ANOTHER AXE TO GRIND
HATCHET II Starring Danielle Harris, Tony Todd and Kane Hodder
Written and directed by Adam Green Dark Sky
In 2006, writer/director Adam Green promised a
return to “old-school American horror” with Hatchet, the tale of a swamp-dwelling, deformed killer named Victor Crowley and the boat full of unlucky tourists who trespass in his waters. Hailed by some and reviled by oth- ers, the film was successful enough to warrant a sequel, one whose tagline could simply be “More.” More humour, more horror vet cameos and, most notably, more gore – so much, in fact, that Dark Sky Films is bypassing the ratings board completely to release Hatchet II unrated; a move that resulted in the film being yanked by the AMC theatre chain after two days! (No de- finitive answers why as of press time.) Hatchet II picks up moments after the end of its
predecessor as Marybeth (Danielle Harris of Stake Land, taking over the role from Tamara Feldman) es- capes Crowley’s clutches and gets out of the swamp... only to immediately re-enter it alongside
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Reverend Zombie (Tony Todd) and a posse of hunters out for Crowley’s head. Though we learn more of the killer’s origins this time ’round, the film is as light on plot as the original. It’s a slasher flick broken down to its most basic elements: a group of people head out to an isolated area, some of them have sex and nearly everyone dies at the hands of a hulking maniac. Hatchet II isn’t about substance, it’s about crazy
kills and over-the-top gore, and here it really deliv- ers. The screen is bathed in blood as Crowley offs his victims in ways that will leave your mouth hanging open in shock, and will have gorehounds pissing their pants in delight. Aside from the viscera, though, it’s Harris who adds a sorely needed note of grav- ity to the film. By turns tough, dis- traught and terrified, she proves that her status as a genre icon is no fluke. What Hatchet II is lacking is
scares. While it never devolves completely into a wink-wink horror in-joke, it also doesn’t seem par- ticularly interested in terrifying us,
as evidenced by the lack of atmospheric dread and tension, despite the swamp’s evocative environ- ment. Your feelings for Hatchet, whatever they may be, will likely carry over to the sequel. If you’re in the
mood for brainless fun, it’ll satisfy. With Hatchet II’s explicit gore, Adam Green has made the word “un- rated” – a term used so readily these days that it no longer has any resonance – notorious again and that, at least, is to be lauded.
STACIE PONDER TWICE BITTEN
LET ME IN Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloë Grace Moretz
and Richard Jenkins Written and directed by Matt Reeves Overture
Let Me In is undeniably accomplished, especially
when compared to the recent crop of criminally dis- appointing remakes. However, considering how closely it treads to both Tomas Alfredson’s 2008 ver- sion and author John Ajvide Lindqvist’s original screenplay, one can’t help but wonder if this Eng- lish-language redo was really necessary. In the end, I guess it all comes down to how much you hate reading subtitles. While the characters’ names have changed –
Oskar and Eli become Owen and Abby – the narra- tive remains remarkably similar. Child vampire Abby (Chloë Grace Moretz: Kick-Ass) moves into an apart- ment complex with “her guardian” (Richard Jenk- ins, credited here as “The Father”) and befriends bullied youth Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee: The Road). Then, when Jenkins’ character fails to obtain blood
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