The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3: Leatherface Review

For whatever reasons, the success of this series, lead right into this horrible installment of the franchise. In 1990, Jeff Burr brought to life another story in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series, this time ignoring the second film, and doing something different, which can be seen as good or bad, depending on who you are. The film does have one familiar face, and I mean famous face, not just B-movie fame. I of course mean, Viggo Mortensen, who has gone onto star in much better and much more profitable films. I now present for your reading pleasure, a review of the film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III: Leatherface.

More commonly known as “Leatherface” this film doesn’t kill the franchise, but it doesn’t create the greatest of movies. It really is a downhill turn from the superior second incarnation of the massacre franchise. In fact, the guy behind the mask doesn’t even act anything like our previous Leatherface characters, and really puts a damper on things in this film.

The plot revolves around a couple of people going cross country through Texas who meet the Sawyer family and begin to lose it. Meanwhile we are introduced to a few other cast members who also meet the Sawyers and have to contend for themselves and try to outwit the clan that will becoming their grave makers in short order.

Here is a trailer for the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3: Leatherface:



By the time you get to this film, you feel a little tired with this series. The same plot points are revealed in this film, and the characters don’t really act all that well. The gore is also not that crazy, and really lacks the effects work of Savini and the gritty camera generations of the original 70’s classic. The film looks updated and the actors, while being virtual unknowns are terrible at delivering their lines.

There’s some great fight scenes in this movie. I don’t mean kung fu stylized fights, but these characters don’t just go down and let it go. While there are some that fall over, there is a couple of characters that just won’t go down. That is a good part of this film, I like it when the victims don’t let themselves just get hacked, they fight back. Remember my review of “Wrong Turn 2” where Henry Rollins fights to the death with the mutants? Oh yeah, that’s awesome. Now don’t get me wrong, we don’t need to have Rambo in here slicing and dicing, but if I were in the film, I would not go down easy. You’d have to really kill me, not just maim me, or dismember, you better blow me up into oblivion, because I’m married and I am not letting go without my wife. Ok, while it is noble to type such things, truth be told, I’d probably get pwned faster than fast, cause I’m not as badass as Henry Rollins. But, still, it should be noted that there is some fight in some of these characters, and that’s a draw that is worth checking out in this film.



Is The Texas Chainsaw Masascre III: Leatherface scary? : No. The crux of this film is not scary. If you have invested any time in horror films as a genre, you are probably well aware of the output of something like this film. However, if you picked up this film at the video store, or just randomly watched it, you might sense a chill or two with a few of the scenes.

The ending is where you are going to get jolted a little. You get two victims making it, finally, a winner at the end, and not just the epic “Final Girl” we are going to get out of this alive and with our dignity! Then BOOOM! Sledgehammer to the face and Leatherface in the rear view mirror, you’re so dead. That shock scene works effectively for those of you that are horror movie buffs, but if you aren’t used to horror film, you don’t expect this one and it hits hard and fast. I won’t ruin it too much, even though now you’re on the lookout…but if you make it through the first 80 minutes of this film, you’re most likely going to be sedated enough to still allow yourself a little immersion, and the scene will still work well; trust me.

This is the least of the three films in the initial trilogy of the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I recommend watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III: Leatherface, if you haven’t seen this one, or if you’re a fan of the series. It is definitely not the best, but it is also not the worse. The continuity of the second film, is lost here, so you don’t have to see it to know what you’re in for. I enjoy it, but that’s only because I’m a diehard horror film fan, not necessarily a huge Texas Chainsaw Massacre fan.

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