Review of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) by Robin W — 13 Apr 2010

This disappointing sequel to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" fails because it lacks the atmosphere and kinetic drive of its predecessor and almost tries to function as a parody of the original.

"Gremlins 2" is one example of a sequel that successfully satirized the popularity of its predecessor, but it also helped that the original "Gremlins" was pretty tongue-in-cheek as well; "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" is such a complete 180 from the nightmarish, intense original film that it's bound to leave fans disappointed.

This drastic change in tone might have been forgiven if the movie was actually a good black comedy, but unfortunately, it's not; the film is poorly paced and contains far too many scenes that meander and drag on and on.

There are a few elements that keep the whole thing watchable, such as some good Tom Savini gore effects, an entertaining breakout performance from Rob Zombie favourite Bill Moseley as a whacked-out bad guy with a steel plate in his head, and some fun campy acting from Dennis Hopper (who probably regretting being in this film when "Hoosiers", "Blue Velvet" and "River's Edge" resurrected his career immediately afterward); overall, however, the sequel is a complete misfire and pretty much marked the end of Tobe Hooper's credibility as a director.