TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION (1994)

With this week’s release of the latest entry in the long running Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, Leatherface is on the brain of horror fans again. An icon of horror ever since his debut in Tobe Hooper’s classic 1974 film, Leatherface has been buzzing (ha) for nearly 50 years now, with nine films total (including the new one), although with varying degrees of success. Yes, not all the films are winners. TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D is generally considered the low point, though it does have its fans. The first sequel, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, was directed by Hooper and considered by many to be awful for many years, but time has been kinder as it has found fans that appreciate its wild and dark comedic nature.

Then there's TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION aka THE RETURN OF THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE.

Written and directed by the original's co-writer Kim Henkel, the film had a stormy release: a screening at SXSW under its RETURN title, a very limited (only 27 screens) release in September 1995, all following a lengthy post-production period. It then sat on the shelf until a wider (but still limited) re-release in early 1997 under the NEXT GENERATION title, attempting to cash in on the current success of its two leads, Renée Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey. It was promptly savaged by critics and audiences alike, who considered it awful and an insult to the original.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I have to say I disagree…in this writer's humble opinion, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION RUUUULLLEEESSS!!!

This is no joke. I don’t ‘ironicall'y’ enjoy it—I absolutely adore this movie. One of my favorites of the entire franchise that fills me with pure delight every time I watch it—mostly due to the performances of Zellweger and McConaughey. Made when they were both struggling actors, the pair pull out all the stops here. Particularly McConaughey as our main villain Vilmer, who chews the scenery like he hadn't eaten in weeks. The man goes so over the top, he leaves Earth. He was in orbit by the time of the climax. I truly believe this is one of the all time great operatic genre performances, right next to Gary Oldman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL and Nicolas Cage in VAMPIRE’S KISS.

Zellweger plays it more or less straight as our final girl Jenny, but she is a force to be reckoned with in her own way. She gives so much depth to a character type that has been done to death by this point (no pun intended), it's very easy to see why she went as far as she did in her career.

She makes Jenny one of the strongest and resilient final girls in horror. As well as the fastest.

Renee Zellweger is without a doubt the fastest runner in horror history.

That woman reeeally huffs and puffs it.

But let's talk about another reason why this movie rules: it's incredibly hilarious. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION is, above all else, a comedy. Henkel has stated he wrote this movie to be purposefully funny. It mirrors the first film in a lot of ways but plays everything for laughs to create a complete satire of the original. That's the part I find fascinating: While most of the sequels try to replicate the horror of 1974’s TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, its two creators, Hooper and Henkel, each went straight for the comedy in their respective follow-up entries. They also both thoroughly turn Leatherface into a buffoon. This was the major part that incensed fans as it "took away" from the terrifying aspect of the horror icon and made him into a joke. (They probably should’ve noticed that Leatherface was a bit of a babbling mess in the first one as well.)

The marketing of the film also did it no favors with New Line Cinema promoting it as a pure horror experience, ensuring fans would be disappointed, confused, and angry. But seriously y'all, it's been 25 years; you've had more than enough time to figure out the movie's intent. It is a comedy, through and through, and best to be watched as such. I mean, c'mon, this is a movie where the family is linked to the Illuminati. The Illuminati! McConaughey's Vilmer has a robot leg that he operates with remote controls. The main teens in the film have a conversation about whether a lack of sex causes cancer. This is not a film to be taken seriously.

Another example of its intentional absurdity is the scene where Jenny's highly emotional and crying, only for Vilmer to spit chewed-up pizza in her face. Yes: there's a sequence in TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION where one future Oscar winner spits half-eaten pizza into the tear-soaked face of another future Oscar winner. This is the kind of movie we're dealing with here, people. The kind of movie where said future Oscar winners then have a battle over Vilmer's robot leg with his remote controls. If you cannot tell from those examples that this movie is played strictly for laughs, I don't know what else to tell you.

But what I can tell you is that I hope you give it a chance (it's currently streaming on HBO Max), and watch it in that mindset. Because who knows? You may have a grand ol' time. Or you might not. That's okay, too. At least you gave it a chance and I thoroughly appreciate that.

Just don't take too long, though. The pizzas are getting cold.