same old story, but still fairly thrilling

Rating: 6/10 (9 March 2006)

I'm a little tired of the "Texas Chainsaw" template playing out ad nauseum. You know the story...wayward travelers end up stopping at a gas station, receiving misdirection from some creepy individual tied to a murderous clan, then end up victims of said clan. That's the biggest negative about this movie: it's old hat (except for a particularly upsetting mid-section). Acting by Shaw and Quinlan and the cast is solid, probably more likable and naturalistic than it needed to be. The direction is strong, the photography fantastic...it's a transporting film...there's just something a little uneven in the tone. Realistic humans, cartoonish villains...I think the Texas Chainsaw remake did this one better.