Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation

Well said, Rothman. Whatever this movie is supposed to be, it fails on every level. It's not scary, it's not disturbing, it's not entertaining, it's only funny periodically when you can't believe how stupid it is, and it essentially killed the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise until it was rebooted a decade later.

The only reason anyone would have any inclination to watch this is because of its leads - Renee Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey - who were young and naive back then, but they did they best they could with the material they had. Renee played a fine damsel in distress and McConaughey was perfect as an insane cannibalistic psychopath. You can tell he was having fun with the part, and the fun he has is contagious sometimes especially knowing how huge he has become since.

The movie itself is downright horrendous. It starts off as a typical slasher: a few teens leaving prom get stranded in the woods, then they encounter strange characters, and from then it devolves into a nonsensical screaming battle between everyone. Literally there are scenes in this movie where the only lines are "AHHHH!" Leatherface has gone full transvestite for this installment. They also end the movie with some sort of conspiracy that these cannibals have been around for thousands of years and there are men in suits that check up on them or something. It makes absolutely no sense and trying to piece it together will ensure a loss of brain cells.

This is the worst of the pre-millennial TCMs by a long shot. Only watch if you're a die-hard TCM completist or you want to watch McConaughey yell like crazy for a while. Either way, you're bound to be disappointed.

This movie is definitely not winning any awards., but it is definitely a guilty pleasure for alot of people who like B quality horror movies and ridiculous cult movies. You know the ones, "So bad that it's good."

At one point, a terrorized Jenny screams "I don't understand!" And Vilmer replies "Welcome to the real world." For me, this sums up everything I like about this movie.

The TCM series has -- at the best of times -- been about random violence...usually for the sake of sensationalism. But underneath it all is the creepy realization that not everybody thinks like you do. Some of them do things which make no sense to you. When you step into their reality, you're at their mercy, and you'll never understand exactly why.

This installment plays the "why?" theme to the hilt, eventually copping out somewhat near the end when they should have just left us wondering. Darla is wonderful as Vilmer's girlfriend, alternately getting hung up about seemingly trivial things -- having a quiet dinner for a change -- and goading Vilmer into continuing their twisted, mutually abusive relationship. Vilmer himself has fantastic moments, though none of the actors quite live up to Perensky & Zellweger's standards of convincing nuttiness and terror, respectively. Though Newmyer is also great in a role which is too small.

Outside of the mayhem, there's some wonderful dialogue, especially the first few lines in the movie: the teacher who simpers around the students and then gripes, "f*** I hate kids." Heather's friend with the absolutely bizarre mannerisms explaining that the gossip-monger is just trying to cause trouble. Heather saying that they might end up slaughtered and hidden away in somebody's basement, with Sean retorting, "that's stupid, the houses around here don't have basements." And finally, my favourite line: "Too bad about her face, Leather, but you can have her shoes!"

Despite all the bad press this movie's received, I hope Kim Henkel enjoys what she created as much as I enjoy watching it. Goofy, funny, real, unreal, terrifying and witty: good job.

Anyone expecting oscar caliber film material when they popped this nugget in their VCR is kidding themselves.

Saying this movie sucks is similar to the people who stand in front of me at McDonald's complaining that their burger wasn't prepared properly. This aint Western Sizzlin, ya know!

So it was mindless, laughable, and possessed all of the other attributes that all TCM movies have. So what.

Can we really say that the original TCM had any kind of cinematic value. It was intense, graphic...yes. But the dialogue, (the small amount that it required) was no more cerebral than any TCM produced after.

I agree with the viewer in Baltimore that the mechanical leg was very funny. I preferred the trailer park babe who was constantly making references to her fake breasts. She was funny. The movie did go downhill with the arrival of the freak in the limo. It became very disjointed. So did all of the others, though. All TCM movies have always been about one subject...mindless violence and shock value.

If you didn't like it...fine. I was disappointed that the two main characters are embarrassed about making the movie. It's not something to be proud of, no. But it is still a piece of film that they got paid for. Also a break that they were given, as unknown actors. Just goes to show that once actors make it to the top, they forget the mere humans at the bottom, that boosted them up.

I can't believe this is rated as a bad film by so many. It is one of my favorites. It's pretty twisted and sick in a realistic way. Indeed it's not like the other TCMs but it's the same plot line , but completely different in a way. Mr. McConaughey has a great role and is acting like never before. Try seeing the movie and finding the good qualities instead of searching for whats bad about it like everyone else does. The psycholigy is brilliant. A must see for all !