HATCHET

HATCHET

Perhaps no other form in the critically disregarded horror genre has enjoyed as much disdain -- or provoked as much outrage -- as the Slasher. Devoted to the unabashed destruction of the human body, emphasizing pain and violent death, the 'Body Count' film is often just as interested in rending the prided morals of the status quo as it is in ruining flesh. This disregard of commonly accepted aesthetic morality and the desire to emotionally shock, has made it the darling of hardcore horror fans. Unfortunately these same characteristics have also earned it the outrage of special interest groups and the critical establishment. The Slasher has been accused of inspiring everything from youthful delinquency to violent crime, paraded as a poster child for crusading politicians more interested in rallying uninformed parents around a common kicking post than in feeding the masses or housing the poor. Yet despite it all, this highly stylized cousin of the Italian Giallo has proved resilient, coming through its own cannibalistic excess to once again raise its bloody head. This is due primarily to the genre's honesty in approaching such sordid matters as death and the struggling human heart in a largely amoral universe. A misanthropic condemnation of the human condition hides beneath the effects-heavy spectacles of severed heads and dangling body parts, and while the Slashers emphasis of sensationalism over character usually makes for second rate storytelling, the very immediacy and fetishistic pleasures of this approach works on a very primal, animalistic level.

Bemoaned as dead in the late 80s (thanks primarily to tired sequels and lethargic approaches to recycled material), the slice 'em up picture suffered an even worse fate in the 90s at the hands of Scream and other self referential post modern wank jobs. Destroying whatever immediacy that the Slasher had maintained in the first place with a sly, 'wink-wink' to audiences, these apologist feature length commercials almost proved the death knell for the gritty splatter fests of the past. And despite the recent popularity of Hostel and its ilk -- films as capable of arousing emotion as the red stuff -- the slasher has been more parody than panic. Until now. Hatchet, written and directed by Adam Green, makes fear fun again. A brutal stew of yucks and yeach!!!, this return to 'old school horror' is properly publicized, combining exploitative helpings of nudity, gore, and suspense into a ballet of blood as funny as it is engaging.

Similar in tone to such 'classic' body count films as Friday the 13, The Prowler, and The Burning, this sick puppy burns with style if not sense. The pace is exhilarating and the dark humor a perfect compliment to the righteously graphic violence,. Green wears his love of the genre proudly while forging a unique identity. Riffing off the gory-glory days of yore, where 'killer in the woods' films delighted in ravaging maniacs with hostility issues, Hatchet borrows without berating. Green merges what could have been simply a homage into a satisfying whole, injecting originality into an emotionally intensive plot. When a groups consisting of two college buddies, some old folks, a do-it-yourself pornographer, two clueless 'actresses', and a mysterious local girl embarks on a haunted tour within the swamplands, their boat sinks. Deserting them in the wilds. Legend has it that these woods are the stomping ground of one Victor Crowley, the living ghost of a Mongoloid man-child who, due to a vicious prank, was hatcheted in the head while his father was trying to rescue him from a burning cabin. What ensues is a crowd pleasing detour into enthusiastic violence and suspense as the quickly dwindling group struggles to survive Crowley's wrath.

A celebration of the sheer spectacle of the genre, Hatchet is also an inventive recycling of the sub-genre's style, structure, and visual intensity. The cast and crew have succeeded in dipping into the hot forge of movie maniacs past and came up with a viewing experience as undeniably fun as it is disturbing. Somehow fear and humor are blended harmoniously together. As a result, the film evokes terror with physical revulsion even as we're invited to laugh at characters that we feel we know and understand. While hardly a buddy movie, this modern urban legend is as impressive in its ability to craft human identities as it is in evoking memorable, suitably horrific atmosphere. The smart script treats its characters with surprising respect. While they are still largely posturing points for increasingly gorier death scenes (orchestrated with the gusto of a Fulci or Argento), the characters are both 'types' (blonde bombshell, stud, nerd) AND individual personas. This in itself is a remarkable feat for a cinematic form admittedly devoted to action. Combined with a mood drenched setting, super effects work, and an unerring sense of pace, Hatchet is sure to attract as much disdain as it is delight, especially from those who don't understand the adrenaline rush that earned these films a loyal following amongst my generation -- folks who grew up in awe grooving to the subjective POV hysterics of Jason, Michael, and Freddy. And while Victor Crowley doesn't quite evoke the same powerful archetypal interest as these bad boys, lacking something of the mythological resonance of their back stories, Green has created a new cinematic Boogeyman to be reckoned with. As much victim as victimizer (as all great monsters are), Victor invites both sympathy and fear. His back story is involved and emotionally significant, and by appearance he is surly the most exciting anti-hero to stalk down the forest trail for some time. This isn't high Art. Nor does it pretend to be. Hatchet, in the end, is content to titillate and shock. Its genius is making us love it as it does so. You'll slap your knees as often as you cover your eyes, and the horror is firmly rooted in our distinctly human attraction to that which threatens us. No small feat for no small story.

Hatchet is given the deluxe treatment by Anchor Bay, still the champion of horror enthusiasts. Presented in a 1.78:1 transfer, the visual integrity is spot on, ranging from darkly lit mood shots to color saturated bloodletting. Colors are bold and vibrant, lending the film a realistic mood that occasionally shifts into supernatural elegance. Audio is available in both Dolby 2.0 and 5.1, both of which are clean and lacking distortion. Evenly distributed, the score and sound effects bring the action right into your living room.

Extras are plentiful, fun and informative, creating a sub-text for a better appreciation of the film and the key talents behind and in front of the camera. First off is a full length Commentary, featuring Green, cinematographer Will Barratt, and assorted actors. While each has something to contribute, Green is in best form, covering the challenges of making the film -- of which there were many. Everything from production design and location problems to effects challenges are discussed. Green covers it all with honesty and charm. The Making of HATCHET brings us behind the scenes with interviews featuring John Carl Buechler and a host of other dedicated folks who pulled together to make the film a reality. Meeting Victor Crowley is a look into the changing moods and emotional challenges of working with actors, particularly ones playing killers off their nut. Guts & Gore and The Anatomy of a Kill both look at the FX and the fine at of the creative kill, with the former devoted primarily to Crowley and the latter a 'greatest hits' package of the meatier moments. A Twisted Tale is one of the weaker pieces, detailing the fan relationship of Green and Dee Snider from Twisted Sister, followed by the expected silliness of the Gag Reel.

Review by William Simmons


 
Released by Anchor Bay
Region 1 - NTSC
Not Rated
Extras :
see main review
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