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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, The

EMAILPRINTNew Line Cinema

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, The reviews
29
4.9 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 18 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 71 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Horror  |  Suspense/Thriller

Written by: Sheldon Turner (also story)
David J. Schow

Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman

Release Date:
Theatrical: October 6, 2006
DVD: January 16, 2007

Running Time: 84 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R for strong horror violence/gore, language and some sexual content

Starring Jordana Brewster, Taylor Handley, Diora Baird, Matthew Bomer, Lee Tergesen, R. Lee Ermey, Andrew Bryniarski, and Terrence Evans

This startling prequel details the beginnings of the Hewitt clan and exposes their psychotic idea of family fun. (New Line Cinema)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

50

LA Weekly Scott Foundas

Few surprises lie in store for connoisseurs of torture cinema, though unlike its 2003 predecessor, this Massacre owes less to Bay’s attention-deficient aesthetics than to the measured, Georgia O’Keefe-on-acid sensibility that guided Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel’s much-cannibalized original.

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50

The New York Times Nathan Lee

Mindlessly repeats the archetypal "Chainsaw" scenario.

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50

The Hollywood Reporter John DeFore

The whole fear-of-obese-hillbillies device is starting to smell as stale as Leatherface's playroom. Does this horror trend simply reflect a national fear, as giant radioactive ants personified the Bomb in the 1950s? If so, maybe it's time for us all to go on a diet; America needs fresh fodder for its boogeymen.

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50

Film Threat Pete Vonder Haar

"The Beginning" is a better movie than the 2003 remake, even if the plot is understandably similar. There are only so many ways hapless teens can get brutally slaughtered, after all, but Liebesman and company keep things appropriately creepy, right down to aping the look of the 1974 original.

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50

Los Angeles Times Sam Adams

This is not a slick, jokey horror movie in the post-"Scream" mold, but a genuine attempt to strip the coating from the audience's nerves. It's nasty and brutish, if not particularly short.

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50

San Francisco Chronicle Peter Hartlaub

A lot more enjoyable if you can leave your cognitive skills at the door.

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50

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

More or less restages Tobe Hooper's 1974 original, including its much-loved family dinner scene.

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38

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

Who will survive and what will be left of them? If you don't have a pretty good idea, this is not the movie for you. If you do, rest assured you've seen it all before.

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38

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Just another trip down a very dusty road.

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38

New York Post Kyle Smith

Misses everything that made the first one eat into your spine like meningitis.

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30

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Sadly, this movie is a far cry from the atmospheric, even thoughtfully crafted original, which made you truly scared for the unkempt, everyman victims. But this latest version, though just as grisly, is literally hackwork, and stars a forgettable, airbrushed cast of slaughterees.

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30

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Only good old Leatherface literally mirrors the festering cultural and political corruption of the era, and to the film's vast discredit, this hideous echo is never even noted.

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25

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

It's really gory and really dull. Mostly just dull.

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25

Boston Globe Rocco Colella

The new prequel isn't really a slasher movie at all. It's a mess, with too much to say, and an odd genre in which to preach.

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25

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

If watching people having their faces cut off, getting their legs amputated and having their throats tenderly slit is your idea of a horrific good time, you'll certainly get your money's worth here.

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25

Entertainment Weekly Gregory Kirshling

Unlike "Hostel" or "Wolf Creek," TCM:B is rank and depressing.

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20

Variety Peter Debruge

Auds would be well advised not to attempt "Beginning" on a full stomach.

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0

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Putridly written, directed and acted.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 4.9 (out of 10) based on 71 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Ricky m gave it a10:
The Best Of the Best of the Chainsaw flicks Scary Suspenseful and Gory as hell Leatherface rules.

Itis Doom gave it an8:
The movie was great but seriously. Jordana Brewster could have just ran away for her life and screw her friends.

Tanner J gave it a1:
There is a difference between a movie being scary, and a movie just being nasty. This movie isn't scary at all, just very gruesome and loud. A waste of time imo.

daniel b. gave it a0:
Can't believe people went to see this in theatres. I know i would have asked to be refunded. Or left before the end to get it. Its THAT bad. Really. REALLY!

N D gave it an8:
Really enjoyed this - loved the original remake too. R Lee Ermey makes this film - loads of blood and overall worth a watch.

Noranda gave it a10:
This is by far the best movie of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. Its by far the most brutal movie, and includes such graphic scenes as Leather Faces first "face peel" and "the birth of the monster" Two thumbs WAY UP!

[Anonymous] gave it a1:
More entertaining than the first one, the reason I gave it a 1 is because all the little whining bitches get killed by Mister "Scary-man". Overall, it is the worst prequel I've ever seen. The characters deserved to die.

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