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Finally did it last night. Finally sat down and checked out HATCHET II the much talked about, controversial 80's slasher homage that found itself banned from theaters after only a handful of viewings.
I have to own up and admit, I didn't get the fascination with the first HATCHET. I mean, it was OK but in my opinion it was just not worth all the hooping and hollering. The second film I watched that Adam Green had a hand in was FROZEN and it was amazing. Loved it!
So in my book that left Green batting .500. What would HATCHET II hold? I'm glad to say, it's really good. Really good.
Going unrated was definitely a great idea and Green and company take full advantage by releasing a no holds barred slash fest that is as much fun as it is depraved.
No need to get into the story line as it really don't matter, what matters is the gags. This one has some of the best FX gags to come down the block in quite a while. My personal favorite was the 10 foot chain saw. Ok, really don't know how long the chainsaw was but it is one long chainsaw.
While the original film was cast with pretty much unknowns and character actors, with the notable exception of Kane Hodder and Tony Todd, this second chapter is stock piled with a who's who of genre vets.
Leading the cast is Danielle Harris who takes up the role of Marybeth, the sole survivor from the first film. This one literally picks up right where the original ended. Marybeth stumbles around the first reel finding out about long hidden family secrets and the true story behind Victor Crowley and how she plays into the chain of events. Rather than cower and hide Marybeth pulls a Ripley and decides to head back to the swamp and kick some deformed Crowley ass. Enlisting the help of Reverend Zombie (Tony Todd) a posse is formed and the hunt is on. More secrets are revealed and of course the ultimate showdown unfolds. Along the way there are many, many memorable kills. I don't want to ruin them for you, just order this one up and sit back and enjoy.
I applaud Green's attempt to market this film his way and he's paid dearly for his stubbornness. He could have cut this film down so that the MPAA would have left the teeny boppers in and this one would have done well, real well as a matter of fact. Instead of going the "quick cut" route we get long, bloody scenes of mayhem, to the point a few times that I actually wondered if he was ever going to call cut. The final scene in particular is uber-violent and way, way over the top.
I have to admit, it's nice to not have to wait for a DVD release to be able to see a directors true, uncut, unmessed with vision of his work.
I must remind you, don't settle into this one expecting great character development and gripping dialogue, that not what this one is about. This one is about pushing the envelope and not letting anyone tell you what can and can not be in a film.
It's great watching Kane Hodder do his thing. He got the shaft with the whole JASON thing and Victor Crowley is ever bit as iconic and he does a great job playing the father in the flash back segments lets us all get a good look at his acting chops, which are formidable. This dude can act.
So in the end what we end up with is an above average slasher flick that features some of the best practical FX work in years and doesn't shy away from what it is, a bloody, disgusting, violent HORROR FILM!
HATCHET II is currently playing on VOD on Time Warner and Comcast systems. The Blu-ray / DVD release hits on Feb. 1st.
If you can see it now, do it.
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