We continue the 31 Days of Frights with Hatchet from 2006. Ben (Joel Moore) and Marcus (Deon Richmond) are college students in New Orleans, enjoying Mardi Gras, when they decide to go on a boat tour of an allegedly cursed bayou. Meeting up with several other tourists, including quietly beautiful Marybeth (Tamara Feldman), they are entertained by their guide Shawn (Parry Shen), who regales them with tales of a ghostly serial killer who wanders the swamp. They laugh off the stories — until someone, or something, starts picking off members of the group one by one.
Horror is a genre that is constantly growing and changing. We have had paranormal films, mysteries, thrillers, and more. The ’80s were the time of the slashers. Icons like Freddy and Jason were born, and Michael Myers had a lot more sequels in him. These days, we have elevated horror, which are more artistic horror films that have an underlying message. There is nothing wrong with this at all, but it does feel like the iconic slasher villain has been forgotten. The Hatchet movies, in my opinion, not only pay homage to ’80s slashers but also give us one of the best slashers of all time.
The movie works so well because it truly is a love letter to ’80s slashers. There are fun characters to be picked off one by one, gory kills with amazing practical effects, and an iconic killer that shows no mercy. It also has great cameos from Robert Englund and Tony Todd. You can tell that director Adam Green has a love for the genre because there is care in just about every shot. The script for this movie is well-written and super hilarious as we get good dialogue and character development between just about everyone.
Victor Crowley
Victor Crowley is our main antagonist. He is an 8-foot-tall deformed monster of a man who can literally rip you in half with his bare hands. He also has an intriguing backstory. Victor Crowley was born with tumors all over his body, and his father decided to keep him hidden as a secret. Kids would hear about the deformed boy who grew up to be a deformed man, and they would do whatever they could to try to get a glimpse of him. One day, some curious kids threw firecrackers at the Crowley home to try to get a view of Victor. This accidentally lit the home on fire. Victor’s dad arrived home and took a hatchet to the door, trying to help his son escape. Unfortunately, Victor had his head against the door, and when his father finally got through, the hatchet struck Victor, and he died. Victor’s dad never received justice for his son and turned into a recluse until he eventually died from a broken heart. The legend is that Victor returns every night to haunt the swamp that he lived in, and if you listen closely, you can hear him crying for his daddy.
The great Kane Hodder portrays Victor Crowley and is just fantastic in the role. Kane is famously known for playing Jason Voorhees in four of the Friday the 13th films. Kane Hodder was replaced when Freddy Vs. Jason came out, and it definitely seemed to impact him. With this Hatchet franchise, Kane Hodder has a new iconic character that he can truly make his very own. While I did say the script is hilarious, Victor is always played seriously. He is truly a scary force of nature.
Overall
Hatchet is fantastic, and the Hatchet franchise has become one of my favorites. The comedy is fresh. The kills are top-notch, and almost every actor in the movies is horror royalty. Victor Crowley is one of the most intimidating, interesting killers that there is. Director Adam Green has really created something special here for horror lovers that just needs to be seen. Hatchet is a lot of things, but it is mostly a labor of love from a fan who you can tell loves and respects the genre. There are apparently plans to make more sequels, and I will definitely be waiting because I cannot wait to see what comes next.
Hatchet is currently streaming on Tubi.
Come back tomorrow for some more spooky reviews.
