Hatchet

  • Review Date: December 17, 2007
  • R
  • Genre: Horror
  • 2007
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Gory monster/slasher spoof is drenched in blood.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this gory, low-budget monster/slasher spoof is drenched in blood, including fake-looking but explicit dismemberments and beheadings. The first violent scene is typically sketchy (though it leaves bloody corpses), but later scenes are incessant, with blood spewing, lots of screaming, and limbs and heads flying. Weapons include a gun and sharp implements (chainsaw, hatchet), as well as gasoline and a lighter. There are frequent breast shots (part of a repeated joke about girls baring their chests for a "girls gone wild"-style video) and descriptions of adolescent male sex fantasies, with crude language. Swearing includes "s--t," "b--ch," and a select few "f--ks."

  • Victims are rude, selfish, careless, and self-pitying; locals are demented (one is said to "drink his own piss"). An Asian character is especially stereotypical, soliciting a snide comment about "Uncle Remus meets Bruce Lee," with both terms being meant disparagingly.
  • Lots of spurting blood and eww-inducing vomit/spit. Monster (hunchbacked, deformed, gooey, and nonverbal) attacks two men at the start, leaving exposed bloody body parts and pulling out entrails in close-up, with blood spatters. Description and flashback of father "whacking" Victor in the head with a hatchet (bloody). Alligator attacks boat party; Marybeth shoots it (more blood). Once Victor appears in the woods, the assault is nonstop, featuring jump edits, screaming, running, falling, bloody hacking, insides pulled out, heads cut off and bouncing, a chainsaw, and (of course) a hatchet. Bodies look as if Victor has eaten them. Weapons include a gun and sharp implements (chainsaw, hatchet), as well as gasoline and a lighter (monster set on fire).
  • Repeated "girls gone wild"-style breast barings (nipples visible), as well as a girl-on-girl kiss encouraged by a sleazy videomaker. A couple tongue-kisses. Much talk about sex and desire by young men, including slang ("skank," "boobs," "t--ties," "nipple," "cooch," "sweaty balls," "d--k," "bag of d--ks," "lick me"). Discussion of syphilis ("You can't hook up with itchy chicks"). Ben describes imagined scene of ex-girlfriend "bent over" a love seat during sex with another man. Mentions of Playboy and condoms. Derogatory slang ("queer") and repetitive Marilyn Manson song lyrics ("Sex sex sex").
  • Plenty of strong language, including multiple uses of "f--k" and "s--t" (with more in the Marilyn Manson song "This Is the New S--t," which plays at the beginning and end of the movie), as well as "bitch" (again, with more in song lyrics), "damn," "hell," "a--hole," "bastard," and "c--ksucker." Frequent obnoxious exchanges are peppered with "shut up" and "you suck."
  • Mentions of Mini-Cooper, Emeril (Lagasse), Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan.
  • Father smokes a pipe. Various background characters smoke cigarettes and drink beer in an early Mardi Gras scene. A boy wears a necklace shaped like marijuana leaves.

What's the story?

In Adam Green's low-budget slasher spoof, buddies Ben (Joel David Moore) and Marcus (Deon Richmond) are visiting New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Because Ben is despondent over a recent breakup, good buddy Marcus accompanies him on a scary boat ride. They're quickly entranced by fellow boat riders Jenna (Joleigh Fioreavanti) and Misty (Mercedes McNab). The ride leads the foursome -- along with several other victims-to-be -- into the bayou, where they're soon beset by a deformed, unkillable monster. He turns out to be Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder, who's usually hidden under other makeup, such as in the sequels to Friday the 13th); tormented as a child, Victor now seeks vengeance on everyone who happens into his swamp. Ho hum. As Ben and Marcus do their best to keep each other alive through Victor's barrage of attacks, they're aided by Marybeth (Tamara Feldman), whose father and brother were offed at the beginning of the movie and who is now a walking repository of all monster lore.


Is it any good?

 

Over the top and awkwardly paced, Hatchet isn't very clever for a spoof; it explains or repeats too many plot points. Most of the jokes come in the casting (they're all good sports, these aging slasher-movie stars). But the slasher films were already spoofy, with Freddy Krueger's one-liners and Jason Voorhees' implacable plodding and chopping. And that makes this movie's comedy feel old.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about what draws people to this kind of movie. Why do people enjoy scary and/or gory movies? Does this fall into the "torture porn" subgenre? Why or why not? Does the quality of the production affect how scary (or not) a horror movie is? Families can also discuss whether this movie is innovative or conventional -- how is it similar to and different from other horror movies? Are you looking for creativity in a horror movie, or just blood and guts? Why or why not?


This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs
Kid, 12 years old
April 10, 2009
 
Do not watch!
Horrible slasher movie I saw when I was 8, but it was too stupid for anyone to watch. Not for kids 16 and under.

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Adult
December 28, 2010
 
This film was in my opinon very awesome a bit too gorey slasher spooffest Kinda funny at the times but really talk to your kids before you want to see this film its pretty grose :)

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Teen, 17 years old
February 19, 2009
 
WOW
finally a horror movie thats is not a remake and MADE FROM A AMERICAN!!!!! my second favorite horror movie ever. my first is braindead or as known as dead alive. back to topic, this movie has something i have never seen before. an old lady(like 50-60) gets her jaw ripped open all the way to the back of her neck and her tongue is moving!!! great horror movie. if you don't like gore do not see this movie.

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Adult
March 15, 2012
 
Spooky fun!
This movie was AWESOME! It is one of the best horror movies ever made!

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This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs
Studio:Anchor Bay Entertainment
Director:Adam Green
Cast:Deon Richmond, Joel Moore, Tamara Feldman
Genre:Horror
Run time:93 minutes
Theatrical release date:September 7, 2007
DVD release date:December 18, 2007
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:strong bloody horror violence, sexual content, nudity and language.

This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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