[Sculpt]

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
4/10

"Unrealistic"

The thing that irked me the most was some unrealistic action. Which may sound odd or insignificant to some, but for those who respect the original's documentary style immersion, and remember this remake's "police film" opening, a cartoonish action shot can nudge that car off the suspension-of-disbelief track for the duration.

What was the scene? While Morgan "male friend #1" was running through the bountiful amount of sheets hungout to dry, Leatherface completely lops off half of Morgan's leg with one swing of a chainsaw. It's just physically impossible... Why include that? That's not horrific, that's comical. There's more poorly designed action violence... like when Leatherface stands still while Biel takes multiple chops at his arm. Is this the director of Toxic Avenger?

And when the film has little else to offer -- with unlikable boorish protagonists, sketchy shallow plot, flat villains, and a host of routine horror cliches and shots -- don't diminish the horror with unrealistic action violence.

R. Lee Ermey did a great job as the sheriff. Eric Balfour, as Kemper, held the story together by its threads. Jessica Biel's body was ridiculous, but her character was shapeless and uninspiring.