Blu-ray Review: Texas Chainsaw Massacre The Next Generation (1994)

Four teenage stereotypes; the horny popular dude, the mousy girly (played by Renée Zellweger of all people), the stoner, and the beautiful good girl head out on a drive after a prom night dust-up between good n’ horny (now available at our concession stand). As they tear ass around the Texas back roads they end up having an accident and seek help at a titty-flashin’ real estate agent’s office.  The agent, Darla (Tonie Perensky) by name, calls her boyfriend Vilmer (I’m not going to tell you who plays him…alright, alright, alright, it’s Matthew McConaughey) to help out the troubled teens. Of course he’s a psycho (and a partially hydraulic powered one to boot), and soon our gang of goofs run afoul of ol’ Leatherface (Robert Jacks) and the rest of Vilmer’s crazed clan. Soon you’ll be wondering who will survive, and what will be left of them…or at least how some of the people involved had such huge careers after this…
The first thing that should be stated is that Texas Chainsaw Massacre The Next Generation is not the massive pile of shit that most fans of the series claim it is. Is it derivative, bland in presentation, and downright stupid as all fuck at times? Oh, you bet your corn-fed country ass it is! But, it does have some rather strong things going for it.
First of all, McConaughey absolutely steals the show as the vile Vilmer; this film’s “Chop-top” and a man that simply takes insane amounts of pleasure at being a sadistic creep, and Matty M. plays the role to the freakin’ hilt (though Perensky gives him a run for his money)! Also, Jacks makes for a fine Leatherface, but his design leaves a bit to be desired (though he does get some wardrobe updates later in the film that spice things up visually). Also in the plus column there are some really inventive set pieces in the flick; in particular Zellweger’s roof-top escape from Leather during their first encounter, and the bat-shit over-the-top dinner sequence.
In the negative column, the set design in this film doesn’t hold a candle to Robert A. Burns’grand guignol slaughterhouse chic of the first film…the dwelling of our antagonists as presented here is a cluttered hoarder home presented in shades of grey and shit brown (though the dinner scene attempts to recapture some of that glory). Additionally, the film at times strives for the satirical edge of Tobe Hooper’s follow up to his original, but instead comes off as just dimwitted, and Zellweger’s acting here is uniformly terrible (with the exception of when she is supposed to be terrified).
So the feature is hit or miss, but what of the extras ol’ Scream Factory have assembled for this Blu-ray release? Well, we get two cuts of the film; the original theatrical cut, and a slightly longer director’s cut that features longer scenes, a sub-plot involving Zellweger’s character’s abusive step-father, and a different soundtrack. Speaking of that director’s cut, this release features a brand new audio commentary featuring writer/director Kin Henkel and actor Joe Stevens (who plays W.E., the quotation spewing maniac). This is a fascinating listen and adds a lot of insight into the film’s creation…and may actually help you appreciate what is on screen a great deal more than you have previously. Following that we get interviews with Director of Cinematography Levie Isaacks, Actor Tyler Shea Cone, Production Designer Deborah Pastor, and Special Make-up Effects Artist  J.M. Logan. Bringing up the rear is the film’s trailer.
Not the best the series has to offer, but a far cry from the worst either; Texas Chainsaw Massacre The Next Generation ends up being a highly entertaining, surprisingly action-packed take on the franchise that is well worth slappin’ your eerie eyeballs on!