“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.

The post ‘Hatchet: Complete Collection’ Review – Adam Green’s Franchise Still Delivers the Bloody Goods appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

When it comes to found footage horror, films that manage to successfully deliver scares while also following characters that feel sincere within the “true-to-life” conceit of the subgenre are an infrequent breath of fresh air. It’s even rarer to find a series of films that delivers on these fronts so consistently. Yet, for many die-hard found footage fans, writer, director, and producer Dutch Marich’s Horror in the High Desert series has served up just that over the last 3 years. Now, with the long-anticipated release of Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch, Marich continues to masterfully build out his mysterious universe in which unexplained disappearances and deaths, encounters with otherworldly phenomena, and voyeuristic accounts of terror are the norm.

The film follows Oscar Mendoza (Marco Antonio Parra), a man determined to uncover the truth behind the incidents that befell Gary Hinge (Eric Mencis), Minerva Sound (Solveig Helene), and Ameliana Brasher (Brooke Bradshaw) in the first two entries. As fires rage in Western Nevada and state officials remain on “fire watch” duty, Oscar sees this as a chance to go deeper into the Nevada wilderness than anyone before, hoping to uncover the truth behind the strange phenomenon that plagues the area. Keeping in line with Marich’s previous films, Firewatch is structured around entries from Oscar’s video diary as he follows clues pointing him to key locations from previous films and beyond, bringing him progressively closer to a mystery that is only deepening.

While the formula of the High Desert films may feel familiar to some by now, Marich opts to subvert viewer expectations in various ways throughout the third entry—and to great success. Diverting from the measured build of the first film and the relentless dread of the second, Firewatch takes a more playfully calculated approach to its scares, toying with audience expectations with delight. I found my heart rate increasing and fists clenching multiple times while even just trying to spot potential scares in the background of unassuming shots or waiting for jump scares that I was certain were coming. Static shots are used to great effect in these moments, notably ramping up the anticipatory tension for viewers who may feel at this point feel like they can predict Marich’s next move (spoiler alert: you will likely be wrong multiple times).

That’s not to say that Firewatch is narrowly set on pulling the rug out from under viewers as scares go. Elsewhere, the chills are quite direct in their execution, whether stemming from an unsettling voiceover courtesy of an unseen rail operator or a claustrophobic journey into an abandoned mineshaft. The beauty of Firewatch is that doesn’t just rely on one trick, instead finding novel ways to keep viewers on edge by creating a uniquely sensory horror experience. Those who take issue with scares that tend to leave much to the viewer’s imagination (see The Outwaters) may disagree here, and understandably so; Firewatch is admittedly less bombastic than the previous sequel, Minerva. Still, if you’ve made it this far in the franchise, you’ll likely appreciate Marich’s evolving approach to found footage terror.

Beyond the scares, Firewatch notably succeeds in Marich’s careful characterization of his protagonist. Oscar is not simply an opportunistic mystery-chaser hoping to inject himself into the cases, nor is he another unwitting pawn in the phenomenon’s game. In fact, we find that Oscar’s struggles with loss, mental health concerns, and substance abuse ultimately led him to the High Desert with great intention. It becomes evident early on that Oscar’s investigation is as much about uncovering the truth behind the phenomenon as it is about reconnecting with a greater sense of purpose in his life.

One particularly touching moment sees Oscar reflecting on his personal trials, disclosing that the High Desert mysteries have sparked his “curiosity in the world again.” This vulnerable disclosure is not only thematically key to Firewatch, but also the whole of Marich’s High Desert series, as it succinctly speaks to the core of what often draws individuals to unexplained phenomena to begin with. Indeed, when life feels devoid of joy and meaning, the mysteries of the world can be especially alluring. They suggest, even if only for a moment, that maybe there is something more to existing than the day-to-day woes and mundanities we often come to accept without question as adults. To this end, Parra’s performance effectively captures the childlike wonder, charming abandon, and renewed zest for life that feels authentic to many folks who would happily traverse the unknown for even the slimmest chance at experiencing something truly novel and awe-inspiring—even in the face of risk.

As with the first two films, Oscar’s footage is intercut with narration from reporter Gal Roberts (Suziey Block, a comforting and anchoring presence in the franchise) and interviews with both new and familiar players in the High Desert series. While the use of amateur actors can at times be a detriment to found footage efforts, Firewatch benefits from the added authenticity these players bring to the story. I especially appreciated the return of Beverly Hinge (Tonya Williams Ogden), which allows Marich to further comment on the detrimental role true crime aficionados can play in the lives of people living through unsolved cases in real-time. Moments like these serve to effectively weave thematic and narrative threads across the films, while even inspiring viewers to revisit past films. In fact, one scene reveals a chilling blink-and-you-miss-it moment from Minerva not previously caught by even the most eagle-eyed viewers, further highlighting Marich’s admirable attention to detail in the series.

It should be noted that by the film’s closing moments, viewers are admittedly left with more questions than answers, which may put off those hoping for a unifying explanation for the series’ unsolved mysteries at this point. With a plan to release at least two more films in the series, it doesn’t appear that Marich is in a rush to reveal all of the High Desert’s secrets anytime soon. Still, for those enjoying the increasingly bizarre and terrifying trek through his universe, Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch is an effective and confident entry for Marich that deepens the overarching mystery while keeping the intrigue as high as the strangeness.

Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch is now available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video.

The post ‘Horror in the High Desert 3’ Review – A Tense, Creepy Exercise in High Strangeness appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Looking for a reason to revisit the new Osgood Perkins horror movie Longlegs in theaters? Well, NEON has sent out a pretty compelling invitation as we kick off a brand new week.

The company has revealed that Perkins hid “more than 15 appearances of the Devil” in Longlegs, with the nightmarish shadow figure lurking in the background of many key scenes.

To give you a bit of a helping hand, NEON has uploaded a video (below) that points out a small handful of these creepy appearances, leaving you to discover the rest for yourself.

Maybe it’s time to go see Longlegs again. This time, look closer…

The serial killer horror movie marks the return of director Osgood Perkins (The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Gretel & Hansel). Nicolas Cage stars alongside Maika Monroe.

In the film, “FBI Agent Lee Harker (Monroe) is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case of an elusive serial killer (Cage). As the case takes complex turns, unearthing evidence of the occult, Harker discovers a personal connection to the merciless killer and must race against time to stop him before he claims the lives of another innocent family.”

Alicia Witt (“The Walking Dead”) and Blair Underwood (“American Crime Story”) also star.

The post Did You Spot All 15+ Appearances of the Devil in ‘Longlegs’? [Video] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Filmmaker Dutch Marich’s highly effective found footage horror franchise continues with Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch, which is now available to watch at home.

You can rent the film on Prime Video right now for just $4.99!

Horror in the High Desert (2021) and Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva (2023) are both now streaming on SCREAMBOX, a one-two punch of nightmare fuel that delves into mysterious disappearances in the Nevada wilderness. In the brand new third movie…

“As a wildfire bears down on the opposite side of the state, Oscar Mendoza, armed with a secret, takes advantage of the distraction and journeys to Northeastern Nevada in search of missing outdoorsman Gary Hinge’s last known whereabouts.”

In the original Horror in the High Desert (2021), “In July 2017, outdoor enthusiast Gary Hinge went missing in northern Nevada. He was never located. Friends and loved ones recall the events and, for the first time, talk about the horrific conclusion to his fate.”

And in Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva (2023), “In 2018 a string of tragedies unfolded in Northeastern Nevada. A woman was found dead and another would vanish along the same stretch of remote highway. Could these events be linked to the disappearance of Gary Hinge?”

Fourth and fifth installments of the franchise are also on the way. Stay tuned.

The post ‘Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch’ Now Available on Prime Video! [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

If there’s one thing that horror teaches over and over again, it’s not to mess with the dead. The characters in writer/director Aviv Rubinstien’s Lizzie Lazarus, making its world premiere next month at Popcorn Frights, are poised to learn that the hard way.

Watch the exclusive new trailer and poster reveal below.

About Lizzie Lazarus: “Summer Solstice, 1990, two strangers carry a corpse through the woods looking for a mythical zone they believe will bring the dead body back to life. But what secrets will come back with it?”

The film stars Omar Maskati and Lianne O’Shea.

Filmmaker Aviv Rubinstien said in a statement, “This film was a labor of love born out of getting a little ‘cabin fever’ in covid and reevaluating all of my life decisions. What Lianne (O’Shea, who plays Bethany) and I developed was a story about grief, loss, and guilt, cults and witches, and the question of how far you’d go to bring someone you loved back from the dead. We set it in 1990, not just because that was the year of a real occult disappearance on the summer solstice, but we wanted to pay homage to 90s independent films that take place all in one night, like Before Sunrise, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and Gerry (which is 2002 but you get the picture!) with a Wicker Man twist. 

The film was self-funded, and I got the opportunity to collaborate with some of my best friends (and my now wife), who all busted their asses for this film. And we made a great new friend in Omar Maskati, who plays Eli. We shot it over the course of ten overnights, and everyone was super game, living together in Airbnbs in Reno, NV. The whole thing felt like summer camp, and it was an experience I’ll never forget. Premiering at Popcorn Frights is an incredible honor. It’s one of the best genre festivals, and we’re super grateful to Marc and all the folks at the festival for working so hard to program amazing films that I’m excited to see and for giving us the once in a lifetime opportunity to premiere our truly grassroots movie and talk about our experiences.” 

Lizzie Lazarus is set to premiere at the festival in person on August 11 and virtually.

The post ‘Lizzie Lazarus’ Exclusive Trailer Resurrects the Dead in New Witchy Tale appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.