. Ken Foree is good, but the way he's integrated into the story feels clumsy, and that middle act when he appears drags the pace of the film a bit. The subplot with Sarah, the woman that escaped from Leatherface, feels like a waste of time and contributes to the off pace from that middle act.
The saving grace from the film is Viggo Mortensen, who plays Tex, a cowboy that stumbles upon the young couple at a gas station and tries to help them. His performance is one that rises above the others and it's evident that he's having a lot of fun with it. Other than that, the film fails to leave a mark. There are some intense sequences, eerie visuals, and some solid jump scares, but probably not enough for most people to cement Leatherface as the definitive fourth face in that Mount Rushmore.
Grade: