Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Hatchet Blu-ray Movie Review

Blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 3, 2010

Haven't you seen enough boobs?

Hatchet is billed as "old school American Horror." If by that fans are led to expect plenty of bare-chested girls, an unforgivingly dark atmosphere, and a typical array of characters killed off one-by-one by a deranged and deformed psychopath living off the land (and the good folks) around the outlying swamps of New Orleans, then yup, Hatchet delivers some old-school genre fun. If it really just sounds like a typical hack-and-slash thrill ride, it is, but most genre fans won't mind the familiar refrains thanks to Director Adam Green's (Frozen) good pacing, unflinching attitude towards making his film as grisly as possible, and his boldness in ending the picture at a point where it seems like it should just be getting started (and enter Hatchet II, set for release in October 2010). Green also cements Hatchet in a cloud of humor that hovers over, but never dominates, the picture, ultimately lessening the impact of the violence without destroying the atmosphere or ruining the fun. Hatchet's violence is as grisly as anything found in the Saw series of films -- heads are ripped apart, limbs are severed, torsos are mutilated, and on and on -- but it also never feels quite so personal, disgusting, or excessive thanks to Green's perfect formula that allows the picture to go all-out with seeming to go all-out. Hatchet might not be the most original game in town, but it certainly has its genre down pat.

Looking for trouble.

Legend has it down New Orleans way there's a disfigured killer living in the local swamps named Victory Crowley (Kane Hodder) who sees fit to butcher anyone and everyone who stumbles into his territory. Though it's no secret that people who head down his way tend not to make it home in time for supper, The Big Easy's shadier businesses still run riverboat tours that share his story and point out his supposed home in hopes of making a quick buck off of unsuspecting tourists with big ears, eager eyes, and open wallets. Enter Ben (Joel Moore); he's in New Orleans celebrating Mardi Gras with his best friend, Marcus (Deon Richmond), and a few others who've dragged him down there for some R&R and T&A in hopes that he'll get over being dumped by his girlfriend of seven years. Of course, with every bare breast he sees, Ben's only reminded of his one and only, so he talks Marcus into leaving the party scene behind and instead catching one of the tours through New Orleans' supposedly haunted swamps. This is a Horror movie, so bad idea (and it's a Horror movie where indulging in drink and sex may have actually saved the characters' lives rather than marking them for certain death). Ben and Marcus head out on the tour along with a wannabe porn director (Joel Murray) and his wannabe porn stars Misty (Mercedes McNab) and Jenna (Mercedes McNab); the elderly couple Mr. and Mrs. Permatteo (Richard Riehle and Patrika Darbo); a darkly mysterious loner named Marybeth (Tamara Feldman); and the tour's bumbling guide, Shawn (Parry Shen). What awaits them isn't a night of re-imagined legend and cheap thrills but instead an unforgettable evening of slaughter and mayhem that might spell the end for everyone that dares step foot on that ill-fated spook tour aboard the Scare Boat.

It's hard to gauge a movie like Hatchet when it's primarily a Slasher cut from the same cloth as the average genre picture populating the local video store shelf. The old standby formula sees the killer off a couple of meaningless characters at the beginning of the movie, only to lay in wait for the main grouping to come to him so he may go about his business of slicing and dicing his victims because, well, pretty much because they're there. Adam Green -- who also wrote the screenplay -- develops the killer's backstory soundly enough, and he gives his assortment of fodder some quick little character traits, most of which don't matter but allow for just enough development so that the audience, at least on the surface, comes to know just who it is that's about to have their head severed by a shovel, chest ripped in half by an axe, or face ground down with an gas-powered sander. For all the praise and hoopla surrounding it, Hatchet sure doesn't stand out as some highly original piece of Horror filmmaking when looking at its basic structure, so what is it that has both critics and fans united and abuzz? The most obvious answer, it would seem, is just how honestly the movie goes about its business, and even if it does recycle old plot elements, it does indeed feel like an "old school" Horror movie that's absent the usual bits of watered-down nonsense that are unfortunately nowadays as much a genre staple as are bare breasts, sharp weapons, and clueless characters. Green doesn't mess around with quirky little Freddy Krueger quips from his killer or hold anything back from a visual perspective. His monster is just a crazed and deformed individual who obviously has a much more complex and deeper story to tell than even what's learned through the course of Hatchet, but Green doesn't allow Crowley's backstory get in the way of the slaughter; like the character development, it's set up to give viewers a reason for the violence, and truth be told, it's quickly forgotten -- particularly on the first viewing -- underneath the almost unstoppable onslaught of graphic violence.

The film's antagonist, Victor Crowley, seems like a mixture of Jason Voorhees and the whatever-they-are's from either The Hills Have Eyes 2 or Wrong Turn. Basically, he's a deformed and once-tormented individual back from the grave with a mission to dole out a heaping helping of ultra-violent slaughter. One film in, and Crowley is already one of Horror's better killers. Brutal, ruthless, strong, resilient, and with a keen understanding of using his environment and the tools around him with deadly precision, Crowley's always ready to deal an ooey-gooey death sure to spray blood from various gashes and, oh yes, allow viewers to see the red stuff splatter up against the side of the tree about a half-dozen times. Aside from its well-conceived killer and relentless brutal violence, Hatchet also works well thanks to a nice assortment of characters and a top-quality cast to portray them. Adam Green squeezes in a few cameos that Horror buffs wil enjoy, and he also brings into the meat grinder a motley crew of soon-to-die tourists, including an older couple, a few porn stars, a mystery girl, a tour guide without a clue, the token black guy, and the hero who looks like he's about to fall asleep through the whole thing, among others. The cast all manage to sell the picture's tone that asks of them to play it straight but still allow an underlying humor to work its way into the movie. None of the characters ever really stray from genre cliché, though one can't help but like Joel Moore's performance as Ben, the film's leading man who's a quiet, unassuming type who doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would last very long in a Horror movie, but then again, those are the types of characters that always make it to the end...

Hatchet Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Hatchet scares up a nice-looking 1080p transfer for its debut Blu-ray release. The picture's unforgivingly dark through most of its runtime with only a brief respite to introduce its main characters early on in the film. As such, blacks are crucial to the presentation, and they impress far more often than not. They're deep and dark and don't devour too many important details in the frame. Several scenes in the film are so dark the screen may as well be completely black; the darkness only adds to the picture's mood and intensity, and Anchor Bay's 1080p presentation doesn't fumble this crucial element. Detail holds up well throughout, even if most of it isn't seen as pristinely as it would otherwise appear in a film that's not so powerfully dark. The early daytime scenes reveal good depth-of-field, sharp imagery, refined textures, and quality detailing in both character faces and clothes and the many sights around New Orleans. Only a few shots go slightly soft throughout the film, and even in the darkest nighttime scenes the transfer remains sharp and focused. There's a slightly over-processed digital sheen to some scenes, but Hatchet does retain a fair bit of grain and isn't littered wit unsightly noise across its dark backdrops. Overall, Anchor Bay's transfer is strong, but not perfect; Hatchet looks just fine and, yes, all its carnage really jumps out on Blu-ray.

Hatchet Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Hatchet tears into Blu-ray with a potent and exhilarating Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack that's a match for the film's fast pace and excessively grisly visuals. The track yields a strong assortment of surround sound information; whether capturing the ambience of Louisiana's swampy backwaters, heavy rain and booming distant thunder, or Horror movie-centric odds and ends that effectively place the listener in the midst of the bloodshed, Hatchet's lossless soundtrack proves incredibly immersive and a strong compliment to the violence that plays out on-screen. Nevertheless, these elements aren't the most accurately-realized ever to appear on Blu-ray; they're in no way sloppy or lacking in strong fundamentals, but they're absent that pinpoint clarity, spacing, and realism associated with the top-of-the-line lossless content. Still, Hatchet's soundtrack proves mighty impressive in context and considering the picture's low budget. Music is loud, aggressive, and deep, and the song that accompanies the opening title sequence flat-out rocks the soundstage to its core and without sacrificing clarity in the process. Dialogue is well balanced and flows effortlessly from the center. Hatchet's lossless soundtrack is satisfyingly intense, and listeners should find much to love about Anchor Bay's latest mix.

Hatchet Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Anchor Bay slices out several quality extras for this Blu-ray release of Hatchet. Two commentary tracks headline the package. The first features Writer/Director/Co-Producer Adam Green and Actor Kane Hodder. This is a new commentary recorded for the special edition Blu-ray release and features a very happy-to-be-here Kane Hodder, who wasn't able to attend the recording of the original track. This commentary focuses less on the making of the film and more on the details of what's transpired in the time since the picture's release. The real strength of the track is Hodder, who proves himself an affable, intelligent, and well-spoken individual. As to what's in the track itself, the participants discuss the state of the Horror genre today and what kind of movies studios will and won't make, upcoming projects, the Hatchet sequel (including critical plot points...beware), the hype surrounding the picture, Anchor Bay's distribution deal, the picture's rating, and much, much more. This is easily one of the finest commentary tracks out there; it's entertaining, informative, and a must-listen for not only fans but anyone interested in the inner-workings of how a movie gets made and everything that happens after the fact. Track two once again features Adam Green, this time accompanied by Cinematographer/Co-Producer Will Barratt and Actors Tamara Feldman, Joel David Moore, and Deon Richmond. This track's more traditionally structured with the participants speaking more on the nuts-and-bolts of the making of the film, including plenty of discussion about the challenges of independent filmmaking. This, too, is a good track, but it's not on the same level of excellence as the Green/Hodder commentary.

Next up are five featurettes. The Making of 'Hatchet' (480p, 39:18) begins with Adam Green reminiscing on the long history of the project and its origins as a summer camp story. The piece continues with a rather in-depth look at the process of getting the picture made. It focuses on the crafting of a trailer before the picture was shot, the casting process, the humor in the picture, working with the picture's dangerous stunts, recreating Mardi Gras, and plenty more. This is a well-structured and engaging piece. Meeting Victor Crowley (480p, 9:24) looks at Kane Hodder's performance and his insistence on keeping his character's appearance from the cast to further enhance their natural fear reactions on-camera. Guts & Gore (480p, 10:58) is an extended preview of the Puppies & Kittens Blu-ray disc. Oh yeah. Anatomy of a Kill (480p, 6:21) looks at the process of crafting one of the picture's signature kills. Finally, A Twisted Tale (480p, 8:32) takes a look at Adam Green's relationship with Twisted Sister's Dee Snider. Also included is a gag reel (480p, 3:43) and the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 1:48).

Hatchet Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Make no mistake, Hatchet doesn't have an original bone in its body. But by the time the movie's over, most of the character's won't even have bodies in which to hold their bones, original or otherwise, so at least Hatchet has that much going for it. Hatchet is very good for what it is, but it's not a movie that's going to redefine a genre or anything like that. In that sense, it's no Halloween, Scream, or Saw, but it is an incredibly violent Slasher that's made about as well as an incredibly violent Slasher can be made. It's certainly not for anyone without a strong stomach (and it's probably best not to eat before or during the movie), but the underlying humor helps offset the violence without breaking, or even lessing, the mood. Adam Green shows real promise even if Hatchet never escapes the clutches of cliché. Watch out for him in the future. Hatchet arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Anchor Bay, and the studio has graced the film with a strong technical presentation and some of the best extra content around. Recommended.