Hatchet (2006)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Adam Green

Writer:

Adam Green (writer)

Release Date:

5 October 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror

Tagline:

Old school American Horror.

Plot:

When a group of tourists on a New Orleans haunted swamp tour find themselves stranded in the wilderness, their evening of fun and spooks turns into a horrific nightmare.

Plot Keywords:

Victor Crowley | Gore | Topless | Maniac | Female Nudity

Awards:

6 wins

Cast

Joel Moore	...	Ben (as Joel David Moore)
Tamara Feldman	...	Marybeth
Deon Richmond	...	Marcus
Kane Hodder	...	Victor Crowley / Mr. Crowley
Mercedes McNab	...	Misty
Parry Shen	...	Shawn
Joel Murray	...	Shapiro
Joleigh Fioreavanti	...	Jenna
Richard Riehle	...	Mr. Permatteo
Patrika Darbo	...	Mrs. Permatteo
Robert Englund	...	Sampson
Joshua Leonard	...	Ainsley
Tony Todd	...	Reverend Zombie
John Carl Buechler	...	Jack Cracker (as John Buechler)
Rileah Vanderbilt	...	Young Victor Crowley

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody horror violence, sexual content, nudity and language. (edited for re-rating; previously NC-17 for extreme violence and gore)

Runtime:

Germany:93 min (European Film Market) | UK:85 min | Canada:84 min (Premium movie channel) | 84 min (uncut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (cut) | UK:18 | Germany:18 | Ireland:18 | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

ArieScope Pictures

Trivia:

When actor Joel Moore vomits on screen, it is real. Director Adam Green did not want the actors spitting out fake vomit like most films do. Though Joel managed to throw-up on his own for the first take, he was supplied with a mixture of cold clam chowder and orange juice for the second take.

Goofs:

Continuity: Marybeth's gun changes from a Glock, to a Colt, to a Smith & Wesson many times throughout the movie.

Quotes:

Jenna: Seriously Doug, I can't work with that. I'm a professional actress. I went to NYU.
Misty: [laughs]
Jenna: What's so funny?
Misty: Like anybody's ever even heard of that.
Jenna: New York University?
Misty: Never heard of it.

Movie Connections:

References Mystic Pizza (1988)

Soundtrack:

I Don't Want To Wait

Doesn't live up to the hype, but it will undeniably please some hardcore horror fans.

A deformed, monstrous, bayou-dwelling psychopath who survived a hatchet to the face as a child lives on to terrorize the *really* stupid chump victims taking a tour of his domain in the present day.

While I wouldn't consider this the second coming of the genre, director Adam Green does show a bit of flair. Made as an obvious homage to the splatter flicks that him and many of us grew up watching, he does stage the various bloody attacks with considerable panache. Any gore hound watching is bound to be pleased to some degree.

The picture also has a respectable amount of backwoods atmosphere. Taking place mostly at night, it settles into a pretty consistent groove once it kicks into gear. The characters are so moronic, standard-issue, and pathetic that the killer is the one most people will be likely to be rooting for - but that doesn't make this any different from many of the slasher films of yore.

Green was able to get some genuine horror icons to participate in this; fans will love seeing Robert Englund, Tony Todd (although these two are relegated to brief, disappointing cameo roles) and particularly Kane Hodder, portraying the horrific monster as well as its father in flashback scenes.

The assorted, expendable victims are played by folks like Joel David Moore, Deon Richmond (who has some good, funny moments), Joel Murray (brother of Bill M.), Tamara Feldman (she's the one required to give us much of the exposition), Mercedes McNab, Parry Shen, and others.

Other than the various gruesome dispatches, what I did appreciate about it was its full-steam-ahead approach. It had an energy to it that was enjoyable.

The incredibly predictable ending was an unsatisfying letdown, but overall it's an appropriate enough valentine to vintage slasher fare and I had a fairly good time watching it.

7/10