Leatherface comes back for his second set of victims

In my search for the perfect Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I haven't come yet to a conclusion. Part 2 has always stuck with me since I saw it when I was a kid. I had a soft spot in my heart for it. Why at such at a young age would I watch so ghastly and horrific movies? Well, answer is, I was raised up with horror films. Part 2, recently viewed on DVD, took me back to the old days which thrived more on "Peek-a-boo" scares and relentless chase scenes. This film, although more violent and gory than the first, thrives on those two key elements of a classic horror flick. It may not be the perfect Massacre, but it's damn close!

After 14 years since the original hit the drive-ins and scared America to death, the story picks up from there with a DJ(Caroline Williams) whom runs a late-night radio station. One night, Caroline catches the Hewitt family on tape in the act of their slicing and dicing a couple of college students that called in for a request. This is where Dennis Hopper comes in. He insists her to play the tape on-air to lure the Family from their hiding grounds.

It's a different story than all of the installment series and I think it broke fresh ground in this film. To make things seem uncorny as possible, Dennis Hopper is involved because he was been obsessed with the finding of the Hewitt Family since he killed his brother's children. Sounds better? Thought so. There are so many things going so right in this film. The story is different and a bit interesting and it's opening of carnage and the rest of the film plays out so well and it really gets you pumped up for the finale. It's action-packed, stylish and it's a great viewing pleasure to see Caroline Williams scream her a$$ off.

However, many people, including I, feel that the final set of scenes are a bit uninteresting because of the Family's lair. Yes, it's different and it's actually underground under an amusement park. I do believe they wanted to do something different instead of going back to the Hewitt house, but I think it could have had a better viewing if they did go back. Just looking at the lair is just not that scary as being in tight hallways and eerie settings like the Hewitt House. Leatherface looks a bit better in the movie; the mask is more realistic, however, nothing can be compared to the original.

The acting is a good dose. Starring Dennis Hopper, Caroline Williams and the original Family(excluding the crazy hitch hiker, they have a new guy for him and I think he's better than the other guy!) That guy is Bill Johnson. I think it was really great to have a new guy and it's real nice to see the old family as well including Grandpa! I think everyone(except Dennis Hopper) did an extraordinary job on their part. Caroline was a great damsel-in-distress and the Hewitt Family was better than ever; more madness than ever. The main problem is Dennis Hopper; he has the most annoying and out-of-place role(which everyone can expect from him).

The effects(music, special effects etc.) were really good in this film. The music set the madness and chaotic film of the film and the special effects were done real well. A good amount of gore that includes a split-open head, chainsaw cuttings in stomach, a skin-less body and some minor gore here and there.

Part 2 may have a couple of faults here and there, but in the end, many people will think that this film is a cult classic with tons of entertainment to be had. The jokes, carnage, violence and madness never ends. The final segments of scenes may be a bummer due to the lame setting and Dennis Hopper ruins the movie a bit, it's still a great horror film. It may not live up to the original with it trying to push the envelope, but it's one of the best entertaining installments in this series.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Information:
Genre: Horror
Running Time: 100 minutes
Year: 1986
Rating: R for Strong Gruesome Violence, Language and Gore