“It’s not a remake. It’s not a sequel. And it’s not based on a Japanese one.”
Hatchet‘s festival tagline — a quote from a major studio’s rejection of the film — served as a rally cry for horror fans. Despite its roots planted firmly in practical effects-driven ’80s slashers a la Friday the 13th, Hatchet felt fresh and exciting when it arrived in 2006; a gory but lighthearted reprieve from torturous studio horror littered with janky CGI and cheap scares.
Willed into existence by writer-director Adam Green based on a character he conceived as an 8-year-old summer camper, the Hatchet franchise centers on Victor Crowley — the hulking, vengeful spirit of a deformed boy that haunts the swamps of New Orleans. Kane Hodder brings a similar physicality to the role as he did to Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Parts VII-X, but Crowley is more ferocious. The casting feels like restitution for Hodder’s infamous recasting in Freddy vs. Jason.
Hatchet opens with an emphatic statement by leaving Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund, in a pile of his own entrails. From there, the film follows lovelorn 20-something Ben (Joel David Moore, Avatar) as he convinces his friend, Marcus (Deon Richmond, Scream 3), to ditch Mardi Gras debauchery in favor of a haunted swamp tour hosted by charlatan Shawn (Parry Shen).
A leak in the boat leaves its eclectic mix of passengers — including Tamara Feldman as irritable Crowley expert Marybeth Dunston, Joel Murray (Mad Men) as a Girls Gone Wild-esque scumbag, Mercedes McNab (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Joleigh Fioreavanti as models willing to flash the camera, and Richard Riehle (Office Space) and Patrika Darbo (The ‘Burbs) as a wholesome older couple — stranded in the woods. Victor Crowley doesn’t take too kindly to intruders, eviscerating anyone who dares enter the swamp he calls home.
‘Hatchet’
The hatchet is Crowley’s weapon of choice, of course, but he also uses his own brute strength plus several unique instruments of death. The triumphant practical effects include a head being torn in half that belongs on the shortlist of most impressive slasher kills ever committed to celluloid. John Carl Buechler — whose lengthy resume includes the holy trinity of ’80s horror franchises (Friday the 13th Part VII, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, Halloween 4) — handled the effects before passing the torch to protégé Robert Pendergraft for the sequels.
Hatchet‘s gore is over-the-top to the point of absurdity, lending itself to the film’s comedic self-awareness. Some of the sophomoric humor falls flat, but each film in the franchise has a comedic MVP. Richmond handily earns that distinction on the first outing, while Moore deserves honorable mention for his endearingly awkwardness. The humor doesn’t undercut the horror of Crowley, as the killer is never the butt of the joke.
Back before every indie horror movie cast could be mistaken for a convention lineup, Green populated the Hatchet universe with a rogues’ gallery of familiar faces. He would double down on cameos in the sequels, but getting Hodder (who pulls double duty with a small but pivotal role, sans makeup, as Victor’s father in flashbacks), Englund, and Tony Todd (Candyman) in the same film was more than enough to entice genre fans.
Hatchet‘s intentionally abrupt, mid-action ending may have been frustrating when it was unknown if a sequel would come to fruition, but it’s now gratifying to see how Hatchet II and III each pick up the second after its predecessor’s conclusion. The big difference with 2010’s Hatchet II is that Marybeth has been recast with Halloween franchise favorite Danielle Harris, who brings a bit more character to the final girl.
The first sequel builds upon and complements what came before it, from expanding the mythology to broadening Todd’s role from cameo to co-lead. His Reverend Voodoo assembles a mob of hunters to head to the swamp alongside Marybeth and her uncle (Child’s Play and Fright Night director Tom Holland) to eliminate Crowley once and for all.
There are too many characters with too little development, and the pacing falters in the exposition-heavy first half, but it’s non-stop excitement as soon as Crowley rears his ugly head. This time around, the Bayou Butcher’s weapons range from a gas-powered belt sander to a comically large chainsaw that bisects two men at once.
‘Hatchet II’
Shen returns as the brother of his Hatchet character, appearing alongside R.A. Mihailoff (Leatherface in Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III), comedic highlight Colton Dunn (Superstore), and A.J. Bowen (You’re Next), plus cameos from Shawn Ashmore (X-Men), Emma Bell (Final Destination 5), and filmmakers Joe Lynch (Wrong Turn 2), Marcus Dunstan (The Collector), Mike Mendez (The Gravedancers), and Lloyd Kaufman (The Toxic Avenger).
For 2013’s Hatchet III, Green handed the directorial reins to Hatchet I and II steadicam operator BJ McDonnell. The threequel openly mocks Hatchet II‘s “idiotic and contrived decision making” before proceeding to do it all over again. Marybeth returns to the swamp for a third time in 24 hours, this time with a group of local first responders and the Louisiana SWAT team.
Harris and Hodder once again lead the show, with Shen returning as a third character, paramedic Andrew Yong. Zach Galligan (Gremlins) and Caroline Williams (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2) play supporting parts as the local sheriff and his disgraced journalist ex-wife, respectively. Derek Mears (Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th 2009) leads the SWAT team, while Sid Haig (The Devil’s Rejects) cameos as Crowley’s only living relative.
Hatchet III places less emphasis on comedy — although Cody Blue Snider (son of Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider) earns the most laughs — in favor of more action. It features the franchise’s highest body count, but the characters are less developed, the kills are not as memorable, and the plot is redundant. Even as the weakest installment, there’s still plenty for fans to enjoy.
‘Hatchet III’
Filmed in secret, Victor Crowley returned in the eponymous fourth entry with a surprise premiere in 2017. Its budget is noticeably smaller than its predecessors, limiting scope and body count, but the script is smart and every cent is on screen. A slasher sequel rarity, Victor Crowley offers several genuinely surprising and intense moments. It’s also quite funny, with Green reaching Kevin Smith levels of self-referentiality.
A decade after the events of the Hatchet trilogy, Andrew (Shen) is exploiting his experience with a tell-all book. At the convincing of his pill-popping publicist (Felissa Rose, Sleepaway Camp), he returns to the scene of the crime on the 10th anniversary for a big TV interview. Meanwhile, a budding film crew also heads into the swamp to shoot a mock trailer for their indie movie about the murders (a nod to Hatchet’s origins). That leaves a whole mess of people for Crowley to maim.
Dave Sheridan (Scary Movie) earns laughs with nearly every line delivery as an actor/tour guide, while Tiffany Shepis’ (Sharknado 2: The Second One) strong performance as a cinematographer proves she’s worthy of more than the campy B-movies with which she’s often associated. The cast also includes Laura Ortiz (The Hills Have Eyes), Chase Williamson (John Dies at the End), Brian Quinn (Impractical Jokers), Jonah Ray (Mystery Science Theater 3000), and Tyler Mane (Michael Myers in Rob Zombie’s Halloween).
‘Victor Crowley’
Hatchet: The Complete Collection is available as a SteelBook Blu-ray set as the first title in Dark Sky Films’ Dark Sky Selects, a new specialty label for collector’s editions. Getting all four films together in one package is a feat in and of itself, as the first Hatchet is owned by Lionsgate, who absorbed original distributor Anchor Bay, while Dark Sky has the sequels.
Hatchet arrived in a time when the DVD market was booming and money was invested in producing extras, all of which are included. Each film carries two audio commentaries: one in which Green is joined by actors to share anecdotes and another with crew members focusing more on the technical side of production. The latter is particularly insightful for aspiring filmmakers, as are the thorough making-of documentaries and special effects featurettes that are also included.
The set comes with an exclusive bonus disc featuring two new extras. “Swamp Tales,” a 52-minute roundtable with Green, director of photography Will Barratt, and producer Sarah Elbert, is one of the more compelling retrospective featurettes in recent memory. They’re able to look back on their innumerable hardships with laughter, and their tales of perseverance are inspirational. “The Production Journals” is an hour-long collection of web diaries made by cast and crew throughout the production of Hatchet.
Hatchet: The Complete Collection is an exemplary title to kick off the Dark Sky Selects label. With no shortage of indie horror gems from the past 20 years in their catalog (The House of the Devil, Stake Land, Starry Eyes, The Innkeepers, Southbound, Them, Willow Creek, et al.), it’s sure to be the line’s first of many releases that fans will want to add to their physical media collection.
Hatchet: The Complete Collection is available now.
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