Netflix’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A surprisingly good scare

Hate social media influencers? So does Leatherface, apparently. A direct sequel to the iconic 1974 horror film, Texas Chainsaw Massacre blends tried-and-true scare tactics with modern-day humor to create a fast-paced, well-crafted viewing experience.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is lauded by many horror fanatics as one of the best slasher flicks of all time, and it certainly ticks all the boxes: creepy locations, attractive teenagers, and a psycho killer so revolting he activates your gag reflex. The hit film spawned many sequels, remakes, and re-imaginings… and pretending none of those ever happened was a smart move since not many casual film watchers are interested in navigating 40 years of the plot to understand what the heck is happening.

Pro tip: If you’re new to the franchise, go ahead and skip all the noise in between.

A cinematic statement on Gen Z

The story follows a similar arc as its predecessor but adds a 21st-century twist. A group of young people (played by Elsie Fisher, Nell Hudson, Sarah Yarkin, Jacob Latimore, and Jessica Allain) are, once again, making a trek to a small Texas town. This time, however, the crew is made up of social media influencers hoping to breathe new life into the tiny town (and drive up their clicks and views, obviously.)

The plot turns political fairly quickly, with the main protagonist Lila (Elsie Fisher) revealing that she is a school shooting survivor with an AR-15 phobia. Fans of the original film are probably aware that it was intended to be a metaphor for the Vietnam War – so a Chainsaw film taking a political stance is nothing new. While the message this time around is far less nuanced, the plot wisely doesn’t make Lila’s near-death experience a central focal point.

In addition to a more timely storyline, bits of humor are also sprinkled throughout the film (seriously – one scene made me laugh out loud.) This marks a drastic difference from the incredibly gritty original and adds just enough flare to keep it from becoming too camp.

The return of Sally Hardesty (…sort of)

Sally Hardesty’s escape from Leatherface remains brutal to watch even 50 years later, so it’s natural for fans to want a redemption arc for the film’s iconic Final Girl. Sadly, the original Sally (actress Marilyn Burns) passed away in 2014 at the age of 65. Recasting a beloved character is, in a word, risky – and a bad recast is more than enough reason to make an audience revolt. Irish Actress Olwen Fouéré takes over as Sally in this sequel, and though she is only featured sporadically, the part is certainly impactful. She not only looks a great deal like Burns but captures the pain and anguish of Sally’s plight quite convincingly.

It starts shaky – but brutal kills, timely banter, and a solid cast of characters make Texas Chainsaw Massacre a surprisingly decent sequel.

The bottom line: I didn’t hate Texas Chainsaw Massacre. In fact, I kinda dug it.