 | 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. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
- Review Date: May 3, 2004
- R
- Genre: Horror
- 2003
Common Sense Media says
Hard to do worse than this extremely gory mess.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie is not recommended for anyone under 17. Yes, kids love to be scared, but the violence here is so disturbingly realistic that it's too much for most older kids (and some adults) to handle. The various murders are definitely graphic (we get to see the flesh rip and the organs exposed) but the suicide scene is so disturbing that several people walked out of the theater immediately afterwards. Violence aside, there's still no reason to see this movie--the story doesn't make much sense, the acting is mediocre at best, and even at 98 minutes, it feels way too long. Bottom line: Save your money!
What's the story?
In this remake it's still 1973, but you would never know it by the fashions and hairstyles of the hip young cast. They're on their way to a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert in Dallas, but get slowed down when they pick up a hitchhiker who blows her brains out all over their van. The gory events that follow the suicide (which involve Leatherface, a disfigured man who uses human flesh for a mask, his chainsaw, and his equally crazy family) don't make a ton of sense, and it doesn't really matter--it's all just an excuse to bring on the blood and guts.
Is it any good?
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE is a remake of a 1974 low-budget horror movie by the same name. The original movie about 5 Texas teens who stumble across a family of cannibals was considered extremely edgy when it was released, but it now seems downright quaint when compared to modern horror movies like this remake.
Jessica Biel leads the cast of doomed characters, but considering she's the biggest name in the movie, you're pretty certain that she's going to stick around the longest. After all, if she were killed off too soon, we wouldn't be treated to the many gratuitous shots of her wet white tank top. The rest of the cast isn't memorable at all with the exception of R. Lee Ermey's portrayal of the "Sheriff" (his untraditional crime scene procedures, such as making sexual jokes about the victim as he carelessly wraps her body in Saran-Wrap, hint that he's not exactly what he seems). There's no reason for kids see this movie. It's extremely violent and bloody, the profanity never stops, the characters aren't particularly likeable, and the story doesn't make sense--mature teens and adults would be better off watching the original movie.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the amount and type of violence in this horror film, and some of the more graphic films of today. Do you think it's possible for young people, and even adults, to become desensitized to violence by watching really violent films?
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AGE
Not the worst horror film a kid could be watching...
The only concern parents should have is language and drug use. Lots of very bad language and they smoke pot that they bought in Mexico in the first 10 minutes or so. If your older almost a teen can handle blood and gore than let them watch it. Just not in the night, in a camper, in the middle of south dakota. This movie has only one disturbing suicide in the beginning, but it really doesn't have anything new that a horror watcher hasn't seen
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AGE
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
The new remake of Tobe Hooper's cult classic just came out on DVD. Being an avid fan of horror, I bought it. Out of just about every movie I've seen, I have never ever witnessed such a graphic movie. Jessica Biel does a good job, cliched since she runs around with a wet top, but good. Anyways, Leatherface (the killer) tortures a man by chopping off his leg with his chainsaw, and then sticking him on a meat hook and grinding salt into his severed leg. Oh, is that too graphic...no. The "kids" then pick up a sad/disturbed hitchhiker and she is bloody/bruised all over. She states that they are all dead (meaning her friends) and has a tantrum since they are driving back to the Hewitts (Leatherface's family) and then says "He is a bad bad man", then we see her take out a pistol from her crimson red legs and say "You are all gonna die" and they scream wildly as she sticks the gun in her mouth and...BOOM! Blood is splattered everywhere as the kids still scream and the camera pans back...back...back through the girl's mouth out the hole in her head, and through the bloody smashed window. Wow.....
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AGE
good for adults
horrible for tweens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AGE
I love this movie it was so sick besides kid now and days like these movies
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AGE
Not for kiddies
No movie that's labeled as "horror" should be seen by a child.
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AGE
More of an older teen movie.
I wouldn't say this is an adults movie only. However it's not good for kids. I think if a teenager can handle these kind of movies and can be mature about things in the movie. Than he/she should be fine.
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AGE
Not for kids at all.
My MPAA Rating, R: Extreme bloody horror violence/gore, strong language, and drug use/content
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AGE
I thought this movie was great.I saw it when I was 8, and then again a few months ago. I love this movie. Definantly a suspence movie, but fine for mature 10 year olds:D
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| Studio: | New Line |
| Director: | Marcus Nispel |
| Cast: | Eric Balfour, Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 98 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 16, 2003 |
| DVD release date: | March 29, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | strong horror violence/gore, language and drug content |
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