Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 24, 2018

Kim Hinkel scripted the original “Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” watching as the little southern horror movie developed into a behemoth at the box office, becoming a sensation at the time and, eventually, a classic. Hinkel was shut out of the two sequels that followed, but resurfaced in 1994 with renewed interest to reclaim his original creation. “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation” is Hinkel’s ship and he’s content to steer it into murky storytelling waters, hoping the brand name might cover for many issues with the screenplay and filmmaking. Henkel aims for reverence with a semi-remake, but he comes up short in the imagination department, finding the highlights of “The Next Generation” ones that simply recycle Hooper’s ferocity and rural Texas madness.

It’s prom night for Jenny (Renee Zellweger), Sean (John Harrison), Barry (Tyler Shea Cone), and Heather (Lisa Marie Newmeyer), but the gang doesn’t have much interest in the dance, quickly taking off into the night as relationships sour. Crashing in the middle of nowhere, the gang finds a friendly face with realtor Darla (Tonie Perensky), who swears help is coming via a tow truck managed by Vilmer (Matthew McConaughey). However, the mysterious driver is actually a madman, leader of the Slaughter family, soon bringing the teens home for bodily destruction, much to the delight of siblings W.E. (Joe Stevens) and Leatherface (Robert Jacks). Jenny proves to be an elusive target for Vilmer, who unleashes his fury on the young woman, trying to trap her and bring her home for a family meal, delighting in his insanity, which is puppeted by the mysterious Rothman (James Gale).

Hinkel is trying to secure his sequel’s success by reheating old moves from his original screenplay for “Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” “The Next Generation” once again follows a pack of young people as they get mixed up in bloodthirsty family business, with this round of torment organized by Vilmer, a hellraising good old boy with a hydraulic leg and sincere love for torturing young women. There’s some early introductory business with the prom-goers and their relationship woes, but the foursome end up in trouble rather quickly, ending up separated around the Slaughter property, finding Darla the only passably sane member of the destructive clan. Comfort is promised, but death is assured, giving Hinkel a chance to restage some of more iconic moments from “Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” including one character’s unfortunate meeting with Leatherface, who slams the victim into a freezer before hanging the poor soul on a meat hook.

There’s a lot of deja vu driving “The Next Generation,” and Henkel knows it, encouraging similarities as the action covers Jenny’s frantic escape attempts, sprinting away from a chainsaw-wielding Leatherface, and the household dynamic is appropriately nuts, with Vilmer relishing any opportunity he receives to assert dominance and feed his need for power. New additions to “The Next Generation” include Leatherface’s pronounced gender identity, maintaining a distinctly feminine appearance with dead victim flesh, and the Slaughter family isn’t really a group of cannibalistic ghouls, with the dinner option in the film being pizza, which softens their horrific demeanor. There’s also some painfully vague business with Rothman, who shows up late in the movie, introduces a reason behind the torment, and leaves. Perhaps Hinkel was prepping for another sequel, but Rothman’s appearance is merely one of many question marks in the endeavor, which comes off unfinished, especially in the truncated third act (some crazy deus ex machina is introduced to solve a few problems).

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation” is offered in two versions: a Theatrical Cut (87:18) and a Director’s Cut (93:18), which provides more character interactions and backstory, including a critical understanding as to why Jenny isn’t particularly fazed by the monstrous Slaughter family.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation" comes to Blu-ray in a slightly disorganized manner. There are two cuts presented, and while the Theatrical Cut is a full HD viewing experience (AVC encoded, 1.78:1 aspect ratio), the Director's Cut takes the HD master and fills in the missing pieces with standard definition footage, trying to stitch together a workable look at Henkel's original intent. While it's certainly not an ideal viewing experience, Shout Factory makes a game attempt to assemble something watchable, upscaling the excised scenes to maintain visual flow (the last two screenshots showcase how it looks). Changes in resolution are obvious but not disruptive. The HD elements are older and softer, finding fresh detail challenging, though cinematographic limitations are present. Colors run a little reddish at times, but the sickly palette of death remains, providing a passable look at Slaughter house interiors, while more vibrant hues, such as Darla's purple suit and the prom dresses, keep their appearance. Skintones are mostly accurate. Delineation is acceptable, maintaining evening chases and darker costuming. Grain is thicker, periodically blocky. Source offers some slight judder and speckling.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is functional, capturing heated exchanges between the Slaughters and their prisoners, with the track juggling the chaos of family scenes with accuracy, but never with exceptional clarity. The listening event is slightly muted, most evident during chainsaw attacks, which don't roar to life as expected. However, sound effects are persistent, finding Vilmer's hydraulic leg constantly whirring and stunts are accompanied by shattered glass and crashed doors. Scoring is supportive with average instrumentation, while alternative rock hits are less confident, missing authority. It seems age is an issue here, but production limitations are common. It's an acceptable mix, just not a menacing one.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Behold the power of actor representation! Agents clearly got in the way of Shout Factory's attempts to discuss the making of "The Next Generation" in full, with only a single mention of Matthew McConaughey's name presented during the featurettes, while Renee Zellweger isn't brought up at all. Also, while the packaging lists a Still Gallery and Behind-the-Scenes Footage, they are not included on the disc.

• "The Buzz is Back" (11:42, HD) chats with cinematographer Levie Isaacks, who tracks the rise of his career in a slightly confusing fashion, discussing his work on television before moving to L.A., but also mentions his involvement with the original "Texas Chain Saw Massacre," eventually developing a friendship with Tobe Hooper. "The Next Generation" helmer Kim Henkel was a pal, giving Isaacks a job in the tight-knit Austin film community. Location conditions are explored, with the cast and crew battling oppressive heat and poison ivy, while the limited budget demanded special technical challenges. Isaacks shares memories of Leatherface actor Robert Jacks, and shares his disappointment with the end product, highlighting its baffling storytelling gaps.

• "Marked for Death" (16:01, HD) discusses the making of "The Next Generation" with actor Tyler Shea Cone, who plays the bully Barry in the movie. Cone recounts his entrance into the Austin film scene, appearing as an extra on "My Boyfriend's Back," which inspired him to go into acting. He recounts his quick audition, landing the role right away, and he shares memories of working with Henkel, describing the director as a quiet man. More love is shared for Jacks, and co-star personalities and connections are recalled, with the cast bonding during the punishing shoot, which was also plagued by mosquitos. Cone describes physical challenges and tries to sell the feature as some sort of camp classic, suggesting people don't understand the picture.

• "If Looks Could Kill" (19:03, HD) is a tandem interview with special makeup effects tech J.M. Logan and production designer Deborah Pastor. For Logan, the 18-year-old kid was hired on "The Next Generation" to create Vilmer's hydraulic leg, only to beg for more responsibility, with producers willing to give him the whole show. Pastor describes her effort to preserve the sequel mood, looking at the original "Texas Chain Saw Massacre" for inspiration, even bringing in one of the famous bone chairs for a dinner scene, which was almost destroyed by the actors. Co-stars are recalled, with even more tenderness offered to Jacks, who enjoyed being mischievous with the crew, including Pastor, who stepped in to provide the life casts for Leatherface's face and breasts when nobody else would. Personal reflections on the picture's legacy are offered as well.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:38, SD) is included.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

For "Chain Saw" fans, there's plenty of hectic family interplay and screaming matches. Hinkel revels in the Texas rot of the gang, trying to please the faithful with grotesqueries and chases. Missing from the effort is explanation (the meat hook victim turns up a few scenes later, alive and well, with no explanation given) and self-control, with Henkel going the scattergun route for chills, which tires out the movie in a hurry. There's a curiosity factor with the casting of Zellweger and McConaughey (who makes fast friends with his now-habitual overacting), but that only lasts a few minutes. The rest of "The Next Generation" isn't original or energetic enough to carry the viewing experience.