Old School American Horror

            It’s finally here. I have been waiting for Hatchet 2 since the left-open-for-a-sequel ending of the original Hatchet, and it truly does not disappoint. In fact I think I enjoyed this movie so much I squealed twice during the movie and had to change my underwear after the show. Well not really but I did adore this movie as much as the first one, if not more. Where to begin?

            For those that have not seen Hatchet, the movie is about a group of people who take a backwoods swamp tour in the bayou’s of Louisiana, only to stumble across the abode of local ghost legend Victor Crowley, who was accidently killed by his father years earlier. Of course, the people meet their demise with the type of gore and violence you’d expect out of a movie made in the late 2000’s.

            I think the reason it was so enjoyable, is that this movie labels itself as “Old School American Horror.” This means that it’s trying to homage movies like Friday the 13^th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, etc. It does that on such a great level, even to the point of having the main villain Victor Crowley portrayed by veteran Jason Voorhees actor Kane Hodder.

            So Hatchet 2 starts right where Hatchet left off, with our protagonist Marybeth narrowly escaping the clutches of Victor Crowley. Upon being rescued by piss-drinking local nutcase, Jack Cracker, we find out is somehow connected to Victor Crowley. She is then kicked out of Jack Crackers house out of fear, where Cracker is subsequently murdered, and we have our plot device!

            Marybeth then returns to New Orleans to speak to Reverend Zombie from Hatchet, played by Tony Todd (Candyman), and she convinces him to return to the swamp to kill Victor Crowley and recover her brother and fathers dead bodies. Zombie reluctantly agrees, and recruits a crew of locals and hunters to help.

            To be honest, the rest you can figure out yourself, and I don’t want to spoil. What I want to tell you is that this movie is awesome. It is what a true sequel should be; something that takes the ideas of its predecessor and build on them. This sequel is ball’s to the wall with gore, using nearly twice as much fake blood then the original. There are plenty of comic relief moments throughout this movie, and some of them are actually gut busting. What really makes this movie fun is how it incorporates a lot of comedy into most of the over-the-top kills the movie is known for. I don’t want to give too much away but lets just say we get a graphic depiction of a six foot chainsaw wish boning two men in half, complete with testicles falling off.

            The script obviously is nothing to write home about, but it still manages to stay focused on the quick kills and gore the series has become loved for. Another point, director Adam Green has really gotten a lot better as a director in the last four years. His shots are quicker and tighter, and this helps to make the movie flow a lot better, especially during the slower scenes. The incorporation of the comedy helps a lot too.

            This movie is not for everyone, and with it only playing in one fucking theater in south Florida, it doesn’t make it very accessible. Unless you are a die-hard fan of the original Hatchet, and I guarantee almost everyone reading this has never even heard of it, or a fan of old school 80’s slasher horror, then don’t bother catching this flick. However if you want an hour and a half of mindless fun, gore, and inventive kills, check it out.

My Opinion: 10/10