The 2013 adaptation of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, presented in 3D, is a true sequel to the 1974 version. As the film begins, audiences are treated to scenes from the final moments in the 70's version. The lone survivor Sally Hardesty manages to escape on the back of a pickup truck and this 2013 sequel continues the story with the town sheriff (played by Thom Barry) planning to make an arrest of Jeb Sawyer, aka Leatherface (played by 6'6 ft tall Dan Yeager) for the alleged butchering of Sally's friends. The town citizens soon join the sheriff demanding the Sawyer to hand over Jeb and it doesn't take long before the citizens turn into an angry mob that burns the Sawyer house down. The attack leaves the entire Sawyer family dead, except for an infant girl who is taken by a couple involved in the attack to raise as their own daughter. The little girl grows up as Heather Miller (Alexandra Daddario) and twenty years later learns that she's adopted by the Miller family when she receives an inheritance from her long lost grandmother. This takes her back to Texas to where it all begins.
To avoid an NC-17 rating, the film has to cut back on the level of gore and violence originally depicted. I'm not sure if that is a good idea, because this film is not as gruesome nor as gory as some of its predecessors such as the 2003 version. Fans of the series may find this disappointing. What it lacks in brutality, it makes up for in its unique take on the story and narratives. This is the first film of the series where audiences may look at Leatherface from a different perspective. He may be seen as a hero for the very first time and not as the dark psychopathic villain we all love to hate. Disturbingly, some may even find themselves rooting for his victory later on in the film. This film showcases the humanity side of Leatherface, if that is even possible, and the special treatment he reserves for family members only. The film ends on a satisfying note while leaving it open for another sequel. Texas Chainsaw 3D also stars Trey Songz as Heather's boyfriend Ryan, Tanya Raymonde as Heather's bestfriend Nikki and Scott Eastwood as the town deputy Carl.
My biggest complaint about this film is the passage of time between this sequel and the original 1974 version. Technically, nearly 40 years have passed between the two films. However, the setting of this sequel claims to have taken place twenty years after the incidents that occur in the original 1974 version. This is confusing because iPhones arent invented in 1994 (twenty years after 1974). Yet, there is a scene where a hotshot cop, Officer Marvin (James MacDonald), uses his iPhone to video record his way into the monsters lair. Writers Adam Marcus and Debra Sullivan, et al, probably dont expect the audience to notice such frivolous plot hole in their story. Unfortunately, such an oversight does stick out like a sore thumb to some of us, especially to fans of the series.
Another disappointing feature about this film is its 3D format. Being presented in 3D, I dont think that anyone should have to pay more money for a mediocre 3D experience. None of the scenes in 3D has that wow factor. Theres one scene where the chainsaw is thrown directly at the audience and if done right, the chainsaw could have appeared to really jump out at the viewers in 3D. Instead, the disappointing 3D rendition makes it look horrible and fake. This film also doesnt feature a very likeable main character. Im especially not too fond of the way the main character Heather is portrayed. She is written off as someone who chooses to give her loyalty to a long lost grandmother that she has never met over her adopted parents who shes known for 20 years. The film shows her as someone whos ready to cut off her relationship with her adopted parents the minute she finds out theres an inheritance waiting for her. Shes also seen as someone who immediately forgets about her friends and their deaths as soon as she finds a new family. And worst of all, she is capable of sympathizing with a sadistic serial killer after all that hes done to her and her friends. Perhaps the writers intend for her character to behave like this so as to depict that a Sawyer is always going to be a Sawyer and that evil runs in their blood. However, if that is the case, then Im less inclined to look forward to the next installment because the plot to a potential sequel already seems to be very predictable.