The Hatchet franchise

[Nostalgic]

Originally Posted by Gothmogxx

So Hatchet IV/Victor Crowley arrived today.

I'm a huge fan of this franchise. To me this is essentially the modern version of Friday the 13th. Victor Crowley is VERY under-rated. He's just come at the wrong time (I guarantee you everything if these movies came out in the 80's then Hatchet would be as big as Friday the 13th/Elm Street etc). Victor is my favourite modern day slasher villain.

But the film itself? Having watched it twice today (and at least two more times in the next week to listen to the commentaries) I think I can safely say its really good. It's not perfect: I definitely have some gripes with it, but they're not massive.

I think that its best I keep spoilers to a minimum. I knew nothing about this going in (I sadly ruined some aspects of the third one because I knew about the surprise cameos from certain actors among other things) so I'll just give out the basic plot. Fans won't be disappointed as this is a film for the fans of the franchise: Its been a full ten years since the original slaughter in Honey Island Swamp. Andrew (survivor from the third one) has been cashing in on his survival by turning the whole thing into a book (although everybody thinks he killed them all). He refuses to go back into the swamp though until he hears an offer of £1,000,000 to go back in for an interview. So he in tow with a documentary film crew, and a separate trio of aspiring film-makers, end up stranded in the exact spot where the chaos ensued last time. Of course he isn't actually dead for good, this is basically a modern day 80's slasher after all. One voodoo curse read aloud is all it takes to bring him back.

Green clearly isn't here to just "cash in" by bringing him back (if you read his blog he actually grew to hate Victor Crowley on account of personal troubles at the time which caused him great depression: George Romero was actually the one who inspired him to get back into it. Both he and Wes Craven get a dedication credit at the end). He loves this franchise. He is a guy who grew up with this stuff in the 80's and you can feel the love and dedication he feels towards horror films in this and the other entries. If you liked the first three you'll like this.

My only problems are that when they're on the plane for too long it can get a bit slow, some characters are under-used and don't have good payoffs and the kills aren't as good as the first two- I'd say that its about on par with the third one in the killing department (although there are a few that stand out here above the rest in the film, one of which is just amazing and a total WTF kind of moment that I'd say is one of the franchises best). These are mild things though, albeit ones that keep from (just) being as good as the first two. If I had to rank them i'd say-

1. Hatchet II
2. Hatchet
3. Victor Crowley/Hatchet IV
4. Hatchet III

Overall, satisfied. Can't wait for Hatchet V! (oh and don't turn it off when the credits start, something truly amazing happens that had me cheering even if I kind of suspected that was exactly what was gonna happen when the scene started).

Victor Crowley/Hatchet IV- 8/10. Check it out.

Top review!
How did you find time to watch it twice in one day, lol!

[gag]

Originally Posted by Nostalgic

Top review!
How did you find time to watch it twice in one day, lol!

I remember when my friend and me rented Atlantis interceptors we enjoyed it that much we watched it 4 times before we took it back, need to buy it as well have got it on my to do list .

[Gothmogxx]

Originally Posted by Nostalgic

Top review!
How did you find time to watch it twice in one day, lol!

I'm watching it again tonight haha, though this time with one of the two commentaries. Probably some of the other special features as well.

[Nostalgic]

Family & job definately come before movies at the moment, watching a movie a night after I've put my son to bed & then feeling haggared the next morning because I should have slept, I remember watching Romero's Dead trilogy or the Alien trilogy (when they were both just trilogies) every other weekend, and mainlinibg loads of horror movies in a row at college, miss those days!

Enjoy mate! And thank you for your enthusiasm for the Hatchet series, your passion makes me want to watch them again, plus the new one I haven't seen!

[Gothmogxx]

"If ‘Hatchet 5’ Happens, Victor Crowley Will Finally Leave the Swamp."

Perhaps Hatchet 5 can be the Jason Takes Manhattan we all wanted it to be in the original script lol(I've gotta admit though I do have a soft spot for JTM. Its just another one of those movies that has me thinking "what could've been" at some points due to the budget)

If 'Hatchet 5' Happens, Victor Crowley Will Finally Leave the Swamp - Bloody Disgusting

[Gothmogxx]

Danielle Harris Says There Will Be 2 More Hatchet Movies.

https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/31...atchet-movies/

[MrBarlow]

Hope they won't string it out like other franchises have been to the point it becomes pointless, stupid and unappealing.

[Gothmogxx]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Hope they won't string it out like other franchises have been to the point it becomes pointless, stupid and unappealing.

If Adam Green is involved they definitely won't decline that far in quality. All four films so far range from an 8/10 to a solid 10/10. Definitely the best slasher franchise in years for me.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Gothmogxx

If Adam Green is involved they definitely won't decline that far in quality. All four films so far range from an 8/10 to a solid 10/10. Definitely the best slasher franchise in years for me.

Totally agree,I was hesitant about the first one which surprised me then saw the second one and was hooked, those who post negative reviews online do they actually watch the film or just read the cover?

[Gothmogxx]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Totally agree,I was hesitant about the first one which surprised me then saw the second one and was hooked, those who post negative reviews online do they actually watch the film or just read the cover?

I've long since said that if these films came out in the 80's, then they would have been monster sized hits akin to the original Friday the 13th and its sequels. But regardless of when they came out, I'm just glad we have them around.

I'm glad we are apparently getting two more of them. Following that, maybe they could go the crossover route? Jason vs Victor? Kane Hodder plays Victor, Derek Mears plays Jason? I really don't like the idea of anyone else playing Victor as Kane just makes that role (he gets asked more about Victor at conventions than Jason now he claims). But he is 64 years old, so they would have to make them within a decade or so before stopping. I wish they'd go on forever like Friday the 13th does (I mean they could remake it but meh) but if they can get a couple more out and a potential crossover, I'm happy. I thought we were getting nothing more after Hatchet 3, so really anything by this point, including Hatchet 4, is a bonus.