Review of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) by Matt B — 19 Sep 2016

The original is a classic, of that there's no disputation. But the sequel is an entirely different animal. Oh sure, Tobe Hooper, who thanks to the grueling hardwork invested in the first film became became one of horror's hottest helmers, returns to the job of director for the sequel.

Since he doesn't have to work under the same conditions that made the original such a miserable experience for everyone involved, being a STAR now, he can afford to have some fun and plenty of space to fill the 2nd up with blood, guts, a special guest star (Dennis Hopper, who later said this was the worst film he'd ever made, more so than "SuperMario Bros.

" or "Waterworld") and, of course, the Sawyer family, now given names and expanded upon. The one thing this film has over the original is the dynamic performance of Caroline Williams as Stretch, the scream queen of the sequels (although she didn't know it quite yet.

) Unlike Sally, who, despite spending much of the original following her efforts to escape the bloody clutches of the hungry maniacs, we actually get to MEET Stretch. Get to know her. See her in non-horrifying scenarios.

Sally may have screamed her lungs out in a classic, but we ultimately know nothing about her (except, despite her escape, she didn't have a happy ever after life afterwards). We can root for Stretch more because we care about her and her dream to one day be a newswoman, not just a mere rock DJ.

But nevertheless, after hearing a chainsaw murder on her show, she teams up with the driven yet reluctant former Texas Ranger Lt. Lefty Enright (uncle of Sally and the late Franklin Hardesty) to bring what Enright hopes will be an end to the reign of terror across Texas involving chainsaws, graverobbing, and the larger than life but dumber than dirt LEATHERFACE!!! The Old Man (now revealed as the Older Brother) returns, and in place of the psychotic hitchhiker is the music loving yet equally psychotic twin brother Chop Top (played to a frenzied perfection by future horror icon Bill Moseley).

It all converges into a no holds barred fight to the death, and while it does have great scares, it ultimately, like most sequels, can't do what the original did. But that wasn't the gameplan anyway! So fire up the grill and straighten your wig-do and prepare to say that you came, you SAWED, and you conquered!