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"The Hatchet Army Returns"
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Rating:
** out of ****
-1
Making "Hatchet II" work wasn't much of a task. I was almost sure that Adam Green - returning for the sequel as both writer and director of Victor Crowley's legacy - was more than up to the challenge after seeing and in many instances just down-right loving the original "Hatchet"; but it would seem that he's gotten lost in his own mythology. There are as many reasons that attribute to why "Hatchet II" is not a good film as there are to why the original was; and I'll do my best to give each issue worth mentioning full, devoted coverage. You know, the kind that Green denied this film.
What went wrong? "Hatchet" was merely a very well-done homage to slasher cinema; and "Hatchet II" doesn't exactly aim for higher ground. Green has shown us that he's a talented filmmaker; and even after this minor but regrettable train-wreck of a horror-comedy, I still think he's one to watch. I know he can make up for this little screw-up as long as he tries a bit harder; one of the many problems of the film is that it just feels so darned rushed. I have no doubt that if Green decides to allow his next story/film to develop a bit more before setting up his shooting schedule, he can express his ideas with care as well as the kind of precision that has defined him as a filmmaker ever since his outstanding debut.
If you remember the first film, it was about a boat filled with people - headed by a quirky, Asian tour guide - that capsized while on a tour of a legendary swamp. Those people abandoned ship and made their way to land; only to discover that the swamp is haunted by the disfigured, aforementioned serial murderer: Victor Crowley. In the end, only one person survived; her name was Marybeth. In "Hatchet", she was played by Tamara Feldman; in "Hatchet II", Danielle Harris plays the role. Guess which one is superior to the other.
As "Hatchet II" begins, we see Marybeth fight off Victor Crowley and escape from the scene that ended the original film. From there, she gets back into town (New Orleans, if you have a bad memory) but does not feel that her job is done. Therefore, she consults Reverend Zombie (Tony Todd) - who appeared for just a minute or two in "Hatchet" - to assist her in tracking down and eventually killing Crowley; once and for all.
But they can't go back into the swamp alone. That is why - in a "Jaws"-esque scene - the Reverend invites/rounds up some of the local area's most ruthless and daring hunters to accompany them on a search-and-destroy mission of some sorts. Of course, to get their attention, he presents a handsome reward; although the Reverend seems sympathetic towards Marybeth, and therefore, it's clear that he shall try his best to help her out in this situation; however dangerous it may be.
Here's how it goes from there; all those willing to participate board the boats, enter the swamp, and get killed off one-by-one as Crowley discovers their presence. So basically, it's "Hatchet" minus a few of its central charms; such as its incredibly dark lighting, the consistent sense of humor, and the likably stereotypical characters. The only thing that "Hatchet II" has - that many slasher sequels do not - is an abundance of impressively staged kill scenes accompanied by a whole lot of bloody carnage. People get cut up, some guy takes a boat propeller to the face, and that ol' crocodile from the first film that supposedly "drinks his own piss" gets choked by his own intestines. Really, if there's anything good I can say about this movie; it's that Green does a good job in providing half of his audience with a sufficient amount of bloody mayhem. The kills are brutal, bloody, and creative; although they can't make up for the emptiness that lies beneath.
This just doesn't feel like an Adam Green film. You can slap that title onto any movie; but it has to have that feel - that passion - to it to actually, you know, work. And in that sense, "Hatchet II" simply does not. It tries to do just about everything that "Hatchet" did right; although it isn't nearly as funny (although it does have a few big laughs) or easy to admire. It's not a bad horror flick, and it has a few elements that will please certain genre fans (cameos/roles played by the likes of Tom Holland, AJ Bowen, Lloyd Kaufman, Joe Lynch, Mike Mendez, and R.A. Mihailoff are a plus); but for every right, there's a plethora of wrongs. And that's something that not even exploitative, over-the-top kills can even hope to cover up.
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woopak_the_thrill
January 29, 2012
I did not like the first one and I could barely even sit through the entitrety of this one.
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HATCHET 2 After the first film was released it started to gather that all important cult fan following. That was more than enough for Adam Green [Hatchet, Frozen] to get his sequel financed. Of course he already had plans on doing that any way so it worked out. Now this time around he is looking to add to something that was already loved by many. In a lot of cases like that films can fail miserably if not done right. Luckily he knows what his audience … more
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This film while good feels a like a bit of a step down though for some reason. All the elements of the first film are there but it just doesn't seem like it is on the same level. I think that while the humor is there it just isn't as humorous. That was my favorite thing about this first movie. Don't get me wrong this is still a very good flick and very fun, you know, turn the brain off flick.
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HATCHET II *** ½ Out of 5 Tagline- Victor Crowley Lives Again Release Date- October 1st, 2010 Running Time- 89-Minutes Rating- NR Writer/Director- Adam Green Starring- Danielle Harris, Tony Todd, Parry Shen, Tom Holland, R.A. Mihailoff and Kane Hodder as Victor Crowley … more
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About the reviewer
Ryan J. Marshall (ryguy4738)
It's very likely that the only kind of reviews I'll ever post here are movie reviews. I'm very passionate about film; and at this point, it pretty much controls my life. Film gives us a purpose; … more
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About this movie
Hatchet II is a 2010 American horror film written and directed by Adam Green. The film stars Danielle Harris, Kane Hodder, Tony Todd, Tom Holland, and R.A. Mihailoff. The film was originally screened at the 2010 London Fright Fest Film Festival on August 26, 2010. It is set to be released unrated in the United States on October 1, 2010. It is the sequel to the 2006 film, Hatchet.
Cast:
Tony Todd,
A.J. Bowen,
Kane Hodder,
Tom Hollander,
Danielle Harris,
R.A. Mihailoff,
Parry Shen,
Alexis Peters,
Ed Ackerman
Director:
Adam Green
Genre:
Action,
Adventure
Release Date:
October 1st, 2010 (USA)
Screen Writer:
Adam Green
Studio:
Dark Sky Films
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